This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Matt Ah You knew something wasn't right the moment he felt the sharp pain shooting through his foot.

It was the first game of his one season at Division II Central Washington, only the fifth play. He had just transferred from Brigham Young University and the extreme discomfort told Ah You that his college career -- he was a fifth-year senior -- was going to come to an end the moment he limped to the sideline.

So he never went.

"I knew that I wasn't playing again that season," Ah You said. "Because of that, I played the rest of the game. I knew that I could tolerate a lot of pain, but I knew it was bad when it happened. That's why I stayed in the whole game."

Ah You turned out to be right. And he turned out to be wrong. The injury was a torn ligament, and indeed it was serious enough for him to miss the rest of the season. As the story unfolded, however, it turned out not to be his last game.

The inside linebacker is now at Utah State, in his sixth season and a surprise for Gary Andersen. After playing in 13 games at BYU in 2008, starting twice, Ah You has landed in Logan, where he is part of a deep and talented linebacking corps and expected to make an immediate impact for the Aggies.

"We're definitely fortunate to have Matt in the fold with us," Andersen said. "We weren't expecting it, but when it became an option it was the best option for all parties involved. We're happy to have him."

Ah You made his name as a run-stuffing linebacker for the Cougars, one with the ability to make tackles all over the field. He brought a toughness to the BYU defense as well. A graduate of Lone Peak High, Ah You saw action in 26 games during the 2003, 2004 and 2008 seasons. In three years, Ah You accumulated 68 tackles, as well as a fumble recovery.

With that, heading into his senior season, it was thought that Ah You would be a leader for the Cougars. But it didn't turn out that way. Ah You thought he should've been playing the majority of the snaps. The BYU coaching staff wanted him to split time. The rift was big enough that Ah You became unhappy with his role, which ultimately led him to leave the team.

"Football had stopped being fun for me," Ah You said. "I wanted to be on the field the entire time. The coaches didn't see that for me. Thinking back, I should've left a long time ago. It was my senior season. I didn't want to come off the field. So I wanted to go somewhere where I didn't have to come off the field."

That somewhere was Central Washington, a D-II power that was expected to have a big season with Ah You and a few more Division I transfers dotting its roster. The foot injury made that impossible for Ah You. Sitting out the season was difficult for him, but he never let the frustration get the better of him.

"I thought that I could still go back to Division I," Ah You said. "That kept me going."

The road back wouldn't be easy. He was granted a medical redshirt because he only played in one game. But before he could become eligible, he needed to graduate from a four-year university, per NCAA rules. Ah You got that done as well, earning a bachelor's in sociology. From there, it was about finding a school that would take him on.

Utah State turned out to be that school.

"It was a good fit for us," Andersen said. "He was seeking a master's program, and we have a great graduate program in education. We initially got a call from his brother Jasen (an assistant coach at Utah) and we were interested. From there, it was about making it happen."

Ah You said that the paperwork to become eligible took "forever." It didn't officially arrive at USU until a few weeks before fall camp started. Once it did, Ah You fit right in.

"He brings us a maturity," Aggies linebackers coach Kevin Klune said. "He's fast, he's quick and he's got really long arms. So he's able to shed blocks and make tackles that not many are able to make."

Ah You, 25, figures to be in the starting rotation immediately. Star linebacker Bobby Wagner figures to benefit from his presence because defenses won't be able to key on him. And with Kyle Gallagher and Junior Keiaho, the linebacker position figures to be one of the deepest and most talented positions on the team.

"I'm happy to be here," Ah You said. "Coach Andersen recruited me when I was in high school, so I knew him well. When I got hurt, everyone told me it would be impossible to be eligible again. I just said let's wait and see what happens."

A welcome Matt

About Matt Ah You

» Brother C.J. Plays on the defensive line for the St. Louis Rams

» Brother Jasen is a coach at the University of Utah

» Is pursuing a master's degree in education at Utah State

» Had 50 tackles for BYU in 2008

» In one game at Central Washington had 10 tackles

» His father, Charles, played football at BYU from 1973-1975