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PROVO — On the final play of Wednesday's practice, BYU quarterback Taysom Hill gave wideout Mitch Mathews a wink and a nod. It was an unspoken signal that resulted in a 42-yard touchdown bomb and a dramatic end to practice.
Unfortunately, we were unable to shoot the final play of practice. That means, the best highlights that we have of Mitch Mathews comes from the basketball court and not the gridiron.
Mathews loves basketball and often plays with his teammates. The sophomore — with two career catches — is a spectacular dunker. He showed off his skills to a gathered crowd in a pregame display in late February when BYU and Gonzaga were playing.
BYU TV Sports and fans caught the action and posted it on YouTube.
Greg Wrubell had a front row seat to the dunking display and drummed up the "Mitch Memories."
"That was a fun time, to be able to compete," Mathews told Wrubell. "It's one of the things I do for fun and I wanted to show off my skills for a crowd that night."
If I got on the court with Bronson, he'd fold me in half and dunk me.
–Mitch Mathews, BYU receiver
Mathews isn't the only basketball enthusiast on the football team. Older brother Marcus, Cody Hoffman and Ross Apo will get together and hold their own dunk contests at the Smith Fieldhouse.
Kyle Van Noy and Hoffman are constantly challenging Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery to a friendly game of two-on-two.
Starting defensive end Bronson Kaufusi, as a freshman, played in 20 games for Dave Rose's squad.
Mathews said that 6-foot-2 Taysom Hill joins in, but he makes everyone switch to a three-point contest.
I'm not sure about Mathews' all-around hoop skills, but until proven otherwise, I feel confident in proclaiming Mitch Mathews as the dunk champion of the BYU football world — in fact, I think he could give Josh Sharp a run for his money.
Greg Wrubell wanted to know if Mathews ever tells Bronson that coach Rose picked the wrong guy for his basketball team.
The 200-pound wideout knows not to poke the 285-pound bear. "If I got on the court with Bronson, he'd fold me in half and dunk me."
He's humble to his teammate, but he has confidently teased coach Rose about getting on the court with the big boys, but Rose sets the outgoing receiver straight. "He'd say, 'There's no way. You can't handle it,' " Mathews said. "But, I do love basketball."
