Missing 1 important variable…interest in BYU

Dec 5, 2023
8:26:51am

1manwolfpack Starter

I will argue that a handful of these players would have had interest in BYU if they were in the Big 12 back when they were being recruited. We have to land a few of these guys every year moving forward in order to compete in the Big 12.

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1manwolfpack

Previous username: ejg36
Bio page: 1manwolfpack
Joined: Jan 20, 2004
Last login: Sep 7, 2024
Total posts: 1,136 (3 FO)

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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

BYU Statsman

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

BYU Statsman

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

BYU Statsman

12/5/23 8:06am

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

Das_Countach

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

Junior Deputy

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.

Junior Deputy

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.

TheLoneCougar

12/5/23 4:10pm

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

Crowd Factor

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.

TheLoneCougar

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

Swishfromdeep3

12/6/23 9:09pm

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