Some of Cottonwood's transfers have gone from failing grades to A-students, from would-be gang bangers to good citizens, Cate said. He demands they study and go to class. With head coach Jones' blessing, he benches players for being late to meetings or missing study hall.

"We're trying to teach life skills here," Cate said.

The Granite School District has investigated what Cate has built at Cottonwood.

"We really haven't found anything," said Louie Long, senior director for secondary schools. "We found that parents really believe in what they're doing over there."

Excell has heard similar rumors about Cottonwood.

"I've talked to parents who said I don't care if my kid ever plays," he said. "They are going to help him get through school."

East High coach Aaron Whitehead tiptoed around the R-word.

"It seems to me that the teams that are good just tend to get better," said Whitehead, who didn't care to elaborate.

East lost Havili to Cottonwood at his dad's behest. The Leopards beat the top-ranked Colts two weeks ago, giving his team a certain degree of satisfaction.

But he has nothing but praise for Havili. "Stanley is a tremendous kid. He's got the whole package," Whitehead said, adding his integrity and character will take him far in life.

"If I have a kid who doesn't want to stay (at East), best wishes to him," he said.

Long, a former coach and principal at Olympus, doesn't fault Cottonwood or any school for making their programs more attractive.

"We have choice," he said. "I would try to put the best product out there on the field so kids would come to it. If you have a good athlete, what would you do?"

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TOMORROW: Football in a small town

Prep football is coming on strong in Utah, long considered a basketball state, like a running back loose in the secondary. Attendance and enthusiasm for the state football playoffs currently under way is running high.

Deseret Morning News reporters interviewed dozens of high school football players, parents, coaches, school officials, doctors, boosters and community leaders across the state to explain Utah's increasing fascination and sometimes obsession with high school football.

"Chasing Glory" is a four-day series that will examine controversial claims of "recruiting," the ever-increasing size of today's players, football dynasties, and a special visit to a distant Utah town where life is simpler and football the center of their universe.

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E-mail: romboy@desnews.com; lucy@desnews.com