BYU fullback Houston Heimuli poses for a portrait at Scholar Athlete Constructing in Provo on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. Mengshin Lin, Deseret Information
For BYU fullback Houston Heimuli, the buildup to Saturday evening’s sport towards Stanford has been surreal, and never simply because the Cougars’ graduate switch performed for the Cardinal for 4 years and was a staff captain the season earlier than he left.
“I believe I've used that time period, surreal, for each expertise this week — at BYU, going again there, every part,” Heimuli mentioned. “However it's. I'm going again to the place I first performed school soccer with a staff the place I first fell in love with soccer. I couldn’t ask for something higher than that.”
Heimuli hasn’t had the season at BYU that he envisioned when he enrolled final January, however he insists he has no regrets. He appeared in all 12 video games this season, however virtually solely on particular groups.
“Each participant desires to play extra performs, and never every part is as much as our expectations. Nonetheless, it's about ‘what sort of function can you discover and how will you profit the staff?’ It's not a sport the place you wish to carry different folks down.” — BYU fullback Houston Heimuli.
Heading into Saturday’s sport at Stanford Stadium, he hadn’t recorded a carry or a reception.
“Each participant desires to play extra performs, and never every part is as much as our expectations. Nonetheless, it's about ‘what sort of function can you discover and how will you profit the staff?’ It's not a sport the place you wish to carry different folks down,” Heimuli mentioned Tuesday.
“No matter function I may play, I attempted my greatest 100%.”
Heimuli did have an effect in final week’s 52-26 win over Utah Tech, throwing a block within the waning moments that sprung receiver Terence Fall for a landing.
“It felt nice to be on the market operating. I believe I used to be operating a 5.5 40, so Terence was having a tough time (maintaining),” he joked. “… That’s our pleasure, seeing whoever is behind me make the rating. I'm all the time comfortable seeing folks succeed.”
With a level from Stanford in hand, Heimuli virtually definitely will succeed at life. He’s not sure but whether or not he'll undergo Professional Day in March and pursue the NFL or be a part of the working world.
“Life is an oyster,” he mentioned. “I don’t know but. The subsequent two weeks I'm going to do a variety of deliberating, for positive.”
As for this week, Heimuli mentioned he hasn’t swapped texts with any of his former teammates. When he was at Stanford, he was the campus host for one more Utahn on a recruiting go to, Stanford security Scotty Edwards — who's an Olympus Excessive graduate and picked the Cardinal over the Cougars, simply as Heimuli did years in the past.
Heimuli mentioned he’s proud of that call, which got here regardless that his father, Lakei Heimuli, was a legendary BYU operating again.
“Oh yeah, Stanford was a spot the place I actually realized to suppose exterior the field and actually discover views that I had by no means had earlier than,” he mentioned.
“It formed me intellectually into who I'm and I give credit score to Stanford’s employees as properly. Coach (David) Shaw introduced me over post-mission and I had a variety of rising up down there, and I admire them for that.”
Earlier than the sport, BYU coach Kalani Sitake instructed the BYU Sports activities Radio Community that Heimuli has expressed respect for Stanford all week.
“He’s acquired a variety of pleasure and power going into this sport,” Sitake mentioned.
Heimuli went into Saturday’s sport with one want in thoughts.
“Oh, a landing. Oh yeah, only a landing could be nice. And even main a landing. I might be wonderful with any of the 2. Simply taking part in in that stadium and contributing is what I wish to do,” he mentioned.
And that may make it much more surreal.