BYU football: Reynolds tops off run at BYU

PROVO — BYU senior offensive lineman Dallas Reynolds made his first collegiate start the same day Bronco Mendenhall debuted as a head coach in a loss at home to Boston College back in September 2005.

His Cougar career will come to an end Saturday in the Las Vegas Bowl, where BYU meets Arizona. In between, Reynolds has made his mark on the program, while keeping it all in the family.

Not only has he been able to play with both an older and a younger brother, but he's also been around his father, Lance Reynolds Sr., who is BYU's assistant head coach and running backs coach.

Four years ago, as a freshman, Dallas played left guard and his older brother, Lance Jr., a senior, played center. By the end of that season, the Cougars had snapped a streak of three losing seasons and the Reynolds brothers played their final game together in the Las Vegas Bowl — a loss to California.

Now, Dallas is the starting center for a program that won back-to-back Mountain West Conference championships in 2006 and 2007 and has gone undefeated at home for three straight years. This season, he's played with his younger brother, Matt, a freshman who is the starting left tackle. They will play together for the final time in this year's Las Vegas Bowl.

It will be a bittersweet night for this band of brothers.

"We haven't talked about it," said Matt. "It wasn't until Senior Day, watching the seniors get their stuff, I realized that this is his senior year. I always knew it and it was always in the back of my mind. But it kind of hit me that day. I always thought I would have two years with Dallas and now it's almost over. It is bittersweet. I've played with Dallas through a lot of years in football ... It's weird to think I won't play with him again."

Dallas Reynolds, a two-time all-MWC performer, has been a fixture in the BYU offense for four years, playing every position on the offensive line — tackle, guard and center. He has 50 consecutive starts under his belt, dating back to that Boston College game, which is longest streak in the nation (he's tied with Central Michigan offensive lineman Andrew Harline).

"It's been cool," Dallas said of the streak. "It's been a long road, but it's been awesome. It's something I take pride in."

And it looks like Matt is following in Dallas' footsteps. Like Dallas, Matt earned a starting spot on the offensive line in fall camp and has been there since. Just as Lance Jr., helped Dallas along as a freshman, Dallas has done the same for Matt.