“Well, here it is, one play for it all.”
A radio broadcaster describes the final events of a heated rivalry football game as they unfold on the field.
The quarterback takes the snap. The commentator announces what he sees, trying to paint a picture of the action.
“He backpedals, he’s got all kinds of time…”
Then comes the heat. Defenders start crashing in, threatening to break down the wall. The quarterback shuffles to the right in desperation to avoid getting sacked.
“John Beck is on the run, he throws behind him, it is … caught for the touchdown! Caught for the touchdown! Jonny Harline got it for the score! (Jonny) Harline by himself is in the endzone!"
A scream is heard in the booth as the game has come to a frantic finish.
“The Cougars win it on the final play of the game! Can you believe this? That play took 3.2 seconds on the clock, but an eternity in the hearts and minds of Cougar fans everywhere!”
Does that ring a bell for Cougar football fans?
When Greg Wrubell, Voice of the Cougars, thinks about that legendary call in 2006, Wrubell’s focus is not on himself, but rather, on the audience.
“I think that's a call the listeners like the most,” he said. “It’s one people had as their ringtones for a while. I think it’s one most people identify with.”
Sometimes careers are found in the most unexpected of circumstances. Such was the case for Wrubell.
But more on that in a moment. How did it all start?
Wrubell credits his dad, who was a public address announcer for the local hockey team in Canada where he grew up.
“I was able to see him speak into a microphone and talk to crowds,” he recalled. “It wasn’t [like] radio; it was in speaking to people in an arena … I saw the power of a microphone.”
Wrubell went on to graduate from BYU in 1990 with a communications degree. After internships and sports media jobs, he found himself scanning the sidelines as a reporter in 1992. Just four years later, an unexpected opportunity thrust Wrubell into the spotlight.
Cougar fans may recall the 1996 Holy War vs in-state rival Utah. BYU won the game 37-17 (on the way to a 14-1 season), but the game itself was not the only eventful part of that day.
BYU's play-by-play announcer at the time, Paul James, was having heart problems right before the beginning of the game. He was able to call it but had to drive himself to the hospital after it ended, where he was admitted and underwent a six-bypass heart surgery.
Before the surgery, he phoned Wrubell from the hospital to let him know that he would need to go to Seattle to call a basketball game in his place. Wrubell stepped up to the task.
“I didn't think I could do play-by-play until I was doing it,” he said. “While I was a sideline guy, I always thought I could never do this, it’s just too much …but then, boom, I had to suddenly draw upon all this knowledge that I gained by experience to somehow do the job. There's no set path [to this career].”
Calling a game on television is one thing. But Wrubell says radio is a completely different ballgame.
“In television, [commentary] is complimentary. In radio, it’s a necessity,” he said. “You can never tell the time or say the score enough … the person working in the yard or getting things done around the house, they’re not able to see the things that you're able to share with them.”
While exciting, radio broadcasting brings its share of difficulties. Sometimes the power goes out. Wrubell has called some games “on a cell phone next to [his] ear."
Despite the challenges of broadcasting, every career has its defining moments — both on and off the air. For Wrubell, one of those moments came not in the middle of a game, but over lunch on a warm summer day in 1997.
That’s when he met Mark Durrant, a former BYU basketball player with a deep love for the game and a surprising connection — Mark’s father had been Wrubell’s Missionary Training Center president.
“I just had to talk to this guy (Durrant),” Wrubell said. “It literally only took one lunch meeting, and we knew we were going to work together. I mean, he knows my rhythm and I know his … it’s like an old married couple. I don't even think about it.”
Durrant took the job and worked with Wrubell, calling games as the color commentator for 28 years and counting.
“It’s a chemistry thing,” Durrant agreed. “I remember feeling nervous, and I didn’t think it would last 28 years. I want to make Greg look as good as possible because this is his job; I’m not the voice of the Cougars. It means a lot that he chose me.”
