BYU DB Talan Alfrey’s Onside Kick Return Earns Him Big 12 Honor

PROVO, Utah- The BYU Cougars sealed their tenth win of the season against the Houston Cougars to stack their third double-digit win season in the last five years. BYU snapped their two-game skid with a 30-18 victory to finish tied with Arizona State, Iowa State, and Colorado at the top of the Big 12 standings, thanks in part to a heads-up play from Talan Alfrey.

COUGS WIN ON SENIOR NIGHT pic.twitter.com/cA1quiVALD

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 1, 2024

Even though the Cougars had been eliminated from Big 12 Championship Game contention by halftime, LaVell Edwards Stadium was still rocking for Senior Night, but Houston drew first blood with a 10-play touchdown drive in the first quarter.

After taking the lead, Houston lined up to kick the ball deep but had no intentions of doing so as they tried to catch BYU by surprise with an onside kick as Arizona State had done successfully the week before.

RELATED: BYU Football Returns Houston Onside Kick Attempt For TD

However, BYU seemed prepared for it this time around. As if they knew it was coming, the Cougar’s front line b-lined for the ball, and the first man to get to it was junior special-teamer Talan Alfrey. The speed of the onside kick made it so the ball reached Alfrey with still three yards between him and the nearest Houston Cougar, allowing him to field it with no resistance.

Talan picked up the ball and within two steps was already past all but two Houston defenders. Alfrey started on a dead sprint down the middle of the field, passing the remaining Houston players at the 50-yard line, giving him nothing but green grass on the way to the end zone. Talan Alfrey returned the onside kick 58 yards for the touchdown, tying the game and stealing all the momentum away from Houston.

While you were on commercial break @talfrey21 took this to the house.

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/pMKTW7aKlu

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 1, 2024

Talan’s electric return secured him Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The play was also BYU’s third kick-off return for a touchdown this season, tying their program record from 1961.

BIG 12 SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK@talfrey21 🤝 @Big12Conference pic.twitter.com/2wjbqGsbsj

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 2, 2024

Tanner Tripp is a sports writer for KSL Sports covering all teams across the state of Utah. Follow him on X @tanner_tripp and Instagram @tanner.tripp here.

What more coverage of the BYU Cougars? Take us with you, wherever you go.

Download the new & improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. You can stream live radio, video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.

Follow @tanner_tripp