Gaige Weddle had nothing to say after his experience at BYU on Saturday night.
He was too shocked, too excited, too enthralled by what he lived through – a life memory – that the four-star safety from Rancho Bernardo, Calif., did not know how to express himself.
“I’m speechless, seriously,” Weddle said. “We all are.”
BYU took down Notre Dame in Provo on Saturday night, scored the go-ahead touchdown with less than two minutes left and then had something of a long goal-line stand to stifle the Irish in the closing seconds.
ESPN College Gameday was in town. LaVell Edwards Stadium was rocking like maybe never before. After the Cougars held Notre Dame out of the end zone – albeit on a controversial no-call pass interference on the final play – everyone stormed the field in utter jubilation.
Weddle was right there to experience it all.
“What a sick game,” Weddle said. “Wow. Wow. Wow.”
The question now becomes whether this BYU experience moves the needle enough to get the Cougars into the highest group of programs in his recruitment.
Trips to UCLA (Oct. 24), Oklahoma (Oct. 31), back to Utah (Nov. 7), Georgia (Nov. 14), Miami (Nov. 21) and Ohio State (Nov. 28) are all coming up.
For months, Georgia, Ohio State and Utah have been the three frontrunners with Oklahoma also in that top group. He’s a legacy with the Utes since his father, Eric, starred there before playing for more than a decade in the NFL. He’ll return to Utah in a few weeks.
This offseason, Weddle had planned to not take as many visits because he had seen many of his favorites last season. But the four-star rethought that decision and this weekend’s trip to BYU only solidified his belief that getting back on the road was important.
But can the Cougars crack that top group after his experience Saturday night?
“This definitely helped,” Weddle said.