BYU Fan first and foremost, but Oregon football is my second passion. I live in Portland, and am a Duck season ticket holder. Clearly the coaches were not disappointed by Ricky's decision, but the D-Cord, Nick Allioti said he doesn't know enough about missions to really comment. He said all he knows is that they are important to Mormons.

Ricky referenced his conversations with his fellow Oregon D-Lineman, Brandon Bair who did serve a mission. Bair and Hemuli are not the only two LDS kids on the team, there are a handful of others. He said he spoke with Bair a lot about the decision to stay or go. All you can do is encourage him to go, but it really is his decision. While I agree that the likelihood of a kid with a desire to serve at BYU is more likely to go than a kid at ____ (insert other D1 School here), as it has been said, going to BYU does not guarantee one will serve either. Just as going to another school does not keep one from serving.

I went on a mission. Best experience of my life. I would not be the same person without those experiences. I wish Ricky was going and was going to have similar life-changing experiences. But it is not my place to judge. I have not walked in his shoes nor do I know all the circumstances that he was taking into consideration when he made his decision. Ainge, Young, Murphy, Fredette, etc, all have done a lot of good for the church, even without serving.

I wish him the best of luck in life, as well as football and will root for his success.