The thing that allows it to take on a humorous angle here is that Josh is already committed and has been pretty adamant in all his interviews that BYU was the only option for him(this explains why he hasn't had any other offers, neither he or his coach are encouraging them) and then suddenly he gets a letter from Utah? Come on, you've got to agree that would tickle the funny bone. Of course it would be completely different if he was undecided.

I both agree and disagree on your first point. You are right in that he probably can't have developed any real deep seated animosity for the U.

On the other hand I know that his Dad raised him a Cougar Fan from birth and by inference has taught him to disdain the U so your picture of the U as a valid alternative for the LDS college student would NEVER have been presented to him and since he is out of state he has no real examples or opinions from U fans to promote that idea.

Another point here is that his school, Show Low, is involved in one of the most heated HS rivalries in AZ and talking trash about their rival is par for the course. By comparison of what I've heard in the Show Low/Blue Ridge rivalry, what Josh said was very tame.