‘Best to wear it’: The top BYU football players to wear jersey Nos. 60 through 79 is all about the linemen

Former BYU offensive lineman Jake Kuresa, shown here playing in a 2006 game against Tulsa, was picked by the Deseret News as the best Cougar football player to ever wear a No. 73 jersey. | Steve Walters, BYU

Deseret News continues its series of the best BYU and Utah players to wear each number, Nos. 1 through 99

Editor’s note: Fourth in a series that pegs the best player to don every jersey number in BYU football history.

PROVO — In this, the fourth installment of our “Best to wear it” for BYU football series, the big hogs take over.

Leave the smaller numbers to the wide receivers, running backs, quarterbacks and linebackers. Players who wore Nos. 60 through 79 and made our list mostly played offensive or defensive line, although there were a few LBs to get their numbers called.

Here are our choices for BYU’s top players from No. 60 to No. 79:

No. 60: Marv Allen, linebacker

Beginning with an interception his freshman season (1978) against UTEP that he returned for a touchdown, Allen became a mainstay on the Cougars’ defense for four years and was part of the 1984 national championship team. He made 106 tackles and six picks in his career and was an honorable mention All-American in 1984. Also considered: Terence Brown, Scott Tidwell.

No. 61: Gary Kama, linebacker

Backed up Rod Wood for most of his career before getting a chance to shine in 1978 and 1979. Native of Haleiwa, Hawaii, finished career with 215 tackles and earned All-WAC first-team honors in 1979. Also considered: Jan Hall, Mike Keim, Matt Meservey, Doug Rawlinson.

No. 62: Larry Moore, offensive lineman

This transfer from Grossmont (California) Junior College played in 1995 and 1996 and was a first-team All-WAC selection both years. Played in the NFL for eight seasons for Washington, Cincinnati and Indianapolis. Also considered: Danny Hansen, Matt Johnson, Craig Denny, Logan Taele.

No. 63: Calvin Close, offensive lineman

Powerful tackle from Camarillo, California, started as a sophomore in 1977 and became an AP Honorable Mention All-American in 1980. He was a two-time All-WAC selection and played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Colts. Also considered: Brian White, Milan Christley.

No. 64: Mohammed Elewonibi, offensive lineman

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Elewonibi played just two seasons in Provo (1988 and 1989) but would become one of the best offensive guards in school history. He won the Outland Trophy his senior season and went on to a three-year career in the NFL. Also considered: Andy Reid, Don Busenbark, Scott Jackson, RJ Willing

Jason Olson, Deseret News

BYU center Dallas Reynolds sizes up the Wyoming in MWC action at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008.

No. 65: Dallas Reynolds, offensive lineman

Another of the great Reynolds brothers to make our list, Dallas Reynolds was a two-time All-Mountain West selection and an honorable mention All-American in 2008. The ironman appeared in 50 games for the Cougars and played in more than 40 NFL games for the Philadelphia and New York. Also considered: Ben Archibald, Lloyd Fairbanks, Paul Eckel, Jim Edwards, John Skiba, Ken Smith.

No. 66: Mike Empey, offensive lineman

Big offensive guard from Pocatello, Idaho, was a standout guard for the Cougars before and after a church mission to San Jose, California. Later served two stints on BYU’s offensive coaching staff. Father of current BYU OL James Empey, who wears the same number. Also considered: Tom Bell, James Empey, Lonnie Dennis, Jimmy Richards.

No. 67: Larry Carr, linebacker

A valuable linebacker on BYU’s football team from 1972-74, Carr was a three-year starter and earned first-team All-WAC honors his senior year. He finished with 389 tackles, then played in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders and was inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 2010. Also considered: Garry Pay, Sete Aulai, Roger DuPaix, Brady Christensen, Sid Frazier, Kyle Johnson.

No. 68: Jason Scukanec, offensive lineman

Blossomed as a junior and earned all-MWC second-team honors after starting in all 12 games at center in 2000. Was named an all-MWC first-teamer in 2001 and played center for one of the nation’s best offenses while helping Luke Staley win the Doak Walker Award. Also considered: John Hunter, David Oswald, Jay Weenig.

