"This year, we went after two that, at the end of the day, didn't chose us," he said. "We went after both of those players early. They chose the University of Utah, and it's probably a good choice for them. Both are good young men and good players."

Five of the eight in-state players who signed with the Cougars have won state championships, Mendenhall said. "Why is that relevant? They have a point of reference of what it means to win. They know what teamwork is, they know what a role is and they know what it's like to overcome adversity. So I like players that win."

Bingham posted a 14-0 record and earned a 5A state championship in 2006 and went 11-2 in 2007, including a loss to Shakerin's Alta squad in the state semifinals.

While Holt and Sorensen drew significant national attention during the recruiting process and orally committed to BYU early on, Pritchard took a different path.

"You have a tight end that was highly, highly, highly recruited nationwide in Austin Holt," Mendenhall said. "You have a kicker (Sorensen) that was the same. Everyone that wanted a kicker was after him. Then you have a player in Iona Pritchard who basically proved to us through every camp that we put on he kept showing up and at the end of the day, he was good enough and really wanted to be here. His recruitment was a little bit different from the other two. His work ethic, heart and determination is what earned him (a scholarship)."

Sorensen, who holds the record for the longest field goal in state history — 62 yards — is expected to make an immediate impact for the Cougars in the fall. Holt, meanwhile, is planning on serving an LDS mission before enrolling.

Shakerin will be given an opportunity to vie for playing time for the Utes in 2008. "The stable is full at running back, and adding Sausan is going to bolster that much more," Whittingham said. "He will have an opportunity to see what he can do. He has pure running back ability, and that's where I see him playing."

Whittingham added that Kruger could also see playing time this upcoming season. "There is a high likelihood that he will play. He is very developed for a 17-year-old and seems like he's getting bigger by the minute. If he's anything like his brother, Paul (a current Utah defensive lineman), he'll be able to help us right away. We'll give him a shot and see what he can do his first year."

Out of Utah State's 21 recruits, three are local players. Aggie defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Danilo Robinson said he is hoping for an infusion of talent and athleticism from this group.

"On average this group is a little taller and a little bit faster and has more potential to play right away for us. We're excited about this crop so far, and we're looking forward to the chance of working with them."

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E-mail: jeffc@desnews.com