Cougars got standout defensive effort in Week 1, hope not to rely on only that vs. SUU

Estimated read time: 5-6
minutes

PROVO — Marcus McKenzie has waited all of his life to suit up for the BYU football program.

The son of former BYU standout running back Brian McKenzie made a good first impression in the Cougars’ 14-0 win over Sam Houston.

“It was just unreal,” said McKenzie, who signed with BYU in the Class of 2022 before serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arkansas. “My dad would explain to me, you have to experience it. That first game, the crowd, the environment; it was energizing and fun. No nerves. I was just ready to play.”

McKenzie’s impact on the game won’t be noticed by a casual glance at the box score. The two-way track star from Pine View High School in St. George who flipped from Virginia to BYU with his twin brother Dominique — who returns home from his two-year church mission Dec. 2, Marcus said — didn’t see his first snaps…