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Utah Utes football: Brian Johnson lands on video game cover

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Wow | 10:23 a.m. April 23, 2009

Good for BJ. Never thought you'd hear the day a player from the MWC could land the cover of an EA game, outside of LT.

Guess that just shows how much the Utes have raised the bar.

You go Brian!! | 10:26 a.m. April 23, 2009

Great player. Great season. Great Career. Great honor!!!

Chad | 10:33 a.m. April 23, 2009

I will make a prediction. By tomorrow there will be at least 15 posts by Y-ner fans about how their team and players (most likely from 20 years ago +) would be better on the cover. There will also be some random post about how Y-ners have more fans, better uniforms, or some other such irrelevant thing. There will be a post about how it would make more sense to put a Y-ner player on the cover because of a "national fanbase" that would sell more games.

Oh, those silly Y-ners!

Comments continue below

Me, Myself and I | 10:40 a.m. April 23, 2009

Congrats to Brian!! Now I might have to change gaming consoles so I can get his cover instead of Crabtree's

Congrats! | 10:42 a.m. April 23, 2009

That is so cool! Way to go BJ!

Video Star???? | 10:56 a.m. April 23, 2009

WOW!!!!

One of YEWTS is on a vido game cover.
Now lets hear it from all of the EWE fans for this one....

Personally, I would rather be Steve Young and land my picture on Sports Illustrated for MVP of a Super Bowl Championship.

But my little brothers up north will have to settle for one of theirs on a VIDEO COVER. HA! HA! HA!

What's next???
SNAP! CRACKLE! POP!!!

Chris | 11:02 a.m. April 23, 2009

2 BCS games
2 BCS Victories,
2 BCS Rings
1 BCS MVP
1 MVP Conference POY
1 EA SPORTS GAME COVER

That's priceless.

Anything to add to that Cougar Fans? Didn't think so. Go UTES!

How about a photo | 11:19 a.m. April 23, 2009

or cover image?

Hmmm... | 11:28 a.m. April 23, 2009

Now I need to buy a PS3.

Go Utes! | 11:36 a.m. April 23, 2009

This is a big deal! What a compliment to the Utes and to Brian Johnson. It is pretty awesome to think that every kid who buys the game and owns a PS3 will be able to remember the Utes amazing year. Just as a correction though, this is not the first time a Ute has appeared on the cover of a video game; Keith Van Horn appeared on the cover of NBA Jam in 1999.

To Chris | 11:44 a.m. April 23, 2009

1 National Championship

:)

Chad ,Video Star, Chris | 11:46 a.m. April 23, 2009

Get a life!! Children Children Children. Give each other a flower and see if you can get the hate out of your body.

Congrats BJ, but weren't you the | 11:50 a.m. April 23, 2009

same QB, your entire fanbase wanted to bench even throughout half of last season?

Gotta love band wagon fans. Let's see how long the KW love affair last.

Not a big deal | 11:50 a.m. April 23, 2009

That s an honor for BJ, Im sure he'll enjoy playing NCAA 10 for the next 365... 24/7 at home. Mean while Ill be having fun on Madden 2010 as Austin Collie!

Re: Chris | 11:52 a.m. April 23, 2009

you forgot 6 Turnovers in one game against his rival
... oh wait....

Anonymous | 11:56 a.m. April 23, 2009

Nice job Brian! too bad there were Ute fans booing you at time during the season! Congrats on the great year!

1984 Baby! | 12:06 p.m. April 23, 2009

Video Star...You forgot to mention 1984? BYU has a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP man! How did you forget that. You Yewts can have all the video game covers you want. We BYU fans have 1984...Yessir, Nineteen Eighty-Four. Don't forget that you yewts. Boy, we had your number a few decades ago!

RAH RAH RAHRAHRAH GOOOOOOOOOO COUGARS!

RE: Chris | 12:09 p.m. April 23, 2009

It's GREAT to see that you can count.....

A sports game cover.....wow....that GREAT????

