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Dick Harmon: BYU, Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits

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jefe57 | 10:09 a.m. July 7, 2009
2010 looks promising. I'm more interested in 2009. Who's going to start at corner besides Brandon Bradley? Who will take Tialavea's place. Will our DB's beat last years interception total. (Was it two?) Will the new o-line jell or dissappoint? Will Max Hall, Unga and others have great years? Hopefully the class of 2010 won't be a bust like Ben O. I'm looking forward to football in two months. Go Cougs!!
BYU recruits | 10:12 a.m. July 7, 2009
Am I the only one that is a little bit alarmed that so many of our commitments are from the state of Utah? It was painful at times last year to see our skill position players be outclassed and burned by the likes of CSU and UNLV, not to mention Arizona, TCU, and ugg- Utah. We need to get faster, and I don't see it in this starry class.
The Truth | 10:20 a.m. July 7, 2009
The truth is that it is just too much fun to see some of you zoobs get all riled up. Utah fans love their team and are very passionate about Utah athletics.

Sometimes