SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS

Steve Young Speaks At SUU, Visits Thunderbirds’ Football Practice

Sep 23, 2022, 8:34 PM

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Hall of Fame BYU & NFL quarterback Steve Young at a Southern Utah football practice. (Courtesy of SUU Athletics)

(Courtesy of SUU Athletics)

SALT LAKE CITY – Legendary BYU and NFL quarterback Steve Young spoke at Southern Utah University and visited a practice of the Thunderbirds’ football team.

Young visited the Cedar City based school on Friday, September 23.

The football great, along with Utah governor Spencer Cox, attended the inauguration of Mindy Benson, who became the 17th president of SUU. Young was one of the speakers at the event.

Following the inauguration, Young took a trip across campus to the Eccles Coliseum and visited the T-Birds’ football team, who was practicing for an upcoming game against nearby in-state foe, Utah Tech.

During his visit, Young tossed a pass to Isaiah Wooden, Southern Utah’s leading receiver this season. Wooden has hauled in eight catches for 226 yards and three touchdowns through the program’s first three games.

About Steve Young

After a standout career at Greenwich High School in Connecticut, Young was a star quarterback at BYU from 1981-83. During his time with the Cougars, Young won the Davey O’Brien Award, Sammy Baugh Trophy, and was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

He finished his college career with 7,733 passing yards and 56 touchdowns with a 65.2 completion rate. He also ran the ball for 1,084 yards and 18 touchdowns.

During the 1984 USFL Draft, Young was selected with the No. 11 overall pick by the Los Angeles Express. He played for the Express until 1985. In 1985, Young moved to the NFL and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was with the Bucs until 1986. In 1987, the Buccaneers traded the former BYU star to the San Francisco 49ers.

After serving as Joe Montana’s backup, Young became the Niners’ starting quarterback and led the team to three Super Bowl championships before retiring in 1999. He finished his career with three Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl MVP award, and a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Young currently works for ESPN.

Southern Utah Football

This season, the Thunderbirds own a 2-1 record. SUU’s loss came on the road to No. 13 Utah. The T-Birds have wins over St. Thomas-Minnesota and Western Illinois.

Southern Utah’s next game is at home against the Utah Tech Trailblazers.

The in-state game will take place on Saturday, September 24 at 6 p.m. (MDT) and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Kyle Ireland is a Locals in the NFL Insider for sports.ksl.com and co-host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on Twitter (@kyleireland) and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).

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Steve Young Speaks At SUU, Visits Thunderbirds’ Football Practice