# Bronco and Recruiting



## GRIFF (Sep 22, 2007)

Just wondering what all you Y fans think about Bronco's comments on recruiting. In a nutshell he basically said it was "degrading to try and convince an 18 year old to come to BYU and they need to show him they are BYU material."

If Pete Carrol, Joe Paterno, or Mack Brown showed up at my door, he would really have to do some convincing.

Later,
Griff


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## BIGBEAN (Apr 16, 2008)

If they don't have BYU atop their list and don't really wan't to go there. They probably won't fit in. The Honor Code is such a limiting factor for BYU, that the coaches know that unless they want to be babby sitting 24/7 they need to get the kids who want to be there. I am sure they could convince alot of kids to go there but would end up losing them when they realize they couldn't live the honor code.


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## stick_man (Sep 10, 2007)

+1 on Bigbean comment except for the last statement. They would be lost not because they COULDN'T live by the honor code, but because they WOULDN'T live by it. Bronco seems to be much more aware of honor code violations than either of the two previous coaches were. And, he is much more willing to enforce it. I have no doubt that with Bronco, several former superstars would not have had very long careers at BYU.

I don't think it would be any more degrading for BYU to recruit an 18 year old than it would be for USC, Florida, Georgia, or anybody else. If you want a top-notch player, you should expect to have to do some convincing. Build a top quality program and the better quality recruits don't take much convincing. BYU's program is a good program and has been improving over the last several years. It still has a long ways to go to be a top-quality program, but their recruiting is getting a little easier along the way.


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## GRIFF (Sep 22, 2007)

While I agree the honor code may be difficult for some athletes to live by, not all top notch athletes come from Compton. Tim Tebow is a perfect example, he comes from a very religious family and I would imagine he lives similar standards to the honor code now. So wouldn't an athlete like Tebow be worth convincing to come to BYU? Also contrary to popular belief not every LDS kids dream is to play at BYU, are they not worth convincing? Stanley Havili is an example of that.

Later,
Griff


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## BIGBEAN (Apr 16, 2008)

GRIFF WROTE:


> While I agree the honor code may be difficult for some athletes to live by, not all top notch athletes come from Compton.


I totally agree.

I am not very good at putting thoughts in to writing so bare with me: My opinion is, it is easier for a kid who has been around the BYU Standards to come here and live by them, than for those kids who are not familar with them. Most people don't think that drinking and smoking or premarital sex are bad, these are against the honor code and when a young kid comes here they slip up and do something that was just a normal activity before they went to BYU.

Those that go to BYU do so to avoid such atmosphere one example would be Oneil Chambers his mom stated this in an interview after one of his visits before he commited to come here. He is from Florida and is not LDS, he was a nationally recruited kid.

BYU needs to show an interest in the top athelete but the athlete needs to come here for other reasons besides just football.


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

What could BYU offer a Tebow over a Florida? Unless a top recruit is Mormon why would they leave Florida/California/Texas to play in the MWC?


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## GRIFF (Sep 22, 2007)

BYU has nothing to offer a Tebow that Florida can't. So should BYU just give up? Are BYU fans happy being a 2nd tier program? 

Not every 18 year old knows exactly what they are going to do in life. He is going to lose out on some top notch athletes and quality kids because he finds it "degrading" to convince them to come to BYU. 

Later,
Griff


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## BIGBEAN (Apr 16, 2008)

GRIFF WROTE:


> He is going to lose out on some top notch athletes and quality kids because he finds it "degrading" to convince them to come to BYU.


They will miss out on some good atheletes. But then again he probably won't be in front of the media trying to explain why his players are out of control and being thrown into jail.


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

GRIFF said:


> BYU has nothing to offer a Tebow that Florida can't. So should BYU just give up? Are BYU fans happy being a 2nd tier program?
> 
> Not every 18 year old knows exactly what they are going to do in life. He is going to lose out on some top notch athletes and quality kids because he finds it "degrading" to convince them to come to BYU.
> 
> ...


I think what Bronco is smart of enough to see is that it would be wasted time/money/energy recruiting every top recruit in the country, so he focuses on the top recruits that he has a real chance of getting in that will fit in. If he went after every top recruit I would expect him to be fired immediately. Being realistic and then building a good/solid system should be his top priorities. programs like Boise State are in the BCS mix on a regular basis because they have a solid program, not because they recruit the top athletes in the country to Spudville. BYU has a lot to offer kids who want what BYU has to offer. If they have a solid program in place, like now, they will be turning many high end recruits down. I as a BYU fan have NO complaints about how Bronco is steering the BYU football program.


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## BIGBEAN (Apr 16, 2008)

+1
Those were the words I was looking for. Well said.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Two points that are hard to argue with, results!!:
1-The recruiting classes have been ranked somewhere right around the top 10 the last two years in a row, of course, that dropped after the LB from CA reneged on his earlier commitment.
2-They catch a very high % of those who they court. They focus on a very small number of athletes and pay them double the amount of attention. They really have zero business ever landing an Oneal Chambers, not that he is God's gift to Earth, but many ACC/SEC teams wanted him, simply focused on him via their connection w/ his HS coach/Y alum. I like the small but strong net versus the sow your seeds across the whole country including the dry desert and see if any of them grow. It is pretty surprising how many high quality athletes are out there who are LDS: Havili, BC's QB last year, Cal's QB two years ago, Todd Heap, etc., etc, who the Y should have quite a leg up on in recruiting, of course, same could be said for the U for the most part. 

As to the point that they must prove to us that they want to come, I can appreciate that to a degree. For example, ever had a person on your mission who just did not show up for the big day? Kind of embarrassing.


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## buggsz24 (Mar 18, 2008)

Huge29 said:


> Two points that are hard to argue with, results!!:
> 1-The recruiting classes have been ranked somewhere right around the top 10 the last two years in a row, of course, that dropped after the LB from CA reneged on his earlier commitment.


Uh..... where did come up with the recruiting rankings? Everything that I have seen indicates that the Y is nowhere close to the top ten

Scouts.com and ESPN both have ranking for recruiting classes as follows:
2009 - 27th
2008 - 57th
2007 - 42nd
2006 - 46th
2005 - 53rd
2004 - 55th
2003 - 59th
2002 - 46th

Actually quite impressive considering their recruiting handicap.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

buggsz24 said:


> Huge29 said:
> 
> 
> > Two points that are hard to argue with, results!!:
> ...


I do remember reading that about the 2008 class at one point, maybe that was a prelim number????? I must have misread or something, I will see if I can find it. Assuming I was mistaken, I guess the point itself is still somewhat valid in that they jumped 30 spots in the rankings from the previous year.


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