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Show JL Spoitstacular Page 12 October 4, 1979 PatiieiniG By Keith Duncan ways to describe the present feelings of Brigham Youngs Jim McMahon who has elected to redshirt this season. He has to feel like an acorn in a thousand without any hands or feet to rise up and proclaim he is better than Just average. Certainly he hasn't felt frustration like he has the past few weeks in an athletic career that has and led nothing but an overly eicited, headline-makinnever dulled path. Jim, the father, and Jim, himself tell part of the story. Coach La Veil Edwards, with eyes and senses like a hawk, directed his attention to the middle of the playing field. The September air was hot and filled with tenseness as Jim McMahon bent over his offensive center. His voice was that of a commanding fleet admiral as signals rang from one end of the stadium to the other. Then like a dash of lightening, Jim went deep into the pocket, spotted a target and sent a flying missle through the air. Forty yards and two seconds later, the perfectly thrown pass sounded with a SMACK against Editor! Note: There are several BY( tinymg fto fqpHsxgo pin-point-ed g a players numbered chest, another touchdown for the day. But something was wrong. Where were the 33,000 cheers from delighted fans, where were the cameras and where of course were the cheerleaders? But as Jim knows, such things dont exist in practice. TD bombs and scampers only live and Those die among his coaches and teammates nowadays and news of his heroics doesnt get much further than the EXIT sign in the teams lockerroom. Its been the most difficult string of events that Jimmy has ever had to accept. For the First time ever, in an athletic career that has charmed everyone from his youngest sister to the sportswriters in New York, Jimmy sits on the bench during the games most exciting moments. Even though it had been planned this way, for McMahon, its still the toughest thing ever to swallow. No one knows the mental anguish he goes through, said Jim McMahon, Sr., Not even me and Ive followed him from the first time he picked up a foot 40-ya- ball. Jim, his father, doctors and BYU coaches first had their thoughts of redshirting the BYU signal caller after his January knee operation. Now it's a reality and instead of executing the plays, Jimmy watches teammate Marc Wilson try to carry the Cougars to their fourth straight WAC crown. Even though the Cougars have finally awarded Jimmy his No. 9 jersey, the number he wore all through his career prior to attending BYU, hed rather not wear a jersey at all. I cant stand to even wear a jersey, said McMahon in reference to this season. No one will forget the heroic tremors Jimmy left last season as he guided BYU to a WAC championship. He not only fought some of the toughest defenses in the conference, he fought for a starting spot against one of the nations top quarterbacks, rival Marc Wilson. Jims deeds eventually earned him Offensive Player of the Year and he was honored as the 1979 quarterback. If anything at all, these honors alone proved his valuable worth to Coach Edwards and the rest of the Cougar team. After all, Wilson and Mark Halda of San Diego State were supposed to be the dynamic quarterbacks who were to make all the headlines. Jimmy s scrambles were enough to excite any crowd but they were also costly and somewhat dangerous. Having tendonitis in his knee, combined with the - C All-WA- C pounding he took in the Colorado St. game last season caused him to miss the following weeks practices and game with New Mexico. With a little rest Jimmy came back, but against the University of Utah the pounding was severe. Boy, he took a pounding in that game, chuckled Mr. McMahon remembering back. With a WAC championship behind them the Cougars headed to Hawaii where Jim neither practiced nor played in the featured game. He saw some first quarter action against Nevada Las Vegas in Japan and substituted for Wilson in the Holiday Bowl against Navy where he was responsible for two scores. The decision was apparent that an operation would be decessary after the bowl game and in January underwent surgery. We had pretty well decided that Jim would redshirt, mainly for two reasons," said Mr. McMahon, First was the fact Jim was upset he had got the Cougars to the Holiday Bowl and then didn't start He wasnt about to go through another guessing-gam- e year of who was to start. The second reason was to strengthen his knee. Right up to the Cougars first game, no one was real sure of Jimmys standing, even Jim himself. Wilsons illness right before the season only complicated things for Edwards. The BYU coach had mentioned through the fall workouts that Jim was looking better than ever before. When it came time to play nationally-ranke- d Texas A and M, Wilson hobbled on the field and courageously led theCougars to a victory. I watched Marc real close the entire game," said McMahon, I was cheering with everybody else that hed get up when knocked down. I dont think I was ever so excited about getting in a game than at Texas but I was hoping Wilson would do all right. When we played Weber, Id made up my mind for sure Id redshirt. There is no way Id play now, not till come-from-behi- MARC WILSON LOOKS y McMahon counters o run-awo- BYU ON os Jimmy t linebacker in contest last season. (Bottom photo) McMahon barks out signals in win over San Diego State. He will redshirt the 1979 season. ' - , 'if 4 |