No. 69: Aaron McCubbins, offensive lineman

We had to do a little searching here, before finding a worthy candidate in this former walk-on from Kenai, Alaska, who backed up the great John Tait in 1997 and then became a honorable mention all-conference pick his senior year in helping Gary Crowton’s first team go 12-2 and spur Luke Staley to national glory. Also considered: Tristen Hoge.

No. 70: Evan Pilgrim, offensive lineman

Named an AP second-team All-American in 1994, wrapping up an outstanding four-year career as a guard for the Cougars. Was first-team all-WAC in 1993 and played for six seasons in the NFL. Also considered: Matt Reynolds, Dave Hubbard, Hala Paongo, Louis Wong.

No. 71: Morris Unutoa, offensive lineman

Product of Carson, California, played sparingly his first few seasons at BYU, but blossomed as a senior and eventually made it into the NFL. He spent six seasons in the pros with the Eagles, Buccaneers and Bills. Father of current BYU OL Mo Unutoa, a transfer from Utah. Also considered: Scott Brumfield, John Borgia, Austin Hoyt, Gary Peterson.

No. 72: Nick Eyre, offensive lineman

A tough call between Eyre and Hans Olsen, but we will give the nod to “The Bear,” a consensus All-American in 1980 who finished third in the Outland Trophy voting. Eyre was a two-time all-WAC performer whose NFL career was cut short by cancer. Also considered: Wayne Baker, Brian May, Nick Alletto, Tim Knight, Ryker Mathews, Hans Olsen.

No. 73: Jake Kuresa, offensive lineman

Solid four-year starter from Cache Valley’s Mountain Crest High was a second-team All-American and first-team All-MWC pick his senior year, 2006. Also considered: Eric Bateman, Travis Bright, Keith Rivera, Ului Lapuaho, Jason Speredon.

No. 74: Paul Linford, defensive lineman

A standout defensive tackle from Salt Lake City, Linford earned all-WAC first team honors three seasons (1872-74) and made 201 tackles and seven sacks as a Cougar. Also considered: Travis Bright, Quinn Christensen, Ray Crandell, Brock Stringham, Garett Tujague.

Associated Press

Chicago Bears offensive tackle John Tait (76) works against the New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith during the NFC Championship football game, Sunday, Jan. 21, 2007, in Chicago. Tait played at BYU.

No. 75: John Tait, offensive lineman

Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 2012, Tait was one of the best tackles in school history, shining for BYU for three seasons in which the Cougars went 29-11. He was a first-team All-American in 1998 and picked in the first round of the draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. Tait played 10 seasons in the NFL for the Chiefs and Chicago Bears. Also considered: Braden Brown, Scott Young.

No. 76: Gordon Gravelle, offensive lineman

Another BYU Hall of Fame inductee (2012), Gravelle started for three years under head coach Tom Hudspeth and was an AP second-team All-American in 1971. Gravelle was a two-time Super Bowl champion protecting QB Terry Bradshaw for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Also considered: Ray Feinga, Neal Fort, Eli Herring, Matt Cox, Braden Hansen, Glen Titensor.

BYU

Former BYU defensive lineman Shawn Knight

No. 77: Shawn Knight, defensive lineman

A key part of BYU’s 1984 national championship team, Knight was a third-team AP All-American in 1986 and was inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 2008. Picked 11th overall in the 1987 NFL draft, he played three seasons for the Saints, Broncos and Cardinals. Also considered: Keith Uperesa, Mike Morgan, Chandon Herring, Daniel Marquardt, Michael Beck.

No. 78: Lance Reynolds, offensive lineman

The father of several outstanding Cougar linemen was a solid player himself, earning an AP honorable mention citation in 1977. A knee injury cut short his junior season in 1976. Also considered: Chuck Ehin, Dave Wright, Paul Howard, Tim Hanshaw, Tuni Kanuch, Brad Oates.

No. 79: Bill Rice, defensive lineman

The Salt Lake City native totaled 252 tackles in a solid four-year career (1973-76) and he earned first-team all-WAC honors his final two seasons in Provo. Also considered: Jason Anderson, Andrew Eide, Dustin Rykert, Brad Smith.

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