Jared Quayle
April 5, 2010—Utah State University loses only one senior from its Western Athletic Conference championship basketball team, and that breeds optimism heading into next season. But when that lone senior is Jared Quayle—the heart and soul of the 2009–10 Aggies—fans can’t help but wish he had another year of eligibility. The humble and polite, First-team All-WAC guard talked with us about his successful Aggie basketball career, and what lies ahead. Photo: Ryan Talbot, USU Athletics Staff Photographer
LatterDaySports: You’ve recently wrapped up your basketball career at Utah State. Have you had a chance to reflect back and think about what you’ve accomplished?
Jared Quayle: Yeah a little. We’ve been done with ball for almost two weeks. I’ve had plenty of time to think about certain games, certain plays. Thinking about the past two years here at Utah State, it’s something that I’ll always remember. My teammates, my coaches and especially playing in the Spectrum—that’s something I’ll always remember. I know that when I get older, I’ll continue to come to the games and I’m sure when I do, I’ll have flashbacks of when I was playing because it was so memorable and such a great two years in my life. It won’t be easy to forget, that’s for sure.
LatterDaySports: So you are actually from the area?
Quayle: Yeah, I’m from Perry, Utah. It’s about 35 minutes from the campus. I was born and raised over there and I’ve been coming to the (Utah State) games since I was a little kid.
LatterDaySports: Specifically what has been one of your favorite moments playing basketball at Utah State?
Quayle: Overall, playing in the Spectrum, I would have to say, is the most memorable. Like I said, I came to the games when I was a little kid and I just remember (thinking) how awesome it would be to play in a place like this … and to have my dream come true is amazing and is something that’s most memorable and special to me.
LatterDaySports: I’ve actually seen YouTube videos of the student section in the Spectrum and the chants they do.
Quayle: Yeah, they’re awesome, I guess they consider themselves the sixth man … and it’s true! Almost every home game, the place is packed. It’s definitely full of students that are supporting us and chanting and doing their thing. It helps us out a lot.
LatterDaySports: I can imagine. It looks like a fun atmosphere.
Quayle: Definitely.
LatterDaySports: What about off the court—any special memories?
Quayle: With the team, before the season would start, we’d go over to our coach’s house and have dinner with some recruits. We’d play games. We’d play the Wii and we’d play ping-pong and pool and just had a good time with all our coaches and teammates. Yeah that’s something that I’ve really enjoyed the past two years. Just spending time with the coaches and teammates over at coach Morrill’s house and talking to the recruits.
LatterDaySports: Coach Morrill has obviously built a pretty solid program at Utah State. Every year the Aggies compete for WAC championships. In your opinion, what makes Utah State basketball so successful?
Quayle: Well, it’s definitely the coaches. They have a good work ethic. If they’re not on the floor, they’re in their offices all the time, looking at game film, putting highlight film together for us to watch the next day. They’re really good at what they do—especially coach Morrill. He just knows the game of basketball, and it’s amazing. These past two years, I’m grateful I had the chance to learn from him and gain a little of his knowledge that he has for the game. It’s definitely special what he has. They’re (all) good guys to be around. They’re good to talk to—just good people. Usually you don’t (see) that in a lot of coaches. They are definitely a unique group of guys and they’ve helped make basketball up here at Utah State special. Coach Morrill is an amazing coach. His record is unbelievable, especially here at the Spectrum. You can’t say enough about him.
LatterDaySports: I looked at the final stats for the year and you were actually just a few percentage points away from leading your team in rebounds per game. That’s pretty unusual for a guard. Why do you think that is? Why do you think that happened?
Quayle: (Laughing) I’ll say this, our big guys did a really good job of boxing out and I just snuck in there and stole the rebounds. I just like going after the ball, basically. When a shot goes up I kind of watch the shot and see where it’s going to hit on the rim and I just position myself in a place where I think it’s going to come off. It’s probably easier for me as a point guard because my man doesn’t go to get offensive rebounds, so I really don’t have anybody to box out. I can kind of just go and chase the ball and get it. So that’s probably helped me out a lot—playing in the position I’m in and just having big guys who block out (allowing me to) just go and grab the ball.
