For years, some rivals and many critics of BYU have cringed over the use by Cougar recruiters of ties to the LDS Church — pulling out the so-called church card.

Bronco Mendenhall appears to not only place that ace card on the table, but he's throwing the entire deck at recruits and parents.

And, apparently, they like it.

In the first big recruiting weekend of his 13-month tenure as BYU's new football coach this past Friday and Saturday, Mendenhall spoke boldly and direct about Cougar ties to religion and the mission of the university. He minced no words and cited Book of Mormon stories of the Title of Liberty, Captain Moroni and the 2,000 Stripling Warriors, the Sons of Helaman.

Speaking to 20 recruits, mostly LDS, and with more than half of them with parents in tow, Mendenhall made it perfectly clear over the weekend on his priorities for their sons, according to Cliff and Betsy Lark, parents of Pine View quarterback James Lark.

"In the course of two days, he told the group twice that his primary focus on his players is first, their spiritual welfare; second, academics and then their athletic development — in that order," Cliff Lark said.

How did it go over?

"I liked it," Cliff said. "It only confirmed why our son decided to go there."

"I can't speak for the other parents," said Betsy, "but I think they appreciated the approach."

Not to say previous football coaches didn't quote scripture, but Mendenhall has made it the focus of his campaign.

Saturday morning at a breakfast, Mendenhall had former Cougar running back Mark Atuaia and his cousins sing a spiritual number, setting the tone for the day. Mendenhall spoke to parents and recruits as a group and emphasized the school's honor code is expected to be adhered to.

"Don't mistake me, I want to win, but my emphasis will be on spirituality first," Mendenhall said. On Sunday, Mendenhall invited recruits and parents to a voluntary 40-minute church sacrament meeting in the Wilkinson Center where conditioning coach Jay Omer conducted and BYU president Dr. Cecil Samuelson, an LDS general authority, presided and spoke as did two current players.

It struck a cord with the Larks.

"Coach Mendenhall was pretty straight-forward," James Lark said, who hung around Brighton High all-stater Mike Hague, who also committed early.

"The atmosphere Mendenhall created was what you'd expect BYU to be and he didn't put on any air or pull any punches."

Betsy Lark said Mendenhall told the group he wanted the recruiting experience over the weekend to be different than any other they'd be exposed to. "He went out of his way to sell the difference. He said if anyone chose another school, he'd like to know what was different that made them decide to go another way."