[BigdaddyQH]

Star RB Henry Unga has voluntarily left BYU because of an "honor code" violation. No details were given, but a female basketball player has also voluntarily left the school. THe honor code forbids drinking, smoking and premarital sex.

Unga was the best RB that BYU had. His departure leaves a major hole in the BYU offense. This is very bad news for the team.

[mmike032]

crazy mormons

[Vince Lombardi]

Tough code for college kids. The kid is a good back. He'll catch on somewhere and make someone a hell of a back.

[spurnam]

That's too bad, you think they'd make an exception. I guess not and I hope this kid can get a good job.

[BigdaddyQH]

And people wonder why BYU is not wanted in the Pac 10. This is just one of several reasons. I have nothing against anyone's religion, however, I think that institutions of higher learning must understand today's young man or woman. Times change, and unless BYU starts to change, they will find themselves isolated in the world of higher education. I think it is pretty obvious what happened here, and to force two student athletes toleae school because they may have had an intimate relationship is totally archaic.

[scarp]

I wonder where he goes now?

[Kustac]

would have been interesting if they hadn't agreed to leave "voluntarily", I don't know all the details with the school in terms of receiving state funding etc... but it could certainly have been an interesting story probably to be picked up by the national media

[CBH123]

Just to answer your question Kustac, it is a private school, funded mostly by charitable donations from church members and alumni. I attended BYU and wouldn't trade the education or experience I received there for anything. While the standards are strict, all students and athletes are aware of them when deciding to attend there, and for many they are considered a plus.

It is definitely going to hurt the football team's success not having Unga, he is a great player, and I hope he is successful with whatever he decides to do now. I feel like the school should be commended for holding to its standards despite wanting to succeed in athletics, instead of criticized for not allowing an athlete to bend the rules.

As far as BYU finding itself "isolated in the world of higher education," unless you just mean in sports, which is fun, but really not important (I'm saying to BYU, not to colleges and universities in general, because BYU doesn't need funding help), continuing to maintain high standards is only going to continue to improve BYU's reputation. BYU is recognized for several of their programs (especially business/accounting), most often praised for having graduates that have principles and integrity (I'm not saying every graduate is, or that other schools don't, just expressing what I've read), so I doubt enforcing the honor code will ever hurt their credibility as an academic institution.

[stealthyburrito]

wow would suck if he had to leave his school and team for a couple of beers.

I would not last in a place with such strict standards

[BigdaddyQH]

I am talking about athletics. Unless conferences expand to 14 or 16 teams, and the MWC is consumed by the big boys, BYU really hurts themselves when it comes to trying to jump into a BCS Comference, like the Big 12 and Pac 10. BYU is the last option for the Pac10, and only an option if they have to go to 16 teams. The Big 12 is a bit more likely to take BYU, but again, only in a situation when their hand is forced to expand to 16 teams, or they lose 3 or 4 teams that are already current members of the Big 12. Enforcing such a strict honor code will definately hurt them in an athletic sense. BYU is in a special catagory, where their religious beliefs controls the entire life of the student athlete. Many conferences want no part of that, athletically.

[Kustac]

Just to answer your question Kustac, it is a private school, funded mostly by charitable donations from church members and alumni. I attended BYU and wouldn't trade the education or experience I received there for anything. While the standards are strict, all students and athletes are aware of them when deciding to attend there, and for many they are considered a plus.

It is definitely going to hurt the football team's success not having Unga, he is a great player, and I hope he is successful with whatever he decides to do now. I feel like the school should be commended for holding to its standards despite wanting to succeed in athletics, instead of criticized for not allowing an athlete to bend the rules.

As far as BYU finding itself "isolated in the world of higher education," unless you just mean in sports, which is fun, but really not important (I'm saying to BYU, not to colleges and universities in general, because BYU doesn't need funding help), continuing to maintain high standards is only going to continue to improve BYU's reputation. BYU is recognized for several of their programs (especially business/accounting), most often praised for having graduates that have principles and integrity (I'm not saying every graduate is, or that other schools don't, just expressing what I've read), so I doubt enforcing the honor code will ever hurt their credibility as an academic institution.

Thanks for the info CBH .... (Not debating/questioning) but just clarifying your saying its 100 percent privately funded? As in no state money at all? Doesn't BYU have graduate schools? Medical? Law? Dental? If they're supporting all these privately that's very impressive. If this is the case I would agree with what your implying that they can do whatever they want (pretty much - not entirely true - but close enought that we can go with it). However, the minute they start taking a dime of tax payer money (even if it was just for the graduate schools) things get much trickier, even if the athletes are "aware of this when deciding to attend there." I could go into more detail/scenarios, but I'm not looking to debate it so I don't want to waste the time.

[CBH123]

Hi Kustac,

As far as I know it's completely privately funded. It is wholly owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and supported by tithing funds from church members (in addition to tuition fees, which are extremely cheap for the quality of education).

Tithing is a program where members of the church pay 10% (completely voluntarily)of their income annually to build church buildings, temples, print copies of the book of mormon for it's missionary programs, support church schools (BYU, BYU Idaho, BYU Hawaii), etc.

I agree that if they did receive funding it could be different as far as what they could require of their athletes.

[Kustac]

CBH: sounds like BYU has it figured out then, as they must be doing better money wise than some of the schools receiving millions from their state and still making cuts .... I'm still curious do you know if BYU has the graduate schools? Medical? Law? Dental? If they're supporting all these privately, wow! Again out of curosity when you say tuition fees are extremely cheap, what are we talking per year (rough estimate) in tuition fees?

[brooks85]

Those rules are ridiculous. I would bet good money they are broken on a weekly basis.

[xyzky]

Having to leave college for ****ing...

[CBH123]

Hey Kustac,

They don't have medical or dental, but there is a law school and the Marriott school of business, etc. I'm not sure what it is now but it was only about $1700 per semester when I graduated a couple years ago. I think graduate/law is like $6000 per semester (which is super cheap for law school!). Hope this helps.

[Kustac]

CBH: Yeah that's not bad at all ... thanks for the info

[Death Valley]

Ugna was getting his drink on and he banged that ass to bout.

[rossta4i]

left because he and his GF is expecting a baby.