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The fact that my son Cade McMullin resigned from BYU football yesterday has less to do with supporting his family and more to do with a broken promise by Coach Crowton for a scholarship this fall.

In the spring of 2002, Coach Crowton offered Cade a scholarship for fall 2003, and shook his hand on it - with others witnessing. Why did Crowton renege on his promise? Why did Cade get pushed back in place on the team until he was virtually pushed out the door?

When Cade transferred from Ricks College to BYU in January of 2002, he was invited to walk on the football team. He turned down scholarship offers to do so. He looked good in Spring ball and even better at camp that August. Coach Crowton offered Cade a scholarship for fall 2003 with the idea that Cade would red shirt 2002. Things changed....Crowton wanted to play Cade, and the day before the Syracuse game it was discovered that Cade was 1/2 credit shy of eligibility by NCAA rules for 2002. Crowton was angry, and felt that Cade had misrepresented his eligibility- when in fact Cade had no idea he wasn't eligible. Cade was in Provo all that summer- if the staff had researched him like they should have, the 1/2 credit could have been easily made up.

It was as if Crowton blamed Cade for the miserable offensive year of 2002. He was passed over for scholarship and pushed back in place on the team. At 6'4" and 300lbs, Cade gave it 110% and excelled, but to no avail. The scholarship and opportunity to play was reneged, and Coach Crowton gave favor to other players because his grudge. Cade lost his opportunity to play because Crowton refused to honor his commitment. He passed Cade by, making deals with other players.

The thing that is bad about this situation is the lack of honor and integrity shown by Coach Crowton and his pettiness in holding a grudge against Cade for "letting him down" in 2002 - that is ridiculous.

Great teams have great Coaches- men who love the game, and treat players with honor and respect that is reciprocated. That is not the case between Cade and Coach Crowton. In football integrity and fairness are values that start at the top, and will define a great team. There is no greatness here. Just small men with small ways.

I am proud of Cade for going on with his life...he has played football since age 8, and always dreamed of playing for BYU. He has learned some great life lessons here, ones that will probably not be offered in courses at the Marriot Business School: life is not fair, and the best man does not always play; work ethic is great, but it does not always win you the prize. If there is someone above you that holds a grudge against you, look out. It is better to cut your losses and move on than endure the heartache of your passion and dreams being passed by.

Individually, I wish the players the best. They are great young men with great heart, and deserve accolades. As for Coach Crowton, I do forgive him for the injustice he has done my son: Cade will be the better person for what he has endured. There is one principal Crowton would do well to remember: what goes around comes around, sooner or later, always. I wish him the best too.

By the way, isn't everyone at BYU bound by the same honor code?

A truly "Blue" mom,