Saturday was supposed to mark the return of BYU quarterback Taysom Hill to LaVell Edwards Stadium, but a tragedy derailed those plans.
According to multiple reports, Hill was excused from Saturday’s spring game after the death of his brother, Dexter, who died at his home in Pocatello, Idaho, on Friday at the age of 31. Dexter’s obituary says he “died suddenly.” No other details about his death have been made public.
Like his brother, Dexter Hill was a college quarterback. According to KSL.com, he starred at Scottsdale Community College in Arizona, where he threw for 2,300 yards and 19 touchdowns en route to Western States Football League player of the year honors in 2004. He also played for Dixie State and Northern Iowa.
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“Taysom’s going through something right now, and he knows that we’re all here for him,” Cougars running back Jamaal Williams said. “We all love him, and anything he needs, we’re here for him. We’re his brothers, and if him and his family are having a hard time, we’re right behind him to support.
“We know Taysom wanted to be here with us. But he has to do what he has to do for his family, and we support him 100 percent.”
Taysom Hill announced in February that he would return to the Cougars for the 2016 season. He missed the majority of the past two seasons with injuries. He also suffered a season-ending knee injury as a freshman in 2012.
When healthy, Hill has proven to be one of the nation’s top dual-threat quarterbacks. In 2013, Hill threw for 2,938 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for 1,344 yards and 10 more scores.
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After Hill went down with a foot injury in the season-opener against Nebraska in 2015, sophomore Tanner Mangum emerged as the team’s starting quarterback. He led the Cougars to a 9-4 record while throwing for 3,377 yards, 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
For more BYU news, visit CougarNation.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
