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Provo • Luke Staley used to sneak into LaVell Edwards Stadium, sit there and envision himself playing on the field.

In all his daydreaming, however, the former BYU running back never pictured this.

BYU will retire the No. 6 jersey this season to honor former Cougars stars Staley, Marc Wilson and Robbie Bosco.

"This is something that I never imagined," Staley said Friday. "… It's a total honor for me."

Staley said he'd been told two years ago, when he was inducted into the Cougars' hall of fame, that a jersey retirement could be possible.

"I didn't think it was going to happen," Staley said, "but it's a great honor."

Wilson quarterbacked the Cougars to an 11-1 record in 1979, Bosco was BYU's quarterback during its national championship season in 1984 and Staley rushed for more than 2,500 yards and 40 touchdowns during his three seasons in Provo.

"You make a name for yourself, you win championships and you become something special with your special players," an emotional Tom Holmoe, the Cougars' athletics director, said Friday.

The retirement ceremony will take place during the Cougars' Sept. 16 game against Wisconsin.

"It's really special," Bosco said. "It goes to show the hard work that not only I may have put in, but these things don't happen without great teammates and great people surrounding you and success. You're not going to get a jersey retired being 1-11."

Running the option

BYU and ESPN jointly announced that ESPN will televise BYU football through the 2019 season, continuing an agreement that began in 2011. ESPN had an option to extend its broadcast rights an additional year and exercised it. Holmoe said part of the contract calls for bowl-owner ESPN to find BYU a bowl game to play in after the 2017 regular season if the Cougars are bowl-eligible (six wins). He did not say when that bowl invitation will be announced.

afalk@sltrib.com

Twitter: @aaronfalk