Football: USU's Riley Nelson transferring to BYU
The next time I go to IKEA (if there is a next time), I'm taking my cell phone.
When I got back from my little Memorial Day shopping spree, there was a doozy of a message on my cell phone -- from Keith Nelson, father of Utah State quarterback Riley Nelson.
Well, FORMER Utah State quarterback Riley Nelson.
In case you haven't seen the news on The Tribune's Web site http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9385596 , Riley Nelson announced this weekend that he transferring to BYU when he returns home from his LDS Church mission in Barcelona, Spain in March of 2009.
Keith Nelson said Riley will be eligible to play in 2009, but may be asked to redshirt. BYU starting quarterback Max Hall has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
The news is sure to send shock waves through both programs, and will undoubtedly cast some suspicion on BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall's claim last fall that he does not "recruit" athletes who are on missions.
When rumors were swirling last fall that Nelson was considering a move to BYU when he got home, I asked Mendenhall about it and was told that BYU only contacted guys on missions who were already in its program.
Another source at BYU told me at the time that the Cougars were not interested in Nelson and had not even offered him a scholarship out of high school.
Well, something apparently changed. It also may be true that Nelson contacted BYU first after learning through his former high school coach that the Cougars were interested in him.
According to Keith Nelson, e-mails between Riley and BYU coaches started this spring. Apparently, BYU receivers coach Patrick Higgins and Nelson's high school coach, Mike Favero, were chatting a few months ago and Favero apparently mentioned that Nelson might have some interest in transferring and Higgins mentioned that BYU might be open to taking Nelson.
One thing led to another, and BYU offered a "full-ride scholarship" a few weeks ago, Keith Nelson said.
Nelson, a physician, didn't want to list the reasons why his son is transferring and was unclear about who contacted who first. He said Riley might release a statement explaining his thinking in the next few days.
My guess is we might not know how it all went down until March of 2009 when Riley returns home.
When I got back from my little Memorial Day shopping spree, there was a doozy of a message on my cell phone -- from Keith Nelson, father of Utah State quarterback Riley Nelson.
Well, FORMER Utah State quarterback Riley Nelson.
In case you haven't seen the news on The Tribune's Web site http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9385596 , Riley Nelson announced this weekend that he transferring to BYU when he returns home from his LDS Church mission in Barcelona, Spain in March of 2009.
Keith Nelson said Riley will be eligible to play in 2009, but may be asked to redshirt. BYU starting quarterback Max Hall has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
The news is sure to send shock waves through both programs, and will undoubtedly cast some suspicion on BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall's claim last fall that he does not "recruit" athletes who are on missions.
When rumors were swirling last fall that Nelson was considering a move to BYU when he got home, I asked Mendenhall about it and was told that BYU only contacted guys on missions who were already in its program.
Another source at BYU told me at the time that the Cougars were not interested in Nelson and had not even offered him a scholarship out of high school.
Well, something apparently changed. It also may be true that Nelson contacted BYU first after learning through his former high school coach that the Cougars were interested in him.
According to Keith Nelson, e-mails between Riley and BYU coaches started this spring. Apparently, BYU receivers coach Patrick Higgins and Nelson's high school coach, Mike Favero, were chatting a few months ago and Favero apparently mentioned that Nelson might have some interest in transferring and Higgins mentioned that BYU might be open to taking Nelson.
One thing led to another, and BYU offered a "full-ride scholarship" a few weeks ago, Keith Nelson said.
Nelson, a physician, didn't want to list the reasons why his son is transferring and was unclear about who contacted who first. He said Riley might release a statement explaining his thinking in the next few days.
My guess is we might not know how it all went down until March of 2009 when Riley returns home.
21 Comments:
Bronco doesn't recruit kids on missions just like he won't recruit players if they aren't outstanding young men already living the BYU lifestyle . . . . yeah right! If either of those things were true, Nelson wouldn't be transferring to BYU and Harvey "Drug Dealer" Unga wouldn't be playing in Provo. Bronco is like all kewgers: A HYPOCRITE.
I'm sure the back-story is already being smoothed out by the kewg coaches so they can say Riley contacted them and they had no choice but to take him up on his offer to transfer, but come on, everybody knows what has really happened here. Bronco has once again said one thing only to do the opposite. Nice example, Coach.
It is very predictable that Utethunder would go nuts and issue his hateful, unsubstantiated insults. Again, he needs help. You people out there in his community - please find him and help him. These players on missions are recruitable and it is no secret that two years away gives place to lots of thinking. Some players discard their previous allegiance to a school and some initiate a new allegiance. Big deal. All Utah colleges have lost and gained players following their missionary experience. The real news is that he plans to play at BYU - that should be the focus of this blog...not that some Coach broke some rule. No rule has been broken. I sense envy from some sources.
Almost as predictable as naven calling me out for it. I love the BYU fan 'slam' of "this person needs help" . . .
