Classy Mangum addresses role as backup

(Alex Kirry, KSL)


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PROVO — After BYU’s last fall scrimmage ended, Tanner Mangum stayed a little later with wideout Nick Kurtz to throw and catch in the middle of the empty field at an empty LaVell Edwards Stadium. When he was done, the press scrum would have its first turn at asking him questions about his new role as a backup.

Media mouths watered.

It shouldn’t be a shock to anyone that he was tremendously mature about the whole thing.

That is part of the reason people lament him not being the starter. Aside from being an amazingly gifted player, Mangum is a really nice guy.

Mangum laughed out loud an unmistakable, actually surprised laugh, when he was asked if any of the “internet rumors” were true, those of his possible transfer after Ty Detmer brought him in and told him the news.

He wasn’t shocked to find out that he wasn’t the starter but more importantly he wasn’t a jerk about it.

Some college players are jerks about it. Heck, some BYU players have been jerks about it.

Does Mangum want to play? Of course. Would he be worth anything to Kalani Sitake if he didn’t? He wants to be in on every significant snap.

This will be Mangum’s team and he’ll go down as one of the best when his career is over. Part of the reason he’ll be beloved by Cougar faithful will be how well he handled an awkward few weeks of camp during his sophomore season.

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