A peek behind the curtain to Friday’s BYU alumni football game — and who’s playing in it

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Some 50 former BYU football players, their glory days behind them, will walk into the team locker room this week. There, they’ll find their names embossed on lockers and jerseys, alongside shoes, gloves and other game gear.

Equipment manager Josh Weier has all their sizes — each piece is a custom fit — and personalized Nike brand gifts.

The swag will be carefully laid out for these over-the-hill players to make them feel like they are about to play a Power Four opponent. On Friday, they will enter LaVell Edwards Stadium as they did in days gone by. They will come down the tunnel as if it’s a real game day and be announced over the public address system.

They are remembered. They will be giddy, excited.

Nobody can put a price on that.

This is the BYU alumni football game, and it kicks off at 6 p.m. MDT Friday. It will be broadcast live on BYUtv, complete with sideline and in-huddle interviews. Here is a roster and the rules of the event, which has become intense over the years.

It is a big deal to a wave of former stars and many fans who love to remember faces they once cheered.

It may be one of the best things Sitake has done since becoming head coach, because it didn’t just bloom, it exploded.

John Walsh, who passed for a BYU single-game record 613 yards against Utah State in 1993, will return for the first time since the funeral of LaVell Edwards to participate in this game. His coach, Norm Chow, who recruited Walsh out of Torrance, California, will also be on the field Friday.

What started out as a handful of former football players gathering in the Indoor Practice Facility on BYU’s campus, playing seven on seven, has evolved into a full-fledged stadium production with a worldwide television audience.

The culmination of BYU football’s spring football practice kicks off Friday with its annual alumni day, which includes a giant banquet as well as the game in the stadium featuring marquee names and coaches like Chow, Robbie Bosco and former quarterbacks Walsh, Steve Clements, Charlie Peterson and Brandon Doman.

“We always try to have marquee names to help market this game,” said Jack Damuni, director of football operations. “It’s grown into something big for us. I don’t think anybody else in the country does this like this.”

What began as head coach Kalani Sitake turning to Damuni and asking for former players to be involved in something to keep them engaged in the program back in 2015 now involves almost the entire athletic department support staff, including marketing, equipment management, campus food services, broadcast services at BYUtv, sports information and event management.

The event supplanted a traditional spring game that involved only the Cougar team. That kind of event is being retracted by many teams all over the country.

“Kalani wanted to create something to replace that for fans,” said Damuni.

Building an alumni roster takes a lot of planning way in advance of the kickoff. The competition includes a seven-on-seven format and flags instead of tackling.

“When I called Norm Chow and told him Kalani wanted him to come and coach one of the sides, he replied, ‘Really, he wants me to come?’ He was very excited. He is a very humble man and he has always stayed connected. Kalani has had him come and speak at our clinics.”

Chow has kept his contacts with the travel people at BYU, who have continued to arrange his flights since he left in 2000, said Damuni.

“Walsh was stoked when asked to quarterback a side,” said Damuni. “He was my quarterback when I played. He works with a tool company in Los Angeles, and we talk often. He always checks in to see what’s up, and he has always followed BYU football since leaving Provo.”

Damuni has to filter through invitations and requests to play. He’s had a former player from the ’70s ask if he could play. “I don’t know about that happening.”

Damuni once had former BYU quarterback Jake Heaps committed to play in the game, but Heaps canceled when his work as a QB coach with Indiana’s Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza presented a conflict.

The event has required extensive planning and coordination, everything from the special events staff, which handles major activities on campus, to involving the regular game day public address announcer Trace Eddington.

“We have included a media session an hour before the alumni game where reporters can have a round table availability with coach Sitake and his staff and some players to finish interviews about spring football,” said Brett Pyne, associate athletic director for football strategic communications.

“There are so many people involved in putting this together. We even have a broadcast meeting the week before the game to map out how we can help the production and broadcast personalities coordinate interviews during the game.”

Damuni said the players involved are motivated, not just to play, but to be on that field again.

“I’ve had some ask if it will be on TV because their families want to see them play. I tell them it can be seen worldwide on BYUtv.”

When the players get their gear, see their names on the back of their jersey, “It’s like Christmas all over again.”

Sitake, according to Damuni, wants to keep a bond with these players, help them feel wanted and remembered, and to stay in touch. It also helps replace not having a spring game with the squad, so fans can be involved and have something to look forward to.

Free to the public, the alumni game kicks off at 6 p.m., with gates 1 and 3 on the southwest of the stadium opening at 5 p.m. Parking is available in the nearby south and west parking lots.

The game features nearly 50 former BYU players. This year’s teams will be coached by longtime BYU offensive coordinator Chow (1973-99) and national champion quarterback and former assistant coach and current BYU administrator Bosco (1981-85, 1990-present).

Chow will coach the Royal squad that will be led by quarterbacks John Walsh (1991-94) and Charlie Peterson (1995, 98-01), while Bosco will guide the Navy team led by quarterbacks Steve Clements (1990-94) and Brandon Doman (1998-01).

“This started out small and now really is a big, fun and exciting production,” said Damuni.

“We’ll do it as long as we can.”

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