Where are they now? Kayle Buchanan

AP photo by Francis Specker

Kayle Buchanan, Cornerback #34 (2004-2007)
“I am currently finishing my schooling at BYU. Without football I have lots of time, so I decided to work as a Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant for a political science professor on campus. We are working on a project for Oxford University Press, and I hope to make enough useful contributions to be granted co-authorship. I have also joined the blogging world and have created a blog that is supposed to be a forum for debate. Please contribute your thoughts (divergent opinions welcome): http://americanintraspection.blogspot.com.

The current state of the program.
I am encouraged by the program’s success. I have only watched two games this year, but here are my impressions. I think that the team is very confident in their abilities, and that they have maintained the momentum and prestige garnered by previous teams. I also think that overconfidence has led to some sloppy quarters of play, and that could be cleaned up, but that disease is common to successful football teams. To reach their goals they just need to step on other teams’ throats every time that they have the chance (e.g. Washington, Utah State). Coach Mendenhall’s teams are composed of disciplined individuals, so maintain composure on the field when you get frustrated. Onward and upward; great team with even more room to grow. That’s scary good.

Your favorite moments while you were at BYU.
I have a few favorite moments:
Getting into spring ball in 2000 after being cut twice. I knew that I could do more, but honestly I did not know how much.
Notre Dame 2004: my first football game in over four years. A walk-on as the #3 corner, until Micah passed me later in the season.
Though I had a broken leg and ruptured RCL at the time, the win over Utah at Utah in 2006.
Arizona at home in 2007: I played well and only had two tackles; that’s great news for a corner.
Utah at home in 2007: so much fun; cannot describe the emotions.
Las Vegas Bowl 2007: played well, then we all dug deep and pushed when it was needed.
Banquet in 2008: immense sense of accomplishment, gratitude, and then sadness when I realized that BYU was all over for me.
What your expectations are for this season and upcoming seasons.
They’ll dominate for a long time, as long as current and coming players realize that they are well-fitting pieces inside of a system that is designed to maximize their potential.

Your own opinion about how you have seen the program change.
I had a front row seat to the transition. My freshman year was under Coach Crowton, a good man and good football mind who struggled with managing a team at BYU. I joined several others as we petitioned Tom Holmoe to hire Coach Mendenhall, despite some opposition from offensive players. I have watched Coach Mendenhall assume his responsibilities and give everything that he has in all the right ways. I have watched him grow and try to adhere to his own teachings, so he is credible to me. I am grateful to have been part of a transition that is seated in decency, accountability, effort, discipline, and spirituality.”