LatterDaySports: I read that you served your mission in Sacramento, California.
Quayle: Yup.
LatterDaySports: How was that experience?
Quayle: It was great. I loved it there. It was a good mission. I had good companions. I definitely credit my mission to my success today because in those two years, I grew a little. I got a little taller. I put on some more weight. I just overall matured. I definitely believe that’s helped me the past three years since I’ve been playing after my mission. It’s amazing what a mission can do for you mentally and spiritually, obviously. I wouldn’t say physically because (chuckles) I got out of shape pretty bad on my mission. There are definitely a lot of the positives about going on a mission and I wouldn’t change anything, (even) if I could.
LatterDaySports: Great. Yeah, I can imagine for two years, not really training at all, you can get out of shape pretty quickly.
Quayle: Yeah, and I did. It wasn’t good.
LatterDaySports: It’s also amazing though how athletes are able to come home and get back into it—and that’s a blessing.
Quayle's per game averages for the 2009–10 season: 12.4 points, 4.1 assists, 6.2 rebounds, in 31.8 minutes. He also shot a stellar 90% from the free throw line. Photo: Ryan Talbot, USU Athletics Staff Photographer
Quayle: Yeah.
LatterDaySports: Your’re married?
Quayle: Yup, I’m married.
LatterDaySports: How long have you been married?
Quayle: It will be two years at the end of May. My wife’s name is Lindsey and she’s from Layton (Utah) and we got married in the Salt Lake Temple. We’ve been living in Logan ever since. I met her actually up here in Logan at a singles ward linger longer.
LatterDaySports: Linger longer.
Quayle: Yeah.
LatterDaySports: What’s that?
Quayle: On fast Sunday they have like a lunch after church is done, where people just hang out, talk, and eat food.
LatterDaySports: OK, cool. How was it being a student, being married and playing basketball?
Quayle: For me it was nice. When you’re a student, especially on a big campus like this and there’s a lot of stuff going on, you kind of want to get out and go to the parties. For me personally I was glad I was married because it kept me inside. It kept me on track basically. I got my homework done faster and I got better at all my tests because I wasn’t going out to all the parties or hanging out with friends all the time. I was just at home studying, hanging out with my wife and stuff like that. So it definitely was a positive for me being married the past two years that I’ve been at Utah State. I hope it’s (been) the same for her. (laughing)
LatterDaySports: So your wife’s in school as well?
Quayle: Yeah she is. She actually graduates this semester in accounting, so she’ll be done.
LatterDaySports: And when do you finish?
Quayle: I will have one more semester after this one.
LatterDaySports: What’s your major?
Quayle: My major is recreation resource management. I just want to do something outdoors, like (working for) the forest service or (being a) fish and game officer, park ranger, anything like that. Just something that has to do with the outdoors. I don’t really want to sit in an office.
LatterDaySports: Do you have any plans to play professional basketball?
Quayle: Yeah, I’m talking to a few agents right now and I’m definitely going to try and pursue that. But it’s not a guarantee so we’ll see what happens over the summer. Hopefully I am playing more basketball come fall.
LatterDaySports: Do you have any desire to be a basketball coach?
Quayle: You know, when I have kids, I’ll coach my kids, but to be a high school coach or college coach or anything like that, I won’t be. Just because I like to hunt and fish, and basketball season is right during hunting season. I’ve been deprived of my hunting and fishing my whole life so when I’m done playing ball, I’m going to turn to hunting and fishing, not coaching. (laughter)
LatterDaySports: That’s cool. So it’s a good environment where you are to do all that stuff?
Quayle: Oh yeah, definitely! We’ve got lakes, rivers and mountains to do hunting and fishing, so it’s definitely a good place to live if you like doing that stuff.
LatterDaySports: As a last question to wrap it up—do you have a favorite scripture?
Quayle: I actually do. It’s 2 Nephi 31:20.
LatterDaySports: And what is that about?
Quayle: It’s about feasting upon the word of God. So basically reading your scriptures and soaking in what God has to teach us. Just learning more about Him and His Son. Ever since my mission, that’s been my all-time favorite scripture.
LatterDaySports: Great. Thank you very much.
Quayle: It was good talking to you.
LatterDaySports: You too.
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