Unsubstaniated insults? Try reading a newspaper naven. Unga admitted to illegally selling prescription painkillers; that makes him, a DRUG DEALER.
Nobody said that Bronco broke a rule, rather he went against his OWN PHILOSOPHY of not recruiting other school's missionaries; that makes him, a HYPOCRITE.
Maybe you're right about me needing some help . . . do you think Sister Plaisted would share some of her pills with me? Or should I see if Harvey is still pushin' pills?
The difference between THE University of Utah and BYU is that Utah gets quarterbacks to transfer from powerhouse programs like Oklahoma (ala - Tommy Grady). The fact that a Utah State player is transferring to BYU is pretty funny, actually getting a kick out of all the excitement. Front Page, EXTRA EXTRA, hilarious! Even if Nelson is legit, they never return from the mission even half as good as they were. This will be a bust. Is this what "qwest for perfection" means? Getting QB's from the lowly Aggies? W O W !!! Hope you got your tickets for the New Mexico Bowl cougars!!!
PS - Funny how Naven can never comment on something substantial in the sports world, always has to go after bloggers, I think it makes him/her feel better to tear down others!
Oh yeah, even Weber State is able to get their hands on powerhouse programs QB's, didn't a QB last summer transfer from Alabama to Ogden? But a Utah State QB.........ha! Congrats! Someone should warn the Southern Utah QB, the qwest for perfection is coming your way, lookout.......
Great example of a big-time transfer with Tommy Grady. How did that work out for you guys again?
Oh yeah, and didn't he say he wished he never would have transferred? Hmm... maybe that's not such a good example.
Riley Nelson must be completely capable of playing at a highly consistant level of execution. He must live his life in accordance of a highly consistant manor in which he can maintain Spirit Honor Integrity Tradtion just like Coach Brono Mendenhall requires.
If Coach Bronco Mendenhall says he doesn't contact missionaries from other schools, then it must be true, unless of course those missionaries of other schools are capable of stepping up and playing at a consistantly high level, or perhaps avoid the Provo PD long enough to obtain a scholarship while running a football, in which case Coach Bronco Mendenhall has two sides to his mouth with which he uses to speak out of at a highly consistant manor of Spirit Honor Intergrity (roll eyes) Tradition. On the one side Coach Bronco Mendenhal says one thing, on the other side he does the opposite, in a highly consistant manor of execution.
I mean it Utethunder. You need help and I am not able to be there with you. It's not too late for you. See a professional today. You can change your life. It's in your hands. You can have a more accepting, positive life - one filled with love for others and for yourself.
You're a clever guy, Larry. I like how you use Bronco's phrases in your typing. It's cute. I bet you get all sorts of laughs when you post on your Ute fan board.
It's too bad you don't know what you're talking about, though. You Utes put all this blame on Bronco and self-righteously call him a hypocrite (thanks for holding us BYU fans accountable, by the way), but the reality is Riley Nelson didn't want to come back to USU. When he put the feelers out there to BYU coaches, they responded. Don't think Utah wouldn't have done the same.
And by the way, all we're talking about here is an email. Hardly an official document.
Anyway, take it or leave it. I know you'll just continue being outraged over silly little off-field issues anyway, but whatever. I just hope your team can focus for the UNLV game this year.
adam: Riley didn't put out feelers, rather the BYU coaching staff did when Higgins made first contact with Riley's high school coach.
naven, I do love myself. I mean, come on, I AM a UTE afterall. Who doesn't love us? I love BYU fans too, they are so naive.
Countdown to naven using the exact same comeback in 5 . . . 4. . . .3. . . 2. . .
I'm from Lehi. People from Lehi execute cheering for the cougars at a higher level than any other fan.
UNLV executed playing at a higher level to UNLV won the football game against the yewts. Their commitment to excellence was unmatched in their performance on that very night.
Executing recruiting of missionaries at the highest level possible is paying dividends for Coach Bronco Mendenhall and if he can no longer do that then the program is disigned in such a way that someone else can step up their high level of execution of the recruitment of missionaries.
bigutefan, as far as getting transfers from big-time schools, I'll remind you Max Hall came ala Arizona State--they may not be Oklahoma, but they have produced far better QB's than Oklahoma. Just ask Tommy Grady, he can tell you what kind of QB's Oklahoma produces.
Utethunder- Bronco never said he wouldn't recruit missionaries, he said he wouldn't initiate contact. And he didn't. And Utah offered both Nelson (on his mission) and Unga scholarships as well you hypocrite.
If you want to find a hypocritical coach, look no further than Salt Lake City. Whittingham attacked Bronco for his early recruiting tactics in the newspaper one day, and the very next day offered a schollie to a 13-year old.
Bronco wouldn't let his QB sexually assault a girl in a bar and still play in a bowl game like Utah did. There are still morals at BYU.
