Football captains announced

PROVO, Utah – BYU head football coach Bronco Mendenhall today announced the team captains for the 2012 season.

Selected by their peers, quarterback Riley Nelson will serve as the offense captain, while linebacker Brandon Ogletree will be as the defensive captain and running back David Foote is the special teams captain. All three will be seniors in 2012.

“They were given specific criteria, first as representatives of the institution, which is owned by the Church so there had to be a strong faith component, excellent student was another part, how they conduct themselves socially, what kind of leader they are on the team and then what kind of player,” head coach Bronco Mendenhall said.

Nelson, from Logan, Utah, became a spark and a star for BYU after taking over starting quarterback duties after five games into the 2011 season, leading the Cougars to a 6-1 record as a starter. Named to the 2012 Davey O’Brien Award and Maxwell Award watch lists, Nelson is No. 3 all-time at BYU in career QB rushing yards with 662, while finishing the 2011 season No. 16 nationally in QB rating at 152.93. Nelson also served as a team captain at Utah State as a true freshman before transferring to BYU.

Ogletree is on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list going into the 2012 season, awarded to the nation’s top defensive player of the year. The Texas native was the team’s leading tackler in 2011 with 76 tackles including 36 unassisted. Ogletree played in 12 games in 2011 and started all 12 as a key contributor on the Cougar defense.

After joining the team as a walk-on, Foote was awarded a scholarship this off-season. From St. George, Utah, Foote played in all 13 games on special teams and at running back in 2011. Foote has four carries over 20 yards out of the backfield, including a 56-yard rush against Hawai’i in 2011.