This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Another BYU tight end has been lost for the remainder of the season. Sophomore Austin Holt suffered a torn ACL in the first quarter of BYU's 42-7 win over New Mexico State on Saturday night, the Tribune has confirmed. Holt will undergo knee surgery on Tuesday and is obviously out for BYU's Dec. 3 game at Hawaii and its Dec. 30 appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl. Holt joins fellow sophomore tights ends Devin Mahina (neck injury) and Richard Wilson (knee injury) in suffering season-ending injuries this season. Seldom-used senior Matthew Edwards will see more time now, as he did in Saturday's game. Kaneakua Friel becomes the starter at tight end; Marcus Mathews is listed as a tight end but is actually used more as a slot receiver. Mike Muehlmann is also a tight end, having been moved over from defense last month. ———————————— The latest news on Big East expansion, and where BYU fits into the picture, comes from the Orlando Sentinel. Writer Iliana Limon spoke to Central Florida President John Hitt in Greenville, N.C., before the UCF-Eastern Carolina game Saturday and reports that the Conference USA members being considered for Big East membership — UCF, SMU and Houston — are growing impatient "One of the major hurdles has been working through Big East expansion candidate television contract obligations," writes Limon, "but Hitt said there are a variety of other glitches that have popped up." Said Hitt: "I know that our general counsel has been working with the general counsels of Houston, SMU, Boise, Navy, I think at one time or another BYU. And they're all trying to get this done. They're tired of it, too. ... You get that many lawyers involved, and they're paid to find problems to make sure none of us get bit by anything we're signing." Then there's this swell fellow, West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck, not exactly the epitome of graciousness as he talks about the Mountaineers' eminent departure for the Big 12.————————————— One of the more memorable highlights of BYU's Senior Night at LES on Saturday was linebacker Kyle Van Noy's wearing of the jersey formerly belonging to injured LB Jordan Pendleton. Here's Van Noy's reasoning: "Words can't describe what it meant to put that No. 1 on, just because of what he has gone through here. It was just to show a sign of class, respect. I respect that kid so much, he's like an older brother to me. So I look up to him. I would have done the same for Jamo [Frazier] too, if he was down, because they mean a lot to me. I don't usually show it. I am not kind of the, 'hey, you know, I love you.' But I think actions speak louder than words and I think it was a good feeling putting that number on, because it meant a lot to him to still be out there." Here's Van Noy on what is left to prove against Hawaii: "It is just that we love to play football. That's why we play. It is all to have fun and it is just another chance to get better and improve ourselves and be together as a unit. And ....as brothers. We really bond together and we bleed, cry together and whatever else happens — fight each other. And we want to be out there as a unit and battle for each other again, and win."