SNAP!!! CHRACKLE!!! POP!!!

Y-ner here | 12:13 p.m. April 23, 2009

Y-ner here, who actually prefers Utah's uniforms to BYU's...

National Championship? | 12:14 p.m. April 23, 2009

Ha! If that makes you feel better saying that (over and over again, ignoring the flaws of the system), then have at it.

Whatever helps you feel better about yourself is OK with me

Fair comparison | 12:18 p.m. April 23, 2009

BYU won the national championship in 1984 by going undefeated. It's too bad that not all undefeated teams are granted national championships in our day and age, isn't it.

In my opinion, two undefeated seasons and two BCS wins in the last five years is a greater accomplishment than what BYU did in 1984. The Utes just have the unfortunate timing of being in a system that won't allow them to be named champions.

Take the technicalities of the system out, the Utes two BCS seasons have been more impressive than BYU's 1984 season was. I'm not a so-called YEWT, I'm just objective and reasonable.

Re: Not a big deal | 12:19 p.m. April 23, 2009

I love how BYU fans think Collie is going to be so great in the NFL.
He is a 6th rounder.

Remember that Steve Smith is one of the best WR in the NFL.
Collie better start being more righteous if he wants to make a practice squad.

Re: 1984 Baby! | 12:23 p.m. April 23, 2009

Living in the past.
Army used to be good at football too.
Ages ago.
BYU is 1-21 vs top 25 teams since joining the MWC.

Brian Johnson did something no byu QB in this state has ever done, win a BCS game.

GridIronSam | 12:24 p.m. April 23, 2009

This is good for two reasons. One, for Brian Johnson. It's an honor and recognition he deserves, he was the heart and soul of the 13-0 team. To get there he perservered through a serious knee injury, a bum shoulder and other adversity and carried this team on his shoulders. His game winning drives vs. TCU and Oregon State made it all possible. And his performances against BYU and Alabama were special. He earned his degree and is a good role model. The folks at EA made a wise selection.
Secondly, this publicity is good for Utah recruiting. Just like the national ranking and the Sugar Bowl victory, things like this bring the program brand recognition and get them in more living rooms to pitch their program to premier recruits.

cougar 4 | 12:26 p.m. April 23, 2009

That's really cool! Way to go Johnson!

This is so FREAKING AWESOME!!!!! | 12:35 p.m. April 23, 2009

To bad a bunch of punks have to ruin this by arguing about which is team is better! Get over it! I am a hard core Ute fan, and I respect BYU. What I hate is the stupid fans from both schools who argue the same thing over and over! How can you say which is team is better? Each year is different! In 84 BYU was the best, bar none, but in 08 we'll never know if the Utes were the best because they didn't get to play for a championship, even though they went undefeated playing more games than the 84 Cougs. At first the U owned the Y, then it reversed. Now things are pretty well matched. We should be just excited to see the level of competition between the teams there is now. This is the best the rivalry has ever been! So go utes and to all the stupid fans, grow up or get off the board! CONGRATS BRIAN JOHNSON, THIS IS FREAKING AWESOME! Too bad I don't have a PS3 :(

To Anonymous 11:56 | 12:40 p.m. April 23, 2009

They weren't booing BJ. They were boing Andy Punt-Wig!

slc | 12:41 p.m. April 23, 2009

This is just absolutely killing cougar fan!!!!! We've won 9 bowls in a row, they have won 8 total!!!

Charmin T.P. | 12:46 p.m. April 23, 2009

The YEWTS will be soooooooooo successful in their new video game cover experience, that maybe next they will have one of their players doing commercials for Charmins!!!!!

The Cougs will get their RECOGNITION on the football field, while the Yewts are spending ALL their time admirering their new video game covers.

The T.P. will sooner or later run out.............

Great all around | 12:50 p.m. April 23, 2009

This is great for the University of Utah, the State of Utah and for non-BCS Schools everywhere. As a big Utah fan, if the roles were reveresed that BYU had the great year and they put Austin Collie on the cover than I would say the exact same thing above (except inserting BYU for U of U). This was at least based on football meritocracy rather than hypocrisy/corruption.

Here kitty kitty | 12:50 p.m. April 23, 2009

Hey Kitty fan, before you start running smack about 1984 keep in mind that there's no way that team would have won the national championship with the current system we have today. Of course if we had the system from 1984 in place today the Utes would have won the national championship this year since they were the only undefeated team and they didn't do it against Bo Diddly Tech and Sisters of the Poor like the kitties did. Also remember that while the kitties may have gone undefeated in 1984 that the Utes have now done it twice in the last 5 years.

Now with that being said Brian Johnson getting on the cover of NCAA Football 2010 is a well deserved honor as he played well this season. His leadership is one of the big reasons the Utes were able to go undefeated this season. I will definitely have to get a PS3 so I can get a copy of the game and play it. By the way kitty fan, NCAA Football 2010 with Johnson on the cover is better than Madden with Collie being a bench player assuming he's even there at all.

Anonymous | 12:52 p.m. April 23, 2009

re: Chad | 10:33 a.m. April 23, 2009

Max Hall would be perfect for the cover of that game Buttars was playing on the WoW episode of South Park.... Hello Kitty Adventure Island.

1984 | 12:59 p.m. April 23, 2009

One score and five years ago our fathers brought upon Provo a National Championship won in mediocrity, dedicated to the proposition that we are better than everyone else forever and ever.

Now we are engaged in a rivalry, testing whether 2 BCS wins that included wins over 7 top 20 teams is mightier than our 1984 season that had 0 wins over top 20 teams and culminated in a championship over 6-6 Michigan.

However ridiculous the years theme, we must continue on the Quest, the Investment, the Band of bros., etc. Ahmen

Yes they were Booing BJ | 1:00 p.m. April 23, 2009

I sat in the Crimson Club, and amongst football player's families vs. Oregon State. They BOOOED Brian Johnson and were wanting to put in Louks. I received numerous texts from Utah fans saying the same thing.

I think Brian is a stand out individual and a great ambassador to the university. It is HUGE to land a cover of NCAA 10. Congrats BJ, and thanks to our fickle fanbase we were able to beat OSU and TCU. (Yes the players saw the masses leaving in the last minutes and were inspired to prove you wrong)

BYU won the national championship in 84 b/c of years of national spotlight. They deserved the chance just like Utah would play for national championship in 08 if they had been ranked at all during 05-07.

I will tell you this, whether you want to admit it or not, if BYU runs the table this year they will play for a national championship BECAUSE they were ranked for the last 3 years.

Anonymous | 1:01 p.m. April 23, 2009

Yes they were booing Johnson! The Phrase, "Johnson you suck, boo!" is pretty direct, I go to the games.

WOW! | 1:03 p.m. April 23, 2009

Even as a die hard blue bleeding cougar fan..............
Im stoked that hes on the cover! Way to represent the state man! Well done!
I cant wait to see where our Cougars and Utes go in the Draft on saturday and sunday.

re:11:50 am | 1:08 p.m. April 23, 2009

yeah I'm sure it will be fun playing Austin Collie on Madden 2010 on special teams. Meanwhile I'll be playing Sean Smith AND Paul Kruger as starters on Defense for whatever team chooses them.

re: Chamin | 1:18 p.m. April 23, 2009

Which "recognition" are you speaking of?

48-24
Getting drubbed by TCU
Losing in the Vegas Bowl to Arizona, again
A failed "Quest"
Maxie throwing to everyone, in a RED jersey
Donko losing in-state recruits, to UTAH

Please, explain which of these great feats you consider "recognition?"

If by "recognition" you mean the team who labled themselves the BCS busters last summer, only to lose 3 games by about 60 points, and watch their rival but the BCS, AGAIN? Or the team who can't beat a BCS caliber team, EVER.

RE: "here kitty kitty 12:50 p.m | 1:29 p.m. April 23, 2009

Don't be so QUICK to run out and buy a PS3.....

Just wait a couple of months and you can pick one up at your local DI for a fraction of the cost.

This is News? | 1:31 p.m. April 23, 2009

This is news? 38 (and counting) responses to this story? I'm responding? It's a cover for a video game. Who cares? I need to get a life. Anyone care to join me?

Y-ners | 1:49 p.m. April 23, 2009

Yes, that's right Y-ners, we boo our players and even coaches when they deserve it. That's because U fans are committed to the school and team, not any one individual. That pressure pushes players and coaches to be the best they can be. It's just like any other area in life, where sometimes a good kick in the pants pushes you to be better. I would hate to be a Y fan, where Bronco is praised for beating one ranked team and making excuses. My favorite is that football is 5th on your list. Or how about Hall? Just think how good he would have to be if he was booed or pulled for making six turnovers against the U, or stinking up the bowl game. Instead he is lavished with praise for coming up short in big game after big game. Utah players and coaches have to earn our praise. That's why the Y talks about raising the bar, and the U actually does it.

Amazing... | 1:56 p.m. April 23, 2009

The dude is on a cover for a few good games. I assume they did not see him in his remaining games on how horrible he played. I am glad I have an xbox.

Fan | 2:16 p.m. April 23, 2009

So I've been a BYU fan my whole life, but am going to the U because they have the graduate program I want. I'm proud of the U for their accomplishments and I'm also proud of BYU for being national champs back in '84. But come on BYU fans, get real. That was 25 years ago and the Utes one this last season. Whether you're a Ute or Cougar fan, you gotta admit that BJ being on the cover of this game is freakin' cool!

Congrats | 2:29 p.m. April 23, 2009

This is awesome for BJ and Utah. All the Y fans responding here that aren't congratulating him, are nothing but jealous. This does nothing to hurt Utah, it only solidifies them as a great team last year with a great, clutch, player. This helps in national recognition and in recruiting. Who cares which of you posters are playing Madden 2010 with Collie....I want all those 4 & 5 star recruits that are going to be playing NCAA football next year to look at Utah every time they go to play their PS3. It only helps cement Utah as the flagship program in the conference and of the non-BCS teams.

Stirker | 2:34 p.m. April 23, 2009

True, you can go back on this site and find ute fans booing Johnson, like during the Weber game, and now they are on here making him a hero. Talk about hypocrites! One good season compared to a bunch of average seasons doesn't make one worthy for a cover on some game. It's funny, had TCU made those field goals someone else would be on that cover.

Anonymous | 2:35 p.m. April 23, 2009

Booing Student athletes who are not paid to be there is classless! I am a season ticket holder at the U.

Way to go.... | 2:46 p.m. April 23, 2009

Way to go Brian.. what a great way to top off your career at the U. Good things continue to happen to this program because of it's success.

I hope that will carry over to the draft for a handful of our players. It helps the team and the conference.

Sorry that we keep putting thorns in your side coogs.

RE: "Fan 2:16 pm) | 2:48 p.m. April 23, 2009

Come on...........you're not a BYU fan.......

I believe you when you say "am going to the U because they have the graduate program I want..."

You then go ahead and spell...."one this season..."
If you were a true Coug, then you would know how to spell "won...", so that just proves that you are really a YEWT taking remedial english at the EWE in their advanced English program learning how to speall correctly!!!!

UTBUFF | 2:54 p.m. April 23, 2009

I would like to know how many of you Y-ner fans were actually alive in 1984 to witness the mythical national championship? Do you actually remember watching the Cougs in the Holiday Bowl.

To 1984 | 2:56 p.m. April 23, 2009

Actually, BYU did beata ranked team that year...Pittsburgh was ranked #3 to start the season, but ended up winning only 3 games that year.

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2 photos

EA Sports

A screenshot of former Utah Utes quarterback Brian Johnson in EA Sports' "NCAA Football." Johnson will be featured on the cover of the PlayStation 3 version of the game for 2010.

Gallery (2 photos)