Riley Nelson takes over as BYU color commentator

PROVO – Today’s game could sound quite different for Cougar fans.  This will be the first game in nearly four decades without Marc Lyons as the color commentator.  The rookie taking his spot is excited to make his debut.

Riley Nelson knows he has massive shoes to fill, saying Marc Lyons was an institution for BYU football.

“I don’t know if anyone else will hold down the color broadcasting spot for 38 years like Marc did,” Nelson says.

However, Nelson says he’s doing as much preparation as he can to get ready.  He has been studying each player on the BYU roster.  He has been speaking with as many coaches as he can.  He has also been getting advice from other broadcasters.  Plus, he believes his experience on the field gives him a lot of insight into what the players are actually going through.  He says he’s been through every kind of experience college football could give him.

“Being a true freshman starter, I was there.  Being benched, I was there.  A season-ending injury, I was there.  Getting into the senior season as a captain and team leader, I was there,” Nelson says.

Nelson says he has a strategy in case things go wrong.

“I’m not nervous at all because if I ever find myself in a situation where I don’t know what to do or say, all I have to do is keep my mouth shut.  Greg [Wrubell] is a pro’s pro, and he can handle it from there,” he says.