BYU football: Kyle Van Noy is glad he stayed at BYU. Here’s why

In the fall of 2010, Kyle Van Noy was an unhappy camper. The promising freshman linebacker from Reno, Nevada, had already sat out the 2009 season after a DUI charge, and despite meeting all of coach Bronco Mendenhall’s requirements to be eligible, he remained on the sidelines.

A 35-14 loss to Air Force was too much to bear.

“I remember a player got hurt in that game and they ended up throwing him back in there because they didn’t trust me to play,” Van Noy told Ys Guys this week. That was the last straw. I was done. I thought I’d move because this isn’t it. This is something I have never told anyone.

Van Noy met with Mendenhall and announced his intention to leave.

Bronco says, ‘Give me three weeks, and if it doesn’t change, I’ll sign your release form and you can go wherever you want,'” Van Noy recalled. I waited three weeks. He ended up firing (defensive coordinator) Jamie Hill after the Utah State game, and then I played against San Diego State. I played three games in a row and never left the field after that.

In time, Van Noy became a star at BYU, launching him on a journey that included a college degree, meeting his future wife, becoming a father, and winning Super Bowls. His work will one day be featured in the BYU Athletics Hall of Fame.

It would be awesome. It’s a neat story because someone who believes in a second chance was a second chance, Van Noy said. For those who feel like they can’t see the light, I hope they can see the light with me and look at me and say, It doesn’t matter what age I am. This kid was headed down a path that might not be successful and turned it around, and maybe I can too.

On entering the Lions

Detroit selected Van Noy in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He arrived to watch the Lions build their defense around his former BYU teammate Ziggy Ansah, whom they drafted the year before.

Jeff Roberson, Associated Press

Ansah walked into the Cougars as a raw talent with little knowledge of the game. Van Noy and others worked to get him up to speed, which included showing him how to put on his uniform.

You come in (to Detroit) and you meet one of your best friends in college and he’s a franchise player,” Van Noy said. I think I taught this kid how to play soccer and I can’t even get on the field.

The Lions defensive style left Van Noy on the bench and battling depression.

We switched roles. I used to be a franchise player at BYU, Van Noy said. I sat and watched him blossom. I was happy for him. Do not get me wrong. I’m not a hater, but it was a tough pill for me to swallow because of my competitor.

On another second chance

I’ll never forget it. It was October 25, 2016, 1 a.m., Van Noy said. I got a call from the Lions GM (Bob Quin) who told me I was being traded and that he appreciated everything I had done for the franchise. Before he hung up, I asked him, Hey, where did I get traded? He said: Patriots. A click. That was it.

Van Noy was at New England’s practice facility at 5 a.m. the next morning and on the practice field that afternoon, where he met with his new head coach, Bill Belichick.

He said: Van Noy! and waved at me during special teams practice, Van Noy recalled. Let me tell you something. I always get my friend. You’ve been one of my guys since you came out of college. I’m sorry I didn’t get you in the draft, but I did!

Just like that, after all the ups and downs in Detroit, Van Noy got a second chance.

“Having one of the best quarterbacks coaching football gives me confidence and instills that right away, no matter what happened before,” he said. I had a clean table and left.

Steven Senne, Associated Press

Moments later, Van Noy entered the field in the starting defense.

“I’m one-on-one with James White and I had great coverage on him,” Van Noy said. The ball whizzes past my head. I feel the air as it passes through my ear hole and somehow White catches it. I turn around and Tom Brady is smiling at me as if to say, Yeah, you’re playing with the GOAT now. It was so awesome!

Van Noy won two Super Bowls with Brady, including the biggest win in Super Bowl history against Atlanta in 2017. Tom is like an older brother. It’s just amazing to be a part of his journey and help him achieve what he wanted to achieve, seven Super Bowls.

On the trail with former cougars

With the growing number of former Cougars in the NFL, they often go head-to-head against each other. As a defender, Van Noys’ job is to match up against the likes of Taysom Hill, Tyler Allgeier, Zach Wilson and Jamaal Williams and have fun doing it.

