PROVO, Utah — Former BYU quarterback Riley Nelson has been named the new game analyst for Cougar football radio broadcasts on the Nu Skin BYU Sports Network.
Nelson succeeds longtime BYU broadcaster Marc Lyons, who retired at the conclusion of the 2018 season after a 38-year career in the radio broadcast booth.
“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to be a part of game day again at BYU,” Nelson said. “My days as a player for the Cougars were some of the most memorable times of my life, and I look forward to reconnecting with the program and the BYU fan base as we share more unforgettable days together on the radio.”
Teaming with Nelson on BYU’s 2019 radio broadcast crew is longtime “Voice of the Cougars” Greg Wrubell, who enters his 19th season as play-by-play commentator, and former BYU wide receiver Mitchell Juergens, who returns for his second season as the sideline reporter this fall. Broadcast veteran Jason Shepherd also returns as the host of the network’s extensive pregame, halftime and postgame coverage.
“I’m really looking forward to working on the air with Greg, Mitchell and Jason,” Nelson said. “BYU football’s radio broadcast crew is world-class, and I hope to do my part as a member of the team. I'm excited to get back into film, scouting reports, interviews, and game-week prep to provide valuable insight and analysis to everyone tuning in. The 2019 season is fast approaching and I can't wait to share it with Cougar Nation.”
From 2009 through 2012, Nelson appeared in 32 games at quarterback for BYU, including 19 starts, and accounted for 4,890 yards in total offense and 41 touchdowns (35 passing and six rushing scores). With 4,032 passing yards and 858 rushing yards, Nelson is one of only four players in BYU history—along with Taysom Hill, Steve Young and Virgil Carter—to amass more than 4,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards during his career. As BYU’s primary starter, the Logan, Utah, native helped lead the Cougars to bowl appearances in his junior and senior seasons.
“I’m eager to work alongside Riley in his first season as a member of the BYU football radio broadcast team,” Wrubell said. “As a starting quarterback and team captain, Riley demonstrated qualities that will make him as valuable a commentator as he was a player. His keen understanding of the game and natural skills as a communicator will serve him well as he engages with our listeners in Cougar Nation.”
Nu Skin BYU Sports Network
The Nu Skin BYU Sports Network provides live national broadcasts of every BYU football game on BYU Radio SiriusXM 143 as well as over-the-air flagship KSL Radio and network affiliates in Utah and southern Idaho. BYU is the only program in the country with its own institutional satellite radio station.
With its 50,000-watt clear-channel signal, KSL Radio (102.7 FM/1160 AM) in Salt Lake City not only provides unmatched over-the-air access along the Wasatch Front to BYU football games but also offers Cougar Nation across much of the Western United States its powerful signal during the evening hours. BYU football games are also streamed live on KSL.com and streamed live and archived for on-demand listening at BYURadio.org.
In addition to the outstanding play-by-play call of BYU games, radio broadcasts for every game feature a two-hour pregame show and provide comprehensive postgame coverage, including live player and coach interviews.
The Nu Skin BYU Sports Network also provides BYU football coverage of the weekly coach’s show “BYU Football with Kalani Sitake.” The live Tuesday night (8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT) show, which features coaches, players and staffers, is simulcast live on both BYUtv and BYU Radio SiriusXM 143 in addition to over-the-air on BYU Radio 107.9 FM and KSL Radio 102.7 FM and 1160 AM. The shows are also archived for on-demand viewing and listening on BYUtv.org and BYURadio.org.