Just two days before the start of its spring practice session, the U football team made an addition to its 2002 roster when it signed linebacker Spencer Toone to a national letter of intent.
Though Ute coach Ron McBride had earlier expressed satisfaction with his defense, and used National Letter of Intent Day back on Feb. 6 to add 18 offensive players among 24 new additions, the opportunity to bring Toone into the program was simply too good to pass up.
The 6-foot-2-inch, 230-pounder had played one season for Ricks Junior College before leaving on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In that one year (1999), he led Ricks in both tackles and kickoffs returned for touchdowns.
He helped the team win the Real Dairy Bowl at the conclusion of the regular season.
Toone hails from Blackfoot, Idaho, and enjoyed a successfully diversified prep career there, earning All-State honors as a safety in 1997, and All-State honors as a running back in ’98.
His return from his mission to Australia did not go unnoticed in the collegiate football world, as he was recruited to play for both BYU and traditional football power USC (the Pac-10 school the Utes defeated 10-6 in last season’s Las Vegas Bowl).
He turned them down to play for a Ute team that went 8-4 overall last season and looks to build further upon that performance this coming season.
He will take part in a defense that ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in total defense and 17th overall in the nation in that same category. It may be difficult for him to see immediate playing time, however, as the Utes return almost their entire defensive unit, including eight of 11 starters.