I think the biggest difference is guys are healthy this year.
This year wasn’t that bad because even though Rex got hurt, Kyle kind of stepped up pretty quickly, and he was the starter for most of the season and he did a good job.
You had a rookie quarterback who got thrust into the situation as a starter. They tried to keep it simple for him and tried to add a little bit here and there week to week. We knew we had to run the ball. That was important. And put together some drives and keep the defense off the field. For the most part, I think we did that and got some wins. We didn’t put up spectacular numbers and things like that, but in the end, the wins are what’s most important.
It’s nice to have him (1) back.
Thomas (2) is a great guy. He’s probably one of the funniest guys on the team. A lot of people wouldn’t know that by talking to him, but he’s got a good sense of humor, and we enjoy poking fun at one another.
The best part of playing football is your teammates and the camaraderie that you have.
It’ll never be perfect, but you strive to work on your technique. The offensive line is one of those positions where you can really work at your skills to get better more so than some positions where you either have it or you don’t, like a wide receiver or running back.
I grew up in a Mormon home. We went to church every Sunday. We had seven kids. My parents really stressed the importance that everybody has talents and developing those talents. Everybody had something that they were good at doing. For me, it was sports. Then it became football more specifically.
My dad sold insurance. My mom was a stay-at home mom. They made the dollars stretch. My mom ended up going back to school and getting her degree, and now she’s a schoolteacher.
I’m the only big person in my family. My dad’s 6 foot, my mom’s 5-6. I’m 6-6. I’ve got a sister who’s 5-3. I don’t know what happened there.
When I first tried football, they put me with kids who were two years older, and I got my butt kicked. I’d come home crying, wanting to quit. My dad told me: “You can’t quit. You have to finish out the season. If you want to not go out next year, fine.” But every year, it rolled around and I forgot all the bad stuff and wanted to go out again. So for about three years of football, it was really tough. Then I started getting with kids my own age and doing a little better.
I chose BYU. Really, I thought BYU would be the only place that would hold my scholarship if I went on a mission. It was kind of a nice surprise when quite a few schools told me they’d hold my scholarship and let me go on a mission. But I ended up choosing BYU because I figured I’d fit in the best there.
I went on a mission for my church to Knoxville, Tenn. A lot of people go to Siberia. I had a friend go to Estonia. I went to Tennessee.
Some missions you go to places where people aren’t Christians, so it’s a different message. Going to Tennessee, everybody already goes to church. It was a lot of community service and doing a lot of things with other churches and letting people know about who we are and letting them know we’re not bad people. We’re Christians, just like they are.
On a mission, you get up at 6:30 and study, and you’re out by 9:30 and you’re home by 9:30 at night. It’s an all-day thing. You don’t have time to work out. I was lucky. I didn’t gain too much weight. I came back and tried to get in shape as fast as I could, and I ended up starting for that 1996 team. We did pretty well. We went 14-1 and went to the Cotton Bowl.
Being on TV, kids will always look up to you. That’s never going to change.
The off-season, you remember why you play football because you have free time and your body gets to rest up. I think every player contemplates their retirement every training camp.
Best football moment? Up till now, I haven’t had it yet. Winning the Super Bowl would be a great moment.
It all depends on us. It’s neat to be on a team where you have a special defense. I don’t know how it’s going to end. All I know is we’re going to do our best to try to win.
(1): Rex Grossman
(2): Thomas Jones