What’s the magic of making things work as commentators? Durrant says there is no formula. “Chemistries can’t be forced.”
Instead, he talks about their differing styles and how they seem together.
“He’s very intense, he has a lot of stats and figures and goes a million miles an hour, I’m kind of the opposite, but it makes a nice tandem, and we balance each other out,” Durrant said.
Durrant said that Wrubell is very passionate in his calling of BYU games. So much so, that during one game in Wyoming, he “knocked over a cup of Mountain Dew and it spilled onto our radio and broadcasting equipment and knocked us off the air for a couple of minutes,” he laughed. “He’s toned things down a bit now. During games he’ll get excited and lightly punch my arm, people love to see that.”
Through all the emotions broadcasting offers, love for the game is a constant for Wrubell.
“They say if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. And that's kind of the way I feel,” he said. “Although I work hard and put a lot into what I do, ultimately, I'm preparing to share with the audience something enjoyable. That’s what keeps me energized.”
The importance of preparation can’t be understated. Wrubell said he enjoys this aspect of his job, getting things ready for the listeners. He uses sheet boards to write notes before games — and not just for basketball, but the other sports he calls as well.
“This is what a typical board will look like at the end of the game,” he said, pointing out stats and notes he took for BYU’s previous basketball contest.
What should aspiring broadcasters know about this profession? It’s never too early to start, Wrubell said.
“The key is reps,” he said. “The more comfortable you are, the better you'll be. Sometimes you're dropped into the situation, which might be the easiest way to go about it.”
Wrubell credits D&C 38:30 as motivation to prepare to call games. The scripture reads, "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."
“This is how I’ve approached broadcasting,” he said. “People ask me, ‘Aren’t you nervous?’ And to be honest I haven’t been nervous for years. If I’m prepared, I’m not nervous at all.”
While Wrubell calls games with confidence, his presence on the airwaves extends far beyond the stadium or arena. At home, his voice is just as familiar— but to his daughter, Afton, a sophomore at BYU studying public relations — it carries a special meaning.
“He travels most of the year,” she said. “So much of his time is taken up with a passion for his job, but he leaves room for the family and our needs.”
It’s said that behind every man is a good wife, and such is the case with the Wrubell family, according to Afton.
“My mom has had to do a lot on her own for us … she does a good job of keeping track of my dad. There would be times as a kid when I would say ‘Will Dad be home tonight?’ And she would say ‘No, he’s in Virginia,'" Afton recallled.
Wrubell's wife, Tauna, plays a crucial role in managing their family life. Despite the chaos of a hectic schedule, her unwavering support allows him to excel in his professional life while maintaining a balanced family dynamic.
Afton expressed her gratitude for the support of her mom.
“I’d say my mom does as much balancing as my dad in terms of navigating through the craziness of his job,” she said.
Afton said when her dad would be on the court pregame, her family would text him a reminder to "wave."
“We’d wave to each other when he was down at the scorer’s table,” she said. “This was a fun part of seeing him do his job while I was growing up.”
Wrubell said that social media has played a big role in sharing his work to reach more audiences.
“I can share stats, research, observations, audio clips, etc., via my X and Instagram accounts, while BYU’s social media channels can also amplify my work," he said.
Tyson Jex, men’s basketball director of communications, has high praise for the broadcaster.
“Greg truly loves BYU and that is on full display by how much he prepares for whatever game he is going to call,” he said.
Wrubell’s work ethic and preparation are second-to-none.
“He holds himself to such a high standard that it will be a tall task for anyone to replace him whenever he hangs up the headset,” Jex said.
Though unexpected, being the voice of the Cougars became the perfect fit for Greg Wrubell. From when he first watched his dad announce hockey games, to his various job experiences along the way, everything worked together for his benefit.
“I may not have seen myself as a natural play-by-play announcer in the beginning, but it has become something I can now identify,” Wrubell said. “I think I have my dream job, and I’m blessed to have done it for as long as I have.”