More on BYU Football Recruiting
What follows is some leftover stuff from my internet post and newspaper article last week about BYU's football recruiting and my chat with coach Bronco Mendenhall and a source who knows a lot about BYU's recruiting this year.
Once again, neither Mendenhall nor any of his coaches talked about a specific recruit or prospect, which is an NCAA rules violation. The fact that I quoted Mendenhall and then the football department source in subsequent paragraphs may have led some to believe that Mendenhall was the source. He wasn't.
* Earlier in the day, the Cougars' sports information department sent out some information making a case for BYU to get some votes in the national rankings. I asked Mendenhall if he had ever had a recruit bring up BYU's national ranking or national standing.
"I haven't," he said.
Then I asked him if a recruit has ever brought up conference affiliation.
"Certainly," he said. "We do battle against the Pac-10 frequently, especially among our West Coast recruits. I think the general perception is they view that league as superior."
* BYU is aware of rumors that Utah State quarterback Riley Nelson, who is currently on an LDS Church mission, is supposedly interested in transferring to BYU when he gets home.
First, the Cougars say they've neither seen nor heard anything from Nelson that would indicate those rumors are true. BYU believes the talk may be coming from one of Nelson's former church leaders in Logan who played for the Cougars years ago.
Second, BYU says it has never offered Nelson a scholarship, and is not sure it would have one available for him if he did decide to transfer.
Third, the source said BYU coaches as a rule do not contact players from other programs while those players are on missions even though new NCAA rules now allow contact after a year. Before, no contact could be made for 18 months.
* Some recruiting Web sites list up to 12 players that BYU has offered scholarships to. As reported previously, the source said the only offers still valid are to Hamani Stevens, Sausan Shakerin, David Kruger and O'Neill Chambers.
Asked specifically about Oxnard, Calif., fullback Ina Liaina, Kahuku slotback Paipai Falemalu, Union City, Calif., cornerback Rashad Evans and Moreno Valley, Calif., receiver William Jenkins, the source said that none of those players are on BYU's recruiting board. "Never heard of [Liaina and Evans]," he said.
As for Kevin Prince, an LDS quarterback from Encino, Calif., who is reportedly deciding between UCLA and Washington, the source said BYU coaches offered him last summer at their camp, but have withdrawn it due to lack of interest from both sides.
Greg Castillo, a defensive back/receiver from Philadelphia, was also offered at the camp. However, when Castillo didn't commit before a certain deadline, the offer was withdrawn.
Some sites claim that BYU has offered Kedron Paul, Chambers' best friend at Harmony High in Florida. Chambers has told several schools the pair want to sign as a package deal. The source said BYU has never offered Paul, whom they believe is undersized for Division I football.
* Ute fans who have made it to here may be wondering about a comprehensive look at their school's recruiting efforts. The Recruiting Trail strives for balance and hopes to have that post within the week.
Once again, neither Mendenhall nor any of his coaches talked about a specific recruit or prospect, which is an NCAA rules violation. The fact that I quoted Mendenhall and then the football department source in subsequent paragraphs may have led some to believe that Mendenhall was the source. He wasn't.
* Earlier in the day, the Cougars' sports information department sent out some information making a case for BYU to get some votes in the national rankings. I asked Mendenhall if he had ever had a recruit bring up BYU's national ranking or national standing.
"I haven't," he said.
Then I asked him if a recruit has ever brought up conference affiliation.
"Certainly," he said. "We do battle against the Pac-10 frequently, especially among our West Coast recruits. I think the general perception is they view that league as superior."
* BYU is aware of rumors that Utah State quarterback Riley Nelson, who is currently on an LDS Church mission, is supposedly interested in transferring to BYU when he gets home.
First, the Cougars say they've neither seen nor heard anything from Nelson that would indicate those rumors are true. BYU believes the talk may be coming from one of Nelson's former church leaders in Logan who played for the Cougars years ago.
Second, BYU says it has never offered Nelson a scholarship, and is not sure it would have one available for him if he did decide to transfer.
Third, the source said BYU coaches as a rule do not contact players from other programs while those players are on missions even though new NCAA rules now allow contact after a year. Before, no contact could be made for 18 months.
* Some recruiting Web sites list up to 12 players that BYU has offered scholarships to. As reported previously, the source said the only offers still valid are to Hamani Stevens, Sausan Shakerin, David Kruger and O'Neill Chambers.
Asked specifically about Oxnard, Calif., fullback Ina Liaina, Kahuku slotback Paipai Falemalu, Union City, Calif., cornerback Rashad Evans and Moreno Valley, Calif., receiver William Jenkins, the source said that none of those players are on BYU's recruiting board. "Never heard of [Liaina and Evans]," he said.
As for Kevin Prince, an LDS quarterback from Encino, Calif., who is reportedly deciding between UCLA and Washington, the source said BYU coaches offered him last summer at their camp, but have withdrawn it due to lack of interest from both sides.
Greg Castillo, a defensive back/receiver from Philadelphia, was also offered at the camp. However, when Castillo didn't commit before a certain deadline, the offer was withdrawn.
Some sites claim that BYU has offered Kedron Paul, Chambers' best friend at Harmony High in Florida. Chambers has told several schools the pair want to sign as a package deal. The source said BYU has never offered Paul, whom they believe is undersized for Division I football.
* Ute fans who have made it to here may be wondering about a comprehensive look at their school's recruiting efforts. The Recruiting Trail strives for balance and hopes to have that post within the week.
2 Comments:
Great followup to your earlier article. You have cleaned up a number of loose ends with valuable information and insight. I won't be looking for your Ute article because you have covered that subject day after day after day...
They don't contact players from other schools while they are on their missions?
It's been reported that in a June 2005, BYU football fireside chat in Newport Beach, Bronco stated that BYU will send all D1 players serving missions a recruiting letter after their original LOI has expired. He said the letter will say something to the affect that they should make the "right choice" when they return from their mission.
Unless his policy has changed since June 2005, Bronco does indeed recruit D1 football players from other schools while they are serving on their missions.
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