Provo • There were a few personnel surprises when BYU released its preseason training camp roster Thursday afternoon.
Most notably, receiver Trey Dye was not on it. Head coach Kalani Sitake said the oft-injured Dye has lingering medical issues and has decided to retire from playing football.
“I love Trey, and he is going to be involved with us, the team,” Sitake said. “It is unfortunate that he had some injuries and medical issues. But I love having him around. You saw him on the field [Thursday] so we will use him as a student coach right now.”
Dye, who redshirted in 2016, caught 16 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown in his three-year career that began in 2014.
Also missing from the printed roster handed out before the open session of practice was Rickey Shumway, a walk-on receiver from Timpview High who always seemed to make a lot of excellent catches in practice.
A BYU football spokesperson said Shumway, who appeared in 10 games but never made a catch, is finished playing football but still enrolled in school.
As has been previously reported, tight end Joe Tukuafu and running back Ula Tolutau are no longer in the program. Also, linebacker Jeremiah Ieremia, a returned missionary who participated in spring camp, has decided to transfer.
Several other players who participated in spring camp are not on the printed roster for preseason camp but are still on the online roster and still considered part of the program. They are not currently participating in preseason camp for various reasons.
That list includes returned missionary linebacker Hirkley Latu, tight end Nate Heaps, running back KJ Hall, long snapper Matt Foley, running back Kavika Fonua, defensive lineman Tevita Mo’unga, defensive lineman Langi Tuifua and linebacker Morgan Unga.
Tuifua, the Bingham High product who made seven tackles last year and showed promise as a pass rusher while appearing in 10 games, is battling an issue with his lower back and may be forced to sit out this season.
Three high school recruits who signed last February but were not mission-bound — running back Amone Finau, defensive lineman Chinonso Opara and linebacker Alex Miskela — are not currently with the team but could be in the future, the spokesperson said.
Because they haven’t been on the team before, they won’t be added to the roster until they are officially with the team, per BYU policy.
Danny Jones, the punter from Australia who signed in February, is classified as a redshirt sophomore with three years to play three. He enrolled in college in 2016, so the NCAA determined his eligibility clock started then.
