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BYU took more than just a QB

"Nelson and his representatives initiated the contact." Did they? Or did BYU contacts Nelson's coach first?

Don't forget we stole Lavell from USU too. He was a USU grad. We already have ice cream better than Aggie Ice Cream: Ever heard of the BYU Creamery? Best ice cream anywhere, period. Most of us BYU purists have been lobbying to give the darker blue color back to the Aggies, not out of altruistic sympathies, but because we are traditionalists. BYU was, and should always be royal blue. Bringing back the old logo was right, but it still seems a compromise without bringing back the royal blue too. Stealing is really not the right word though. Nelson did contact byu first, via mail from his mission, so when a young man chooses to change schools because one is the media darling potential BCS buster and one is, well, USU, is that stealing? The boy has common sense. He could be a big fish in a small pond or compete to be the big Kahuna riding the BCS wave. I'm sure it wasn't that hard a choice, even with his USU family pedigree.

I smell a conspiracy!

Come on yewt-fans, this is your chance to to join the Ags in accusing BYU of impropriety with loads of innuendo, but not a single fact on your side.

Let the fun and frivolity begin!

By the way, Rock, this was a stupid article.

This happens all the time. It goes against you and for you. This one gets attention just like Ben Olsen did. Look how well he did after he left for the TV coverage of the Pac 10. Not. Chances are, Nelson will flop and this will all be for naught.

Give the kid a break. It's a free world out there and he has decided. When you compare programs, it's a no brainer.

Tim: Good question. David Locke on radio yesterday was convinced BYU initiated the contact, and couldn't call them 'dirty' and 'filthy' enough for their despicable contact. His rant seemed over the top to me, perhaps for-ratings manufactured, since I can't see that any rules were broken in this incident. But maybe I just don't understand the ramifications.

I love listening to USU wine about BYU. The cold hard fact is they are so bad that no Cougar fan worries or cares what they think. Their biggest cry is wait till we play you in basketball in Logan. Dude if you are any good you are supposed to win at home. Take a look at BYU and their home record. Everybody wants to compare their self with the best. Problem is USU does not even come close.

It's blatantly against NCAA rules for a school to contact a player about making a transfer while he's serving his mission, UNLESS the player makes the first contact. Do you REALLY think BYU would risk potential penalties by violating that rule? Do you REALLY think they need to do that to get a good QB? I think not...

I guess we might as well patent mathematical equations, biological processes, and the laws of physics - because USU doesn't want its shade of blue stolen. Because it is their and only their shade of blue. Therefore, if you wish to perceive the particular wavelength of light that produces "Aggie Blue", you must pay a royalty to Logan.

Also, students are not allowed to change their minds about attending Utah State. Once there, they are locked into attending. In addition all USU grads are obligated to repeat that other highly performing teams in the state are too afraid to play them on their home field. Apparently USC, OSU, and LSU are too afraid to play the Aggies in Logan. One last USU rule, Aggies should maintain the illusion of a "rivalry" between themselves and other highly performing teams in the state, even though the other team usually forgets that USU is there.

Have fun patenting your shade of blue!

Nelson's old high school coach bumped into a BYU recruiter and had a casual conversation about how Riley was doing and the high school coach asked if BYU had any interest. That's according to Riley's father. BYU did not take the first step, the high school coach did and then went back to the parents and told them BYU liked their son. Of course if people want to be negative about BYU, they'll use this as another excuse.

BYU took their spirit? come on, this is a smart move by the kid. The article states that Nelson will be surrounded by more talent in Provo, but the article should state that he will be surrounded BY talent, not more. The Aggies have not had a football program in years, and if Nelson has any aspirations beyond Logan, he needs to be somewhere else.
It seems as though Utah State spends so much time and energy worrying about what everyone else is doing that they are losing their own identity/spirit. Nobody is taking it from them.

Dana Bright encourages Nelson to come to BYU for the finest ice cream and to "Ride the BCS Wave."

First things first - I live in Provo and BYU creamery is the ice cream of choice if you've the taste buds of an antelope.

Next and most obvious - which BCS wave is Nelson going to be a part of as a Cougar? As far as I can tell, when it comes to the BCS wave, the Cougars are still standing on beach praying for a surfboard that isn't dropping from heaven any time soon!

Keep hoping, praying and dreaming Cougar Dana.

Let's be very honest with ourselves USU cares about Football the same way BYU cares about basketball, granted we are far worse in football than the Y is in basketball but nonetheless USU lives and dies by its basketball program. How many show for football games? Exactly.

Maybe there was a day when USU was concerned with football. The last time I saw USU beat BYU was the weekend before my LDS mission when USU won 58-56, surely this was a sign, actually probably not. We haven't won since and I quite frankly have not seen the Aggies be remotely competitive since I was there or since I have left. I no doubt hold out hope but let's face it USU is third on the list in Utah, keep in mind Utah is a 3rd tier football state at best.

It is another blow for us but luckily I don't define my existence by USU football, it would surely take away my very life force and free agency. I have a deep dislike for all things BYU, Provo, Brad Rock and the D News breath arrogance but again the reality is Riley made by far the better choice for himself.

Come on Dana, enlighten me on which BCS wave BYU is currently riding? The last BYU-BCS wave ended in Hawaii.

Nelson's dad said on the radio that BYU initated the contact. He spelled it out very clearly. Bronco has preaced from day one that his program would be different. I guess that is not the case. I have no problem with Riley becoming a Coug, but the way it happened is underhanded at best.

BYU can have Riley notice that no top quality programs even showed interest in the kid outside of this state USU and BYU are no name schools in sports they are never in the top maybe one decent year here and there Riley is not gonna get either of your programs anywhere so keep dreamin

Ummm read ESPN.com once in a while, dudes.

the self-righteousness of byu fans has long annoyed and continues to annoy me. usu is a great school, not because of its football program (obviously) but because of its faculty and students, the breathtaking beauty of cache valley and all it has to offer. i hope nelson has a good experience at byu, academically and athletically, but we aggies know what he'll be missing.

Hopefully someone here will notice that BYU didn't instigate the contact. That said I still think these kids should still have to sit out a year so these kids don't get bombarded on their missions.

I don't blame Aggie fans at all for being upset. It's a big loss for USU. Whether or not Nelson blooms at BYU remains to be seen. I know some USU fans hate BYU for things like this, but I can't blame Nelson for wanting to join a great BYU football program. Basketball players want to be a part of Aggie basketball for the same reasons.

Well - we've all heard it, "You better be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it."

He's gonna have a tremendous challenge on his hands with the competition he'll be surrounded by. He may have already had his last college start (as a quarterback). He may get some clean up duties his senior year.