Bigutefan- Grady was a piece of crap quarterback, like Alex Smith in the NFL, and even he said transferring to Utah was a mistake. And Max Hall came to BYU from Arizona State you moron. Doman came from Oregon. Next time do some research being spouting off your ignorance. As for the New Mexico Bowl: That's reserved for teams that lose to UNLV 27-0 (like Utah), not teams that go undefeated in conference (like BYU).
The jealousy obviously runs deep with BYU's two little sister athletic programs, Utah & Utah State.
When you coog fans find the time ask your QB coach what McBride told him when he wanted to transfer to Utah after his mission. Then lets discuss integrity!
Wow - Arizona State, now that is a powerhouse program! Wasn't he fourth string QB in Tempe?
But when you run an offense in which you throw the ball two feet and compile stats that read "Hall was 58 for 70" for 180 yards, I guess he can be considered a Heisman candidate.
Did I mention Grady was good? Nope, never did. Just where he came from, but good comeback everyone! Doman came from Skyline High School, yea that is close to Oregon. Ignorance at its best. I believe Alex Smith is doing much better than your great 4th string QB at Miami. Boy the cougar fans get so defensive. Umm, it is afterall all of you Y fans that are all excited about a Utah State Aggie recruit! WHOA! I just hope one day we might be able to get College of Eastern Utah's starting QB one day, ha!
mars-
Yes, Utah did offer both Nelson(although, I haven't heard anything about offering him on his mission) and Unga. The difference is this: Whittingham hasn't said that it is against his policy to recruit missionaries AS BRONCO HAS, and YES, BYU DID INITIATE CONTACT. Straight from Riley Nelson's Dad; Patrick Higgins asked Logan High coach Favero if Riley had any interest in transferring to BYU and Favero passed the message on to Nelson's family. That got the ball moving on all of this.
Try to have some knowledge of the facts before you make a fool of yourself. Who's ignorant now?
As for Unga, Kyle has never said that he will only recruit young men that are living by BYU standards. Bronco HAS said that, and CLEARLY DID NOT FOLLOW HIS OWN POLICY IN RECRUITING UNGA.
Who was this 13 year old you speak of? Why wasn't this in the papers? Probably because it is a RUMOR. Besides, when Kyle discussed Bronco's recruiting tactics he also said that it is the way recruiting is trending so He will probably have to start doing the same thing even though he doesn't like it.
Was the Ute QB ever found guilty? NO! Did it ever even go to trial? NO! Had there been any substance to the charges, Kyle would have suspended him, but after discussing the case with police Whittingham decided there was nothing to the accusations and was right in doing so.
Any other lies and mis-information you need me to clear up for you, or are we done here?
Get a clue mars.
Once again UTETHUNDER, speaks the truth and sense. I love the whole attitude in Provo, "oh we don't do bad things or participate in immoral activities." Ummm, yeah, you do. Just admit it, get off your pedastal, your not special. Last time I checked the Rivals Ranking Classes for recruiting this past season, Utah clearly had a better ranking ahead of the kids from Provo, and I don't think a Utah State QB is gonna raise the roof. GO UTES!
First of all... none of you understand the Logan mentality: they think Utah and BYU fans actually care what USU does or thinks... I guarantee you no one cares what USU does! (yes I live in Cache Valley... but went to ASU! go Devils!!) As far as the weak rivalry of BYU vs. Utah... try ASU vs. Arizona or USC vs. UCLA - now those are just downright mean!! Can't we all just get along???
Seriously though - there are two issues that the press is either ignorant to or just inept (as usual) in not doing their homework:
1. The QB that Riley Nelson was to learn from when he was an 18 y.o. freshman at USU... raped a girl and was just convicted. Wouldn't that make you reconsider (as a parent or a student) your decision in schools and sports programs?
2. USU negotiated what some consider an unfair and unethical deal with the competitor of Riley Nelson's dad, Keith, for the Sports Medicine contract at USU. Most in the medical community here feel it was at best unethical of USU (Nelson's orthopedic group had been the team "docs" for years) and just plain not nice. I guarantee you that a 19 or 20 year old would not take that lightly - remember at that age most of us still had "ideals" of how the business world should work! It's possible that this weakened the "faith and loyalty" that Riley and his family have to USU in spite of all their ties over the years.
By the way... ASU made the best decision years ago to leave the WAC and be part of the PAC... you can't deny that Cougar or Ute fans!
As a Cougar fan, I think this is fantastic. First, we get a guy who might be a great player. Second, it seems to have bunched up utethunder's and bigutefan's panties. This is known as a twofer.
"I believe Alex Smith is doing much better than your great 4th string QB at Miami."
Wow! Quote of the year. I live in the Bay Area and will post that comment on my wall for all my buddies to have a chuckle at. Haha! Alex Smith! I can't believe you brought his PRO career into the conversation.
By the way--I just looked up last season's stats. Beck's QB rating was 62.0. Smith's was 57.2. Obviously not a stellar season for either QB. But to call Smith's pro career "much better" than Beck's is not only laughable, it's inaccurate.
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