RE: A thread of LDS recruits over the years that didn’t choose BYU that might

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Dec 5, 2023
12:20:45pm

arizonacougarfan All-American

RE: A thread of LDS recruits over the years that didn’t choose BYU that might

Sefa O'Reilly (Oregon State. Uncle of the McKenzie twins)
Stanley Havili (USC)
Damien Mama (USC)
Jay Tufele (USC)
Cam Latu (Alabama)
Paul Reynolds (Arizona State)
Adam Archuleta (Arizona State)
Merlin Robertson (Arizona State)
Darrell Bevell (Wisconsin)
Paul Peterson (Boston College)

This message has been modified

Originally posted on Dec 5, 2023 at 12:20:45pm

Message modified by arizonacougarfan on Dec 5, 2023 at 12:21:50pm

Message modified by arizonacougarfan on Dec 5, 2023 at 12:22:53pm

Message modified by arizonacougarfan on Dec 5, 2023 at 12:23:34pm

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arizonacougarfan

Previous username: midlandcoug
Bio page: arizonacougarfan
Joined: May 6, 2016
Last login: Sep 19, 2024
Total posts: 7,567 (12 FO)

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Messages

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Time

A thread of LDS recruits over the years that didn’t choose BYU that might have

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 7:55am

Jake Murphy was a BYU commit IIRC

12/5/23 7:58am

If I remember correctly he wanted to be at byu, but we didn’t have a scholarship

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 8:06am

Yeah that’s how I remember it

12/5/23 8:07am

He came home early and we didn’t have a scholarship available

molodyets

12/5/23 8:09am

Because he came home early from his mission.

AF_Puma

12/5/23 8:09am

Committed, signed with byu but came home from his mission early and he and dale

1984coug

12/5/23 8:16am

You could add Uona Kaveinga to your list

12/5/23 8:06am

Uona would be like a Puka or Kingsley (...and maaaaaybe Vaki?)

12/5/23 10:11am

I won't even look at this list. Too painful.

Lifer

12/5/23 8:06am

I wish the coaches would to see what might have been if we had put in the effort

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 8:13am

That’s some real revisionist history

molodyets

12/5/23 8:19am

How do you know they didn't put in the effort? You are assuming

Canusa

12/5/23 8:20am

It’s a complete assumption. How many of those do you know the story to? Who was

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 8:35am

there's a perception from a lot of LDS families that BYU needs to bend over

molodyets

12/5/23 10:11am

Bet there’s a lot of truth to that.

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 10:40am

We were heavily pursuing Manti Teo and we thought we had him and then we didn't

AF_Puma

12/5/23 8:11am

Manti told me a few yrs ago that it was always USC for him and ND then stole him

Bluforever

12/5/23 12:13pm

you could say we were... catfished...?

4slyce

12/5/23 12:17pm

Manti told me at first is was Lennay Kekua who had him and then Ronaiah Naya

calvindyer

12/5/23 12:47pm

We heavily recruited Simi Fehoko. Tony Bergstrom was Utah from day 1

Reasonable1

12/5/23 8:16am

Multiple guys on that list were committed at one point and some even signed

molodyets

12/5/23 8:20am

I never said we didn’t. I followed the recruiting process with a lot of the

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 8:41am

You said "might have been ours had wee recruited them better or even offered"

molodyets

12/5/23 10:11am

Exactly “might”

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 10:42am

I see. The way you worded in OP reads like blaming the staff for them, not

molodyets

12/5/23 10:51am

My apologies, probably could have been worded better.

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 10:58am

For sure, it’s assumption. I don’t know who was offered and reached out to.

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 8:38am

RE: A thread of LDS recruits over the years that didn’t choose BYU that

1984coug

12/5/23 8:18am

Thanks, good reply

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 8:42am

It's a long list, but part of that is because it goes back to the 90's w/ Lavell

d-coug

12/5/23 8:19am

And because LaVell only had to truly compete with Utah for LDS recruits for the

12/5/23 8:34am

100% we know that he did, it wasn’t saying he never did. But I’m guessing he got

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 8:43am

Missing 1 important variable…interest in BYU

1manwolfpack

12/5/23 8:26am

That’s a great point, how many might have been if we were in the big 12 or

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 8:45am

Most of those were heavily recruited and simply chose to go elsewhere.

12/5/23 8:32am

Good to know! Thanks

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 9:11am

There could be a lot of reasons why LDS recruits don't pick BYU as much.

dut99002

12/5/23 8:41am

At least three of these kids signed with BYU. Logan Fano was on the team, then

Captain Stubing

12/5/23 9:44am

Bowles was like Pita…academics kept him out.

BYUHgrad

12/5/23 12:30pm

I thought Bolles was coming to the Y, then his wife wanted him to go to U?

