Cougars' Rigell weighing options
Deseret News 24Jan99
By Dirk Facer: Deseret News sports writer
Receiver asks for and gets release from scholarship

Mike Rigell, BYU's top freshman football player, ranked among the nation's best and averaging 26.8 yards on 23 returns leading the Western Athletic Conference, was granted a release from his scholarship Thursday evening. BYU athletic director, Rondo Fehlberg, declined to discuss details of their conversation but did state, "I'd love to have the young man stay here." "He and I had a long talk and in the end I told him if that's what he wanted, then I'd grant it." And that's what he wanted."

Concerns from Rigell were expressed shortly after the Cougars returned from Memphis. Reporting to the media, he said, "As of right now, I'm a Cougar." His reasons for leaving are undisclosed. Yet, an unverified internet report indicated that Rigell, Westbrook and defensive back Kevon Morton were giving serious thought to leaving the BYU program. Reportedly the players are in disagreement over the supensions that have been handed down to teammates Ronney Jenkins and Heshimu Robertson. Jenkins has since enrolled at Northern Arizona University and Robertson will return to BYU prior to the Liberty Bowl.

Shortly after Jenkins and Robertson were dismissed from school, Tait said, "I think it calls for the school, at least the honor code (office), to look at itself and see if they're doing everything they can to help these guys." An annonymous source close to the situation, said some of the African-Americans in the program are, "scared to death" about how the school's Honor Code treats non-LDS, especially black, student athletes. Of the twenty-four football players who were suspened for honor code violations at Byu, seventeen are black. All-WAC standouts, john Tait and Rob Morris, who are asking for the situation to be reviewed, are white, returned LDS missionaries.

Speaking up for the administration, Fehlberg said that they are sensitive to all issues, especially those concerning the well-being of BYU students. The Student-Athlete Advisory Council, a forum voice devoted to the concerns of decision makers and students, has implemented a support group for minorities on campus to address their problems. BYU's Honor Code is shown on video, in great detail, to potential recruits.

Fehlberg has indicated that reforms could follow, with the current events evoking a sense of urgency. "Any time you have any kind of a problem, you need to sit down and evaluate what your're doing and see if you need to change or fix it. That's what we're in the process of doing." "We're receiving imput from various sources offering suggestions on how to help create a better academic and cultural enviornment for our student-athletes." "We'll listen to every thoughtful, reasonable person." he concluded.