BYU needed another quarterback for spring practice. So instead of holding open tryouts for one, the team went and found someone who accumulated significant time under center in 2014.
Christian Stewart filled in as BYU's QB when Taysom Hill was lost for the season in 2014 because of a broken leg. But as a senior in 2014, Stewart figured his last practices would be the ones BYU held for the Miami Beach Bowl. Nope. He's back.
"What a story," BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae said via the Deseret News. "I hope it goes down as one of the all-time great BYU stories that we had a guy that was willing to advance the team, so everyone can get better while we wait for our younger (quarterbacks) to get in and get involved."
Stewart threw for 2,273 yards, 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2014.
Here's how and why it happened. Hill is still out recovering from the broken leg. McCoy Hill, a sophomore who was set to receive a lot of spring reps, now has a sprained foot. Add in the fact that QB Hunter Moore is a sophomore (and had just seven rush attempts in 2014) and Stewart was needed.
''I said, 'You're like gum on my shoe,''' coach Bronco Mendenhall laughingly told the AP. '''I can't get rid of you. No matter if I pull it, I stretch it, it just snaps back.' So we laughed. Talk about a loyal alumni. I think he was maybe more excited than I was that he gets to play football again.
BYU's compliance office was able to clear his participation with the NCAA. He's still enrolled at the school as a senior, so it's no problem.
“It didn’t feel like it was a real thing, but today was fun to get back out there with the guys and just be able to throw the ball around,” Stewart said. “And what are they going to do, yell at me? I can do whatever I want out there. I can make any read I want, throw the deep ball. They can’t really say anything to me.”
Indeed, Stewart gets to do all the fun stuff without all of the other taxing drills and meetings involved with being a full-time member of the team.
“It’s awesome,” Stewart said. “I don’t have to do the crazy warm-up they have to do. I don’t have to go to the meetings in the morning. I just show up right when practice starts, warm up with coach Beck and then go in during all the team periods. Do the fun stuff.”
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Former BYU QB Christian Stewart rejoins team for spring practice
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