During three seasons at BYU, he terrorized opposing secondaries en route to two All-Mountain West Conference honors and ranked ninth nationally in receptions per game.

He once played a spectacular game against rival Utah in 2001, just six days after having his appendix removed.

But now former BYU wide receiver Reno Mahe is back in Utah after a five-year stint with the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, where he led the league in punt return average (12.8 yards) in 2005 and a combined 130 kickoff and punt returns for 1,600 yards.

And he's happy to be back.

"I have two sisters out here that we wanted to come to check on and visit," Mahe said. "But I also think it would be exciting to play in Utah again."

Mahe showed up to the Arena Football League's Utah Blaze player combine last Friday to observe the style of play and see if there would be interest in competing in a different style of football. The AFL uses 50-yard field lengths and padded walls on the perimeter, among other distinct features.

"I'm weighing the option," he said. "Football is a fun game and it would be hard to pass up an opportunity to play in Utah again. I might work out a deal to go to camp and see where I fit in. This is where I grew up, so I would bring a lot of friends and family to the games, that's for sure."

In the meantime, he keeps busy with entrepreneurial ventures with former Cougar teammate Gabe Reid in projects such as working with a company that makes small chips used in Amber Alert GPS units, and a Canadian company that builds private airplane hangars.

"I don't know if I'm an entrepreneur or not, because if I can't even spell it, I can't say that I am," he joked.

On top of being the father of four children, with a fifth on the way, he also keeps an eye on BYU football.

"TCU was the only game I've missed, but it's probably okay that I missed that one," he said. "I love the direction they're going; it's something to be proud of. I love what [head coach Bronco Mendenhall] is teaching for the quest of perfection within a player, not only for football. He cares more what the guys do with their lives after football."

He often looks back on his own BYU experience.

"I'm indebted to BYU for helping me realize there's more to life than football," he said. "The honor code teaches that nobody is above the law, no matter who you are. First of all, I found my wife there - I'll get brownie points for saying that."

Mahe often trains at the BYU Student Athlete Building and takes advantage of the open-door policy for former BYU athletes to work out on campus.

Though his hopes of a continued NFL career haven't completely vanished, he looks back on his "surreal" experience in professional football with admiration.

"It still hasn't hit me that I got to play in the NFL," Mahe said. "It's kind of weird for me, when my son comes home from school and tells me that his friends told him, 'Hey, I know your dad.'"

He's aware the AFL would require a different brand of football from what he's played his entire life if he decides to give it a try.

"There are a lot of small twitches in arena football," he said. "I would be willing to learn any position to help the team be successful. That's what I've had to do my entire life."

The Blaze has made the playoffs every year in its three-year existence. The team looks to fill 19 spots on the roster, choosing 37 players from Friday's combine and trimming down to 24 before mini-camp at the start of next season.

Head coach Ron James wouldn't mind having Mahe around.

"I can't smile enough when I say Mahe's name," he said. "I'd love to have him in our uniform as a wide receiver or kick returner because he's so versatile. I can't say enough good things about him."

If desired, it appears Mahe is more than welcome to find a new home back in Utah.



Copyright Brigham Young University 20 Oct 2008