LaVell's grandson showed why he's at BYU

If you're the grandson of LaVell Edwards and you play football at BYU, you'd better have something to show for your bloodline.

Matt Edwards, a sophomore walk-on tight end for the Cougars, did his grandfather proud the other day. It wasn't before a screaming crowd in the stadium that bears LaVell's name. It wasn't a spectacular, twisting, one-handed catch in a scrimmage that left his teammates in awe. He didn't invent a piece of equipment or give a big, emotional speech that moved the entire team and staff.

No, Edwards, who is relegated to grunt work as a scout team player, did something that spoke loudly about who he is and why he plays the game.

Working on the punt cover scout team, Edwards had the assignment of running down and smashing the protective blocking shield in front of the catch guy. He ran down and did his job, colliding with the blockers. Then he got up and ran after the receiver to try and make a tackle. Then, on the next play, another punt, he did it again.

The thing is, the first time he hit the shield, Edwards broke his left arm, a clean fracture two inches above the wrist. Then he ran to make a tackle. Then he lined up and hit the shield again and ran to make a tackle.

None of his teammates knew what had happened. After those two series, he sought a trainer for some help. He had surgery that night, with a plate and screws inserted into his arm.

Bronco Mendenhall didn't have any idea about Edwards' injury until the next day in a film session when players told him, "Hey, coach, look at this clip."

Mendenhall saw Edwards run and smash into the shield. "Then, with his arm dangling, he ran down field to cover the punt. I thought it might have been a shoulder, but he broke his arm. We line up to punt again on the next play and he lines up and he runs into the shield again and his arm is flailing around again. It was remarkable. The pain tolerance? Nobody even knew it.

"It was unbelievable, the guy didn't make a sound."

Somebody said that feat elevated Edwards to rock star status on the team.

"I knew something was wrong when I hit the wedge," said Edwards. "I must have hit a helmet. It went numb but the adrenalin must have kicked in or something."

So, he lined up and went at it again.