Captain Stubing

12/5/23 12:56pm

Matt Gay was never recruited by BYU. You are missing...

Big-Q

12/5/23 9:47am

RE: Matt Gay was never recruited by BYU. You are missing...

Sport sci

12/5/23 11:05am

I thought Matt Gay was the one who reached out to Bronco, asking for an audition

lilpenny

12/5/23 11:44am

Bronco said on his podcast he never talked to Gay kickers.

calvindyer

12/5/23 12:48pm

That was Phillips. His sister played soccer here at the Y.

Captain Stubing

12/5/23 12:57pm

This is almost what happened. Bronco wasn't that cruel but basically told Matt thank you, but no thank you.

12/5/23 4:10pm

Which was the problem. He “recruited BYU” and didn’t get the time of day.

russkiejedi

12/5/23 11:52am

RE: A thread of LDS recruits over the years that didn’t choose BYU that

TPcoug

12/5/23 10:23am

This has more to do with the culture of people now than coaches or rankings.

Pretorian

12/5/23 10:24am

Star Lotulelei should be on the list, although IIRC he committed to BYU but

BYUVA

12/5/23 10:27am

I'm pretty surprised at the efforts focused on players that BYU

Fido

12/5/23 10:42am

For sure. Not intended to feel like we failed on all.

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 11:01am

That is a good list. I wonder what the list looks for Notre Dame and Catholics

auzziecoug

12/5/23 10:50am

I would think a lot bigger.

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 11:01am

The list is oddly encouraging. And incomplete

cajuncoug

12/5/23 11:01am

Appreciate those thoughts.

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 11:02am

The Sewell boys. All 4 of them would've been starters in Provo

SV72 Sale

12/5/23 11:34am

Anyone have any idea what happened there? Did any have interest in byu?

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 11:51am

Here's the gist...the dad thinks they are bigger than BYU

stansburycoug

12/5/23 1:06pm

Nephi did not serve a mission. And I don't blame anyone for thinking they are

SV72 Sale

12/5/23 1:23pm

You're right, I remembered the xfer thing differently

stansburycoug

12/5/23 2:21pm

That’s too bad

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 4:21pm

RE: A thread of LDS recruits over the years that didn’t choose BYU that might

arizonacougarfan

12/5/23 12:20pm

Bunch of recognizable names there

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 12:41pm

But if Merlin can to byu we wouldn’t have the thor thunder punch….. good trade

Pretorian

12/6/23 12:06pm

This is the first I've ever heard of Adam Archuleta being LDS. If he is/was, he

robin

12/6/23 2:56pm

Thanks for effort pulling together. Thanks for NOT including Scott Mitchell. Several LDS QB's not included are:

CLCougar

12/5/23 12:34pm

You bet, thanks for those added to the list

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/5/23 12:42pm

Najee Harris probably needs to be on the list. According to my source.

MajorZeus

12/5/23 12:36pm

Another sad fact as we look at all these names, as well as those added below, is that the fans of the colleges they went

CLCougar

12/5/23 1:03pm

I made this list back in 2017, its missing a lot since then.

robin

12/5/23 1:09pm

The one consistent link between all of these is

12/5/23 1:24pm

WHO CARES!!! MY GOSH!! REALLY!!!

Huck

12/5/23 1:24pm

It makes you sad, does it not.

Big-Q

12/5/23 1:29pm

Add William Kava - had a solid four years at Washington playing OL

pspcres

12/5/23 3:14pm

He wasn’t a starter and played 3 years. He medically retired with a year left

Bobmarleyjr

12/5/23 3:24pm

Will might have started at BYU! if you add his red shirt year, he was

pspcres

12/5/23 3:34pm

Many of these guys had academic concerns. Haloti Ngata and his cousin Simi Moala

Bobmarleyjr

12/5/23 4:57pm

That’s not correct. Ngata was committed to BYU up until signing day when he

robin

12/5/23 6:09pm

Haloti was never coming to BYU and it didn't matter what BYU did or didn't do in the recruiting process.

12/5/23 9:34pm

Todd Heaps was headed to BYU but then honor code. Tony Moeaki was almost at BYU

Bobmarleyjr

12/5/23 3:16pm

Don't know quite who you're referring to, but I don't think it was JHeaps.

d-coug

12/5/23 3:26pm

Maybe Todd Heaps. He was open about the honorcode.

Bullrider

12/5/23 3:50pm

Ooops meant Todd Heaps

Bobmarleyjr

12/5/23 4:58pm

Some on that list were not coming to BYU

Repete397

12/5/23 3:57pm

How many of these players couldn’t get a Bishop’s endorsement?

Bullrider

12/6/23 3:26pm

That’s a good question as well

Tuskaloosa Cougar

12/6/23 10:40pm

adding Dallas LLoyd and Brandon Fanaika Stanford

12/6/23 9:09pm

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