BYU football: Former Cougs gather for homecoming

PROVO — Contrary to popular assumption, BYU's 1984 football team and the silver-anniversary celebration of its national championship was not the primary focus of the Cougars' homecoming festivities this weekend.

And maybe just as well, given the Cougars' 38-7 drubbing at the hands of TCU in the weekend's culminating event. Not the best way to finish a game, let alone celebrate a team that went undefeated and won the NCAA crown.

Instead, a call was sent out to any and all former Cougar gridders to come together this weekend, said Robbie Bosco, the quarterback of the Cougars' 1984 team and currently director of BYU's Varsity Club, the athletes' alumni association.

And come they did, some from the 1950s and '60s, Bosco said.

They attended Friday night's weekly team fireside with the current Cougars, followed by an impromptu gathering at Legends Grille. Some opted for Saturday morning golf at Sleepy Ridge and then all gathered first for tailgating at the Varsity Club tent and down on the Edwards Stadium field for pregame festivities.

Typically, some 250 to 300 people visit the Varsity Club tent before a home Cougar football game — but Saturday's crowd easily reached the 770 range, Bosco said.

"They just kept coming and coming," he said, adding that the rumors of a 1984 team reunion this weekend were erroneous.

There is talk about a possible '84 gathering prior to the regular-season finale in Provo against Utah.

"We're going to see what we can do that weekend," Bosco said.

The confusion about homecoming and honoring the '84 team is not surprising, given all the attention BYU has given the title team so far this season.

A silver-and-blue 25th-anniversary logo can be found plenty of places — on current players' helmets, on game tickets, on game-day T-shirts and on printed material such as posters, programs and media guides.

Also, the pregame carrying of an alumni "Y" flag has been fulfilled this season by members of the '84 squad, with previous flag bearers including Bosco, DB Kyle Morrell, kicker/punter Lee Johnson, DB Steve Haymond, WR Mark Bellini, WR Adam Haysbert and LB Leon White.

Carrying the alumni flag before Saturday evening's game was running back Kelly Smith, who caught Bosco's game-winning touchdown in the 1984 Holiday Bowl against Michigan.

Also, 1984 Cougar center Trevor Matich made a rare Provo appearance this weekend. Now an ESPN broadcaster, Matich worked ESPN's GameDay Radio broadcast outside Edwards Stadium leading up to the BYU-TCU kickoff.

e-mail: taylor@desnews.com