- ORIGINAL BYU MASCOT -

In 1923, Brigham Young University selected the cougar as its mascot. Eugene L. Roberts, a coach and faculty member, suggested the cougar because it is native to Utah and it exemplified the traits that he hoped athletes competing for Brigham Young University would have. These traits included strength, agility, grace, quickness, and beauty. In 1925, two cougar cubs (Cleo and Tarbo) were brought to campus to serve as mascots. The cougar kittens were kept on the south side of Temple Hill until 1929 when they managed to break out of their cage, sending out a cry from the faculty, “The cougars are out!”

This incident produced the lyrical chorus of our very own Fight Song written by Clyde D. Sandgren in 1932 - "Rise and shout, the Cougars are out." In 1930, Tarbo died of natural causes and Cleo was sent to a zoo in Salt Lake City. The school has not owned cougars since then, although live cougars were sometimes brought to campus for special occasions. Live cougars were later replaced by Cosmo the Cougar.