Cougar linebacker Ben Bywater had a tremendous career as he got to enjoy his dream of playing football for BYU.

But all football players know that injuries can happen and sometimes they are simply too much to overcome.

Bywater announced Wednesday on the first day of fall camp that his career in Provo is over.

“I had some tough conversations the other day about where my shoulder is at,” he said. “I’m not medically cleared to go and I won’t be medically cleared to go. So it looks like my days are playing BYU football are behind me, which absolutely breaks my heart.”

Jaren Wilkey, BYU Photo

Bywater said that he has tried everything to try to heal but hasn’t had any success.

“I’m dealing with some nerve damage in my shoulder,” he said. “I’ve had multiple surgeries. I’ve got a great staff here that’s helped me and I’ve seen the best doctors in the world. I’ve done everything I could. I’ve crossed every t and dotted every i to get the shoulder to come back and it just didn’t.”

He said that his focus is on getting better, which still appears to be a long road.

“I’m not even halfway better on my right side,” Bywater said. “I’ve got to get that nerve back. The doctors that I’ve talked with — and I’ve been to the Mayo Clinic — those guys are just telling me the time period for me to get back and it just didn’t line up with playing football this fall.”

As it became clear that despite his best efforts he wouldn’t be able to get back on the field, he faced the task of telling the rest of the team.

Jaren Wilkey/BYU Photo

“It’s been an emotional few days with my teammates, with my boys,” Bywater said. “It’s hard. It’s hard for sure, but these guys are going to kill it. It’s exciting to see this team, like the brotherhood. The camaraderie is the best I’ve seen in my time here so I’m excited obviously but I’m also so bummed.”

He said that he realized that there was a potential he wouldn’t be able to play this fall, so he tried to make sure the other players were as prepared as possible.

“I wanted to build camaraderie with those guys,” Bywater said. “It’s a brotherhood. It’s a friendship and I really feel like that team is the best I’ve been around, so it was hard. A lot of tears were shed but it’s all love. Those are lifelong friends I have and I’m so grateful.”

He grinned when asked about the players who will have to step up and fill his shoes this fall.

“This is what I want to talk about,” Bywater said. “I want to talk about them. We got that linebacker room and honestly it’s stacked. I’m so excited. There are 12 guys in there who I think are ready to go. Every single one of those guys can go out there and compete.”

One of those guys is sophomore linebacker Harrison Taggart, who said he’s going to push himself to take on more of a leadership role.

“I definitely want to be a better leader, particularly when times get tough,” Taggart said. “That’s where I see my role getting pushed to, but everybody’s got to work for it. We’re firstly focused on the competition from here on out.”

But he also said losing Bywater is a blow to the entire team.

“It’s devastating,” Taggart said. “Ben was a huge part of the team, a massive leader. Everybody knows Ben Bywater. He’s been here forever. He was up for the Butkis award. Ben’s a huge leader. This year he took us all boating and up to his cabin. He’s a great guy. Now we’re going to have to figure out what we do without him. But I love the guy.”

Cougar head coach Kalani Sitake said that the most important thing is for Bywater to do what is best for his future.

Courtesy BYU Photo

“We knew this was a possibility,” Sitake said. “We were hopeful that he could get back and be ready for us to play but it’s just too risky. As much as he would love to play for us this year, it’s just not worth the risk. He has a future in life, and possibly in football too.

“I’m thankful for what he’s done for us. He’s going to transition to a different role. He’s a leader, a captain for us. We’re going to need him in a different way. It’s a good thing he’s still working with our linebackers and mentoring them, because he knows this place and he’s put a lot of investment here. It’s important to him that we have success. It’s an honor for me to be connected to him and his family and to have been his coach.”

Bywater said he doesn’t plan to take on a full coaching role but plans to be an “extra set of eyes” and still be at games and some practices.

He took a moment when asked what he hopes to be remembered for from his time as a Cougar.

“I feel like I came in and I competed hard, but I did it my way,” Bywater said. “I feel like I always had some personality to my play and how I carried myself. I never felt like I stopped being me throughout it all. I’m hopefully just a guy that young kids can look up to and think, ‘hey, if Ben Bywater did it, I can do it.'”