Even Bronco's a tad surprised by BYU's recruiting developments

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Jake Heaps story keeps itself stoked up this summer.

While Bronco Mendenhall parlayed with reporters at the football media days this past week, one of his committed blue-chip recruits for 2010 made national headlines at the Nike Elite 11 Quarterback camp at Soka University in Aliso Viejo, Calif.

Heaps, the 6-foot-3 senior-to-be at Skyline High in Sammamish, Wash., earned MVP honors at the camp. The honor was voted on by camp counselors and organizers, a list that included instructors Carson Palmer, Mark Sanchez of USC, Missouri's Chase Daniel and Colorado QB Cody Hawkins.

Heaps committed to BYU the first week of June at a much-publicized press conference in Salt Lake City. Two other highly rated 2010 prospects also declared for BYU that day.

The Elite 11 proved a great showcase for future MWC quarterbacks. While Heaps won honors as MVP, highest football IQ, most likely to play early and best vocal leader, San Diego State commit Tyler Bray (Kingsburg, Calif.) was the second MVP.

NFL quarterbacks who have attended the camp, an invite-only affair after 1,000 prospects competed in seven regional QB camps, include Jay Cutler, Brady Quinn, Drew Brees, Kerry Collins, Trent Edwards, Matt Schaub and Rex Grossman.

This year's crop, besides Heaps and Bray, included Blake Bell (committed to Oklahoma), Joe Boisture (Michigan State), Robert Bolden (Penn State), Barry Brunetti (West Virginia), Devin Gardner (Michigan), Austin Hinder (Cal), Nick Montana (Washington) and Jesse Scroggins, who announced his pledge to USC this week.

Heaps represents several mileposts for Mendenhall, now in his fifth year at the Cougar helm.

Mendenhall is prohibited from talking about 2010 recruits by name until they sign in February, but I asked him about the trend of getting commitments early (he's got 20 of 23 scholarships for 2010 filled) and Scout.com ranks BYU's 2010 class No. 13.

Is this as good as it gets in July? "Yeah, it is and it isn't," said Mendenhall.

"From that standpoint (20 early commitments) it's gratifying, but I'm not a proponent of having so many commit early. At some point that's going to have to stop. But what's helped us with the early commitments is being so clear in who we're after and how we have identified them."

Only a handful of college football programs have 20 pledges in July.

Stanford leads with 22, followed by BYU and Alabama (20) and Scout.com No. 1 Texas with 19.

"Our criteria is so well outlined that those kids are drawn," Mendenhall said. "Another factor is our success on the field; the last time BYU's won 10 games three straight years is 21 years ago. Kids are recognizing it and say, 'wait a second, this is a really good program,' then realizing, 'hey, I am one of those guys,' and they're deciding to come."