BYU: Lark's loyalty tested, but undeterred


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PROVO — Symbolic of his entire college football career, James Lark waited for the expected opportunity to finally take a meaningful snap at quarterback for BYU in last month’s game against Utah.

He waited patiently for the call to come in the first half. And he waited patiently for the call to come in the second half.

Exactly like in every game in which he’s suited up, the call never came to play when the outcome hadn't been long since decided. And exactly like he’s always done, the senior from St. George handled another round of bitter disappointment.

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“I planned on playing against Utah,” Lark said. “I practiced all week for it.”

It’s inaccurate to say Lark has had an up-and-down career at BYU. Truth is, it’s been all down.

Considered a Top 25 quarterback coming out of Pine View High in 2006, Lark hasn’t had much of a chance to play at BYU, which he chose over Utah and several schools in what was then the Pac-10. The night of Sept. 15 was supposed to be different.

Riley Nelson’s body was battered, far more than he and the coaches were willing to say. Everybody on the team knew Lark was going to play against the Utes. Instead, he watched his best friend on the team misfire on more than half of his 35 passes and throw two interceptions in BYU’s third consecutive loss to its rival.

Two days later, after believing he was finally going to take a snap in that somebody other than his family cared about, Lark suffered another devastating blow. The coaches were demoting him to third string, behind freshman Taysom Hill. The thinking was Hill’s game was more akin to Nelson’s style, making a change between the two seamless. Or maybe Hill was just better than Lark.

BYU quarterback James Lark (7) against Weber State University. (Tom Smart/Deseret News)
BYU quarterback James Lark (7) against Weber State University. (Tom Smart/Deseret News)

Either way, thanks for all the hard work and loyalty.

That “Monday was an absolute shock,” Lark said.

Further indignation would come the following Thursday, when an obviously injured Nelson was completely ineffective against Boise State. Coach Bronco Mendenhall finally benched his seemingly favorite player in favor of Hill, who managed to direct one touchdown drive in the one-point loss.

More humiliation was in store for Lark the next week against Hawaii, which BYU crushed. After the game Mendenhall said Nelson would regain his starting spot when healthy because the coach essentially had a longer history with the senior compared to Hill.

Never mind that Lark had been part of the program for almost seven years, counting his time spent as an LDS Church missionary in Russia. Lark was a Cougar from the first day he was allowed to be officially associated with the program. Hill committed to Stanford out of high school before changing his mind while on a mission.

Lark also never took a snap even as BYU’s woeful offense again managed only one touchdown in a scintillating 6-3 win over Utah State last week.

Good thing football is fifth on everybody’s priority list.

Instead of cussing out the BYU staff in Russian, Lark has stayed the course. And now with Hill’s season-ending knee injury, he is back to square one in backing up Nelson for this week’s game against No. 10 Oregon State.

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“He’s handled himself really well,” said offensive coordinator Brandon Doman. “I think he was pretty frustrated he wasn’t brought in to be the second guy. You can handle it one of two ways: You can hang up the cleats and put them in your locker or you can continue to remain consistent. I think he’s been back and forth a little bit in his mind, but he’s stuck with it.”

Doman’s assessment of the situation might be his best call all season. Lark had every reason to bail on a program that obviously hasn’t believed in him.

But his support group, which includes wife Rachel and his family, has helped Lark deal with more frustration. By now he’s had enough hours to earn a doctorate in that category.

“It was a hard time,” Lark said. “It was difficult and frustrating for myself and my family as well. As hard as it was I realized how much I love my teammates and realized I’ve given so much time to this. The last thing I wanted to do was give up. It wasn’t how I was raised.”

Through it all, Lark is completely confident in directing BYU’s offense. He’s been that way the last two seasons.


Maybe football wasn't meant to be extremely fun. It was more meant to prepare us for our future lives.

–James Lark


Good thing.

Nelson has suffered significant injuries in each of the last three seasons. With Nelson’s history in mind and the way this season has gone, Doman admits Lark has a good chance to play.

So come Saturday he’ll be standing on the sideline, ready to learn another hard lesson. He and Nelson — the two are roommates for road games — have come to believe the game is a metaphor for life.

“Maybe football wasn’t meant to be extremely fun,” Lark said. “It was more meant to prepare us for our future lives.”

At last, the future is bright.

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