BYU football: 'BYU's been my dream school since I was little,' says 5A player of the year

BOUNTIFUL — Have you ever been so emotionally involved with a BYU sporting result that you shed tears?

Did you ever seriously put all your hopes and dreams into playing for the Cougars when you were in grade school?

Well, you then hold something in common with BYU's most recent quarterback signee.

Emerson Geilman, a 6-foot-3, 193-pound state champion quarterback from Bountiful who signed with the Cougars in February, is a true dual-threat signal-caller. Geilman threw for 2,476 yards last season with 24 touchdowns against just four interceptions while rushing for another 793 yards and 14 touchdowns.

And he bleeds blue, through and through.

"BYU's been my dream school since I was little. I'm so humbled to be able to go there," Geilman told Ben Criddle in an interview on ESPN the FAN. "It's always been my dream school and I'd cry all the time when they lost when I was little."

As for holding the dream of playing for BYU ever since he was young, Geilman provided proof. And while most of our dreams of doing as much are just that — dreams — Geilman has advanced to the point where his adolescent dream has now become a reality.

Such connections to a program can be drawn easily through one's upbringing, and Geilman very much grew up in a royal blue household.

"Both of my parents went to BYU, and I love what the university stands for," Geilman said. "I love the culture and the coaching staff, especially, is amazing."

Better late than never

In order to receive a football scholarship, one usually has to validate their play and potential prior to their senior season — particularly quarterbacks. But some athletes experience tremendous growth from their junior to senior seasons, which is often too late in the recruiting cycle to receive a quality offer.

Count Geilman as one of those players who saw improvements to his game, which BYU coaches first noticed during summer camp in June. He then validated what he showed in camp throughout his MVP senior season, and then some.

"They really like the development from junior to senior year," Geilman said. "Junior year was my first year starting and I threw a lot of interceptions. It wasn't a really good year, but there was a lot of growth from my junior to senior year and I really, really worked hard on the weaknesses of my game."

BYU wasn't alone in noticing Geilman's improvements, with Utah State also coming forward with an offer — an option he weighed heavily considering his trust and admiration for new Aggies coach Bronco Mendenhall, among other factors.

"BYU was the place where I wanted to play, but I also have a very high opinion of Bronco Mendenhall," Geilman said. "Playing for him would also be a privilege … but at the end of the day BYU has been my dream."

Beyond the dream

Fortunately for Geilman, and for BYU, the football program presents a ripe opportunity with regards to development and competitive play from his point of view.

"Some special stuff is going on right now in Provo, and I'm excited to be a part of it. ... You can tell there's a lot of hunger," Geilman said. "I think BYU gets disrespected a lot by polls and some national commentators, and I think there's a big chip on player's shoulders to prove those people wrong and to have another big year."

Geilman also believes his development both on and off the field will be in good hands with offensive coaches such as offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick and offensive analyst Matt Mitchell, among others.

"First of all, they're just such genuine dudes and they really are great men. … I really want to learn from them beyond the game of football," Geilman said. "But from a football standpoint, I really like their scheme and I love the blend of play-action and using the QB in the run game."

Geliman, who carries a 34 ACT score and 4.0 GPA, worked out his senior year schedule so that he be in Provo at noon every weekday. While there, he attends team meetings and observes practice sessions in an effort to hit the ground running when he enters the program this coming fall.

When he gets to Provo, he'll join a relatively sparse but talented quarterback room consisting of senior Jake Retzlaff, junior Treyson Bourget and sophomore McCae Hillstead — all of whom he's excited to learn from before embarking on his planned mission service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following the 2025 football season.

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