According to the article, Kyle suffers from ALS. He was one of my favorite players back in the day.
So sorry to hear he is suffering from this horrible disease.
He made one of the biggest plays in the history of BYU football when he jumped over the line at Hawaii and tackled the QB for a loss on a fourth and goal at the one foot line. It saved the game and if that hadn’t happened there would not have been a national championship in 1984. In my opinion it ranks up there with the Hail Mary in the Miracle Bowl. It was the biggest defensive play in the history of BYU football in my opinion. He made a few All American teams as a senior and was as good a free safety as ever played at the Y.
agreed. I was stuck in Winnemucca, NV listened to the game in my truck at some ridiculous hr of the night. Paul James called the game…miss that guy
Makes me sick to my stomach to hear he has ALS. A horrible disease suffered by a couple of family members. Kyle not only jumped over the line he somersaulted over the line and stopped the Hawaii QB.
Aro: "In my opinion it ranks up there with the Hail Mary in the Miracle Bowl. It was the biggest defensive play in the history of BYU "
Me: 100% agree with both statements. One of my Y FB heroes.
ALS and MS are the 2 most horrible diseases. Both painful and last too long. Especially MS can last decades. There are different kinds of MS. The kind my friend had he couldn’t move. And if he was moved incorrectly he’d be in pain.
I listened from Wimberly, Tx. a time zone ahead of Nevada. An even more ridiculous hour and the signal wasn’t all that good. I had to keep moving my radio. It was the only way to get BYU when their games weren’t broadcast on the Blue and White Network in the meeting houses or the rare occasion they were on ESPN. The year 1984 was the peak of the glory years and I believe the first year an occasional game was shown in the meeting houses. I had a friend who had one of those old monstrous satellite dishes and he could get any BYU telecast no matter what network and I used to go over to his house to watch games. I saw the first ever ESPN live broadcast at his house when BYU beat Pitt in 1984.
Honestly Paul James was almost as big a BYU icon as Lavell in my opinion. He broadcast football for over 30 years and basketball almost as many and was a part of many great seasons and games. He predates the Lavell era. Lavell became the head football coach in 1972 (but had been an assistant for about 10 years when nobody knew who the assistant coaches were) and Paul James started broadcasting BYU at KSL beginning with the 1965 football season and 65-66 basketball season. In 1965 BYU won its first ever football conference championship and they won the NIT in basketball in 1966 when it still meant something to win the NIT. Paul’s first year was a great year in BYU sports and just the year before he was the voice of the Utah Utes (then called the Redskins).
I feel Kyle Morell pain “ALS” is far worse than mine, “Usher Syndrome Type 2.” Maybe I shouldn’t talk about myself when it is about Kyle. I still have some sight of my left eye less than 5 degrees visual field but my right eye is gone. Pretty soon I may no longer able to access some things online like CougarFan Board unless I figure out how to use “Voice Over.” No way that anyone want to deal with this ALS. I wonder if my brother has this disease. 1984 was a great year for BYU Football and my wife and I were married that year Oakland Temple. 35 years. My wife doesn’t care or remember about BYU National Championship. BUT I DO CARE and do remember what Kyle did while watching the game on tv - was it KSL or ESPN? Oops, I guess it wasn’t on tv but I do rember on the ksl radio Paul James.
The BYU/Hawaii game was on TV. I can’t remember which channel but I watched it as a student at BYU in the Morris Center…::same big screen that carried the Pitt game on ESPN.
I agree with everyone that it was the biggest defensive play in BYU history so far. The Hail Mary holiday Bowl pass was greatest offensive play but a close second was the last play in the BYU\Utah game that concluded LaV Edwards career! Touchdown BYU.
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Sorry you are going through this trial, I appreciate your comments, so hopefully you will be able to find out a way to keep posting.
I deal with pain everyday of my life and it is not fun, It is posts like your and finding out about Kyle Morrell that I need to remember to keep what I am dealing with in perspective.
Now you’re just making me laugh. I’ve done some crazy things to watch BYU football. Once, guiding hunters in the high La Sal Mtns, I paid a guy to stand outside and hold the sat. receiver just so I would watch the TCU game. We couldn’t get the signal to continue so he had to move around. hahaha. And we lost.
Well, that just sucks Dave. To hear about one of my favs, Kyle and now you makes me sad. On a bright note, BYU took it to ranked USC, BSU; and SEC. Tenn and all of the darlings of the MWC and beat them. Pretty good year, now we just need to bear down and get Rocky Long in San Diego (say San Diego 3 times like Will Farrell does, it will make you smile every time)
Remember Bill Mansell at Draper Temple. His son Mike has been my SSP “Service Provider” through the state. Great family and his son Mike has done good things for me getting to do my errands, appointments and some outdoor activities like Fishing. Thank goodness of him and the state program.
Floyd if you see me in Sandy with my white cane, say hello.
So it was on tv. I thought that I did see the game live. Back then a lot of BYU FB/BasketB games were on KSL TV or could have been on espn. Yeah, that 4th and Goal and watching Kyle somersault over at perfect timing was awesome and I was looking for any yellow flag (NONE) - GREAT WIN!
I know the man well. I would see him as I came in to work on Saturday night at the Draper Temple. Love the guy.
Bill was the principal of the elementary school my oldest kids went too (Fox Hills). He and my wife along with Neil Calderwood (who post sometimes) wife helped create the gifted and talented program used at Fox Hills.
Email me at [email protected]. I would be interested to see where you live in Sandy.
I watched that game on TV (late of course) and it also when my wife (married for a few years) found out how loud I can get when watching a football game.
Now she simply goes shopping when I watch games (easier on her ears and harder on my wallet LOL).
I love BYU football and it is fun to watch young men apply god given talent on the field.
But when I read things like what is happening to Kyle Morrell, and other players who have suffered through some serious illnesses, it makes me reflect just how little importance football really is.
I admire Bosco, Koz, Herriman and McDonald for taking the time to be with their former teammate and be a support to/for him. That tells what kind of men these people are.
I have a young Ute fan that I know, he is zealous for his team that sometimes I have too worry if he is not taking it to extreme and having tunnel vision, he asked me how a BYU fan like myself could ever cheer for Utah (as long as they are not playing BYU) to win or achieve something.
My response was “It is called perspective and time”. I use to be like this young man, But I have realized that while I love the spirit of competition, it really is not that important in the eternal realm of things. When I hear about Kyle Morrell or Utah’s Steve Tate (he lost a child to a disease) having to deal with serious issues, it reconfirms my beliefs about how unimportant sports is.
Sorry for the soap box, but I guess I have a soft spot for people like Kyle who even now is an example of how we all should be.
Hang in there David. Some of us have chronic pain too but (mine) not even close to ALS or Usher Syndrome Type 2. I have some spinal stuff from playing semi-pro ball. We are pulling for you and all of us old dudes. I just now got the guts to read about Kyle and I am happy he has support.
We are old? Yeah, I’m 63 but I feel like I am 36 and going 46 next year. Yes, it is hard when our body start going downhill but keep on trying and enjoy when you can. Thinking of Luke Staley, what a player he was and yes he is going through chronic pain too - way too early for that guy. And Jim Mcmohan, he too going through pain in his head.
Hawk: I was a freshman at BYU that year–I’m sure we watched the game together!!! I loved Koz and Morrell because they were normal sized guys but were FEROCIOUS and were LEADERS of the first degree! They loved LaVell and loved each other, so they played EVERY SNAP like it was their last. Truly inspiring, aggressive, brotherhood football.
Coach Gaines said this in Friday Night Lights, and I read it to my team every year–I would say there has never been a team that better exemplifies this quote than did the 84 team:
“Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there, it’s not about winning. It’s about you, and your relationship to your family, yourself, and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye, and know that you didn’t let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is that you did everything you could - there wasn’t one more thing you could have done. Can you live in that moment? As best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart. With joy in your heart. If you can do that, then you’re perfect.”
My son (who later played WR in college until a broken leg ended The Dream) wrote “LIYH” on tape under his wristband before every game in middle school and high school–to remind himself of this quote. I’m so proud of him that I still tear up thinking of it. When I saw the picture of that group in the paper, I couldn’t help but think that these guys still feel that “LIYH” for their teammates, even 35 years later.
Thanks for the memories, Kyle Morrell. You inspired us then, and continue to inspire us today. May we all be good enough men and women to deserve the lifelong friendships you have earned.
You and Jim Hawks should get together. That would be one loud house for a game 
Well, I think Sports, as well as other competitive activities, is important in that it teaches to compete for what is right. Meaning, we have to compete every day for our souls. Some people don’t know how to compete and lose to the enticings and competitive nature of the Advisory. Sports can teach being focused on our duties we need to fulfill.