I used to talk a lot of trash when I was younger, Van Noy said. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve thought that I need to save my energy to get to the next play.

Most of the alumni visits happen after the game, but the occasional jovial Van Noy can’t resist.

I didn’t say anything to Tyler during our game, but we talked afterwards. I saw Danny (Sorensen) and Taysom during the preseason. That was cool. I talked to Taysom a lot, Van Noy said. I played against Jamal when he was with the Packers. It was fun talking trash with him. I poked him in the ear hole and lifted my finger up his nose. When Fred (Warner) runs out onto the field, I run out late and bump into him and say, Look where you’re going! It’s fun to play with friends and teammates like that.

In free agency

Van Noy will become a free agent on March 15. He said many Super Bowl contenders are interested in his abilities, but he’ll have to wait and see what happens.

In the last few months leading up to the Super Bowl, Van Noy worked as an analyst for the NFL Network.

It’s something I really enjoy. “I think that’s what I’m going to do in the next chapter when my career ends,” he said. I still have a lot of juice in the tank. What (they’re doing) isn’t easy, even though some armchair analysts or armchair quarterbacks think it’s easy. I want them to get off the couch with the remote control and come try it. They would stutter quite a bit.

In Big 12 prep

BYU began the first week of spring practice this week ahead of the Cougars’ first season in the Big 12. For Van Noy, spring is where he honed his skills.

I always saw it as an opportunity to improve my passing game, he said. That’s where I worked on my understanding of the zone defense, understanding where I can take risks, reading quarterbacks’ eyes and moving with him.

Van Noy believes the increased opportunities through name, image and likeness (NIL) is an area BYU needs to improve in order to attract the talent it needs.

My fish (Sitake) deserves it, he said. He was a damn good coach when he had talented players.

Van Noy also wants to see more of the heart he traveled to Provo to express in a face-to-face meeting with the team before last year’s game against East Carolina.

I was tired of watching good players not play hard enough and representing those who had come before them and he sacrificed everything to play at this school, he said. They didn’t play with enough heart. They lost that weekend, but you could see the difference in how they played together and cheered each other on. It was cool to watch that bunch of guys come together and go bowl.

About priorities

Kyle and Marissa Van Noy (former Miss Utah) live in Los Angeles with their two young children, Trae and Giavanna.

Kyle Van Noy Twitter account

Marissa is the best partner I could ever have. He sacrificed his career for me, Van Noy said. She could have been one of the biggest models in the world. All her friends are models. He gave up the opportunity to be my biggest support system. I wouldn’t be where I am without him.

At 32, Van Noy is old enough to know better, but young enough to still be taught something, especially about his children.

I think it’s a little bit different because I’m adopted and it’s the first time I’ve met someone who has the same DNA as me, any personality like me, Van Noy said. So the joy I get to experience is seeing my son achieve something, even if it’s as little as potty training. The joy we got when he finally got it, I held him on my shoulder like we won a football game as we ran around while my wife jumped up and down with our daughter. To make him so proud, that’s what it’s all about.

As for football, it’s still a major priority, but it’s no longer at the top. Trae and Giavanna have taught Van Noy that it’s not everything. It was above all for me. It still means a lot, but my family means more, he said. It was before football, faith and family. It changed a lot. My life revolves around them.

For Van Noy, so much of what he has become can be traced to the decision to stay at BYU and take advantage of a second chance, even when his untamed spirit wanted to break out.

I am grateful, he said. It was good for me to be in that environment, and it was good for other people. I was different. I have a little passion. I speak my mind and I’m not afraid. I think some people are turned on by it.

Van Noys’ personality serves him well in the broadcast booth, but for now he remains focused on the field and finding a new team. Whoever it is gets a seasoned family man with a championship pedigree, a far cry from the hapless camper who sat in Mendenhalls office looking for an early exit.

David Zalubowski, Associated Press

Dave McCann is a Deseret News contributor and studio host for BYU Sports Nation Game Day, The Post Game Show, After Further Review and play-by-play host for BYUtv. He is also the co-host of Ys Guys ysguys.com.