BYU's basketball recruiting efforts
Regular readers of these posts -- and Michael C. Lewis' Utah basketball blog -- have probably noticed that we've detailed the University of Utah's basketball recruiting successes and failures quite extensively the past few months.
Naturally, some readers have wondered about BYU's efforts, with November's early signing period set to begin in less than a month.
Why hasn't more been written or said about the Cougars? Because they really don't have any scholarships available to give. Here's the deal:
BYU figures it will have only three scholarships available for players who will enroll prior to the 2008-09 season. Also, the coaching staff does not like to "over-recruit" -- which is a mild way of saying they don't sign more players than they should with the thinking that some won't make it academically or that others will quit the team, turn professional, etc.
The Cougars have an oral commitment from Charles Abouo, the 6-foot-4 jumping jack from Logan High who is attending a prep school (Brewster Academy) in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. He averaged 21.7 points per game for the Grizzlies last year, and will sign his letter of intent with the Cougars in November just days before playing the 2007-08 season for Brewster.
The other two scholarships will go to guys who are returning from LDS Church missions: Jackson Emery and Noah Hartsock.
Emery, of course, is the former Tribune MVP from Lone Peak High who started the last 11 games of the 2005-06 season for the Cougars before leaving on his mission.
Hartsock signed with BYU in November of 2005, but went on his mission (to the Salt Lake City South mission, ironically) before enrolling at BYU and will return before the 2008-09 season. He was the Oklahoma Player of the Year in 2006 after helping Bartlesville, Okla., to a successful season and is a 6-foot-8 power forward. He averaged 19.9 points and 9.9 rebounds a game.
If everything goes according to plan, Abouo, Emery and Hartsock will take the scholarships vacated by the three players on BYU's roster who will be seniors this season: Vuk Ivanovic, Sam Burgess and Ben Murdock.
More scholarships could open up if any of the scholarship freshmen on this year's squad decide to go on church missions after the season. The most likely candidate to do that is Provo's Chris Collinsworth, although the 6-foot-9 forward has not publicly announced his decision.
Naturally, some readers have wondered about BYU's efforts, with November's early signing period set to begin in less than a month.
Why hasn't more been written or said about the Cougars? Because they really don't have any scholarships available to give. Here's the deal:
BYU figures it will have only three scholarships available for players who will enroll prior to the 2008-09 season. Also, the coaching staff does not like to "over-recruit" -- which is a mild way of saying they don't sign more players than they should with the thinking that some won't make it academically or that others will quit the team, turn professional, etc.
The Cougars have an oral commitment from Charles Abouo, the 6-foot-4 jumping jack from Logan High who is attending a prep school (Brewster Academy) in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. He averaged 21.7 points per game for the Grizzlies last year, and will sign his letter of intent with the Cougars in November just days before playing the 2007-08 season for Brewster.
The other two scholarships will go to guys who are returning from LDS Church missions: Jackson Emery and Noah Hartsock.
Emery, of course, is the former Tribune MVP from Lone Peak High who started the last 11 games of the 2005-06 season for the Cougars before leaving on his mission.
Hartsock signed with BYU in November of 2005, but went on his mission (to the Salt Lake City South mission, ironically) before enrolling at BYU and will return before the 2008-09 season. He was the Oklahoma Player of the Year in 2006 after helping Bartlesville, Okla., to a successful season and is a 6-foot-8 power forward. He averaged 19.9 points and 9.9 rebounds a game.
If everything goes according to plan, Abouo, Emery and Hartsock will take the scholarships vacated by the three players on BYU's roster who will be seniors this season: Vuk Ivanovic, Sam Burgess and Ben Murdock.
More scholarships could open up if any of the scholarship freshmen on this year's squad decide to go on church missions after the season. The most likely candidate to do that is Provo's Chris Collinsworth, although the 6-foot-9 forward has not publicly announced his decision.
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