Deseret News
Dallin Holker happy with decision to serve mission rather than play in 2020
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Jaren Wilkey, BYU
If Dallin Holker had not left BYU’s football program for two years, would freshman Isaac Rex have caught those impressive 12 touchdown passes in 2020 from NFL-bound quarterback Zach Wilson?
Holker’s got speed, athleticism, height at 6-foot-5 and was impressive in 2018 when he played. He was the Deseret News 5A MVP in 2017. He played basketball and he’s got good hands.
What could he have delivered alongside Rex or instead of Rex if he’d been playing his junior year?
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BYU Football | Press Briefing | Jacob Conover | March 8, 2021
PROVO Jacob Conover has to pinch himself from time to time.
Ever since the BYU freshman was a little kid, he s dreamt of this moment of waking up on Saturdays and playing quarterback for the BYU football team.
As a four-star recruit at Arizona s Chandler High, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound rising star had plenty of offers to play college football. Alabama came calling, with head coach Nick Saban texting him several times per day. Arizona State s Herm Edwards called him regularly to play for his hometown school.
Arizona. Northwestern. Ole Miss. Washington State. They all wanted Conover and then some.
PROVO One day after finalizing the hiring of new linebackers coach Kevin Clune, BYU football added an offensive assistant and it went back to Texas to do it.
The Cougars added UTSA assistant Darrell Funk to lead their offensive line, the team announced Friday night. The hire replaces Eric Mateos, the former Texas State assistant who followed former offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes to Baylor.
Funk comes to BYU with more than 30 years of coaching experience, including a decade as a coordinator. In addition to his most recent stop at UTSA, Funk previously worked at Michigan, Purdue, San Diego State, Colorado State and Ball State.
PROVO The common thought around BYU s campus this week is what the football team is losing.
Fresh off its 11-1 season, top-20 national ranking, and best record since at least 2006, the Cougars have lost offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes to Baylor, and quarterback Zach Wilson, wide receiver Dax Milne and offensive tackle Brady Christensen arguably three of the biggest role players on a top-10 offense to the 2021 NFL Draft.
That s just a few of the key losses to the 2021 team, which will take a massive step up in scheduling by facing seven Power Five teams, including the aforementioned Bears on Oct. 16, and five Pac-12 teams beginning with a game against rebuilding Arizona in Las Vegas on Sept. 2.
Just a few days after offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes left BYU for Baylor, and the Cougars immediately promoted quarterbacks coach Aaron Roderick to replace him, the new Power Five coordinator is reportedly set to take trusted offensive line coach Eric Mateos to Waco, Texas, as well.
The news was first reported by Sic Em 365, a fan site for Baylor Athletics, and confirmed by Football Scoop on Thursday evening. Baylor announced the move Friday afternoon. I am very grateful to Baylor University, Coach Aranda, and Mr. Rhoades for this fantastic opportunity to coach the offensive line for such a prestigious program, said Mateos, who was recently engaged to former BYU athletic department staffer Gillian Chavez. I am excited to pour my heart into our players and compete for championships with a top-notch coaching staff. I am thrilled to see so many great friends and coaches that mentor the elite high school athletes around the state. Gillian and I look forward to building our first