Star system full of pepperoni, Bronco says
Almost every chance he gets, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall slams the star system of ratings that recruiting Web sites such as scout.com and rivals.com have come up with to rank high school football and basketball prospects.
At the MWC media days last week, he has reporters chuckling with this latest salvo:
"Some guy that drives a pizza truck at night and then is giving stars to recruits in the day, and he's an expert? I don't adhere to that philosophy."
Mendenhall threw that out there when asked if it was difficult to get four and five-star guys to fit in at a program where everything is supposed to be team-first.
"And so I put no value in [stars]," he said. "I put value in the fit of the kid. And if he happens to be a five-star recruit, and he doesn't come in and say, what can I do for the good of the team? Then I have recruited the wrong kid. That is something I have tried to make very clear to the recruit and his parents.
"And that's why the walk-ons do so well, is because I like it when they ask, ‘What can I do for the program?' That doesn't seem to be asked by most recruits. But for ours, they better ask that question, or else they are going to have a hard time. I try to make that as clear as possible."
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Speaking of recruiting and getting the right "fit" at BYU, Mendenhall acknowledged that this year the Cougars are going after more non-LDS recruits than in previous years. Several of the remaining recruiting targets are not LDS, including running backs Brandon Bourbon and Drew Phillips and lineman Blair Tushaus.
"What has happened is that them showing an interest in us has caused us to cast a wider net," Mendenhall said. "So it didn't start with us throwing a wider net to see who was in it. It started because we believe in self-selection. We have these principles and we have these standards -- and we happen to play football as well. ‘Would you like to come?' "
"Well, these kids are showing interest as non-members. That, then, allows us to pursue them. We seldom ever initiate that, because I believe anything more than that could be exploitation.
"They have to be the right fit for BYU. Because otherwise, they are having a miserable experience in college. And I don't like coaching guys who are miserable, either. Neither do I think it is right for their future."
At the MWC media days last week, he has reporters chuckling with this latest salvo:
"Some guy that drives a pizza truck at night and then is giving stars to recruits in the day, and he's an expert? I don't adhere to that philosophy."
Mendenhall threw that out there when asked if it was difficult to get four and five-star guys to fit in at a program where everything is supposed to be team-first.
"And so I put no value in [stars]," he said. "I put value in the fit of the kid. And if he happens to be a five-star recruit, and he doesn't come in and say, what can I do for the good of the team? Then I have recruited the wrong kid. That is something I have tried to make very clear to the recruit and his parents.
"And that's why the walk-ons do so well, is because I like it when they ask, ‘What can I do for the program?' That doesn't seem to be asked by most recruits. But for ours, they better ask that question, or else they are going to have a hard time. I try to make that as clear as possible."
-------------------------
Speaking of recruiting and getting the right "fit" at BYU, Mendenhall acknowledged that this year the Cougars are going after more non-LDS recruits than in previous years. Several of the remaining recruiting targets are not LDS, including running backs Brandon Bourbon and Drew Phillips and lineman Blair Tushaus.
"What has happened is that them showing an interest in us has caused us to cast a wider net," Mendenhall said. "So it didn't start with us throwing a wider net to see who was in it. It started because we believe in self-selection. We have these principles and we have these standards -- and we happen to play football as well. ‘Would you like to come?' "
"Well, these kids are showing interest as non-members. That, then, allows us to pursue them. We seldom ever initiate that, because I believe anything more than that could be exploitation.
"They have to be the right fit for BYU. Because otherwise, they are having a miserable experience in college. And I don't like coaching guys who are miserable, either. Neither do I think it is right for their future."
11:59 AM
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6 Comments:
Every once in a while, I agree with Bronco. The star system is garbage.
What are the programs that are not "team first"?
Hey, I like pepperoni!
Can you tell me, did Brandon Bourbon ever take his visit to BYU?
While I agree with much of what Bronco is saying I suscribe to the philosophy that you don't start fights with people who by ink by the gallon. Or maybe in this case websites-by-the-terabit. BYU has enough PR issues to deal with (no ESPN contract, religious school, no BCS tie-in, etc) why insult people who could help you broaden your reach to those who might self-select in if they heard your message. While the star system isn't perfect, don't throw the baby out with the bath water. I think Bronco needs to work within the framework and get what he wants rather than castigate those who could very well help him at times.
I do agree with Coach Mendenhall (would you actually call him Bronco if you met him in person unless you were friends with him? I don't think so anymore than you would have gone up to Coach Lombardi and called him Vince) on everything except that we are a proselytizing (the practice of attempting to convert people to another opinion and particularly another religion) or missionary Church/University. So why not cast the net out a little wider & start attracting good Christian SA's or those with no religious background but who live by the Golden Rule so to speak. That is his vision, I think, to create a program that is different than any other universities where SA's of any or no faith but who can adhere to and enjoy living a higher standard of life can succeed on and off the field.
GO COUGS...this could be a magical year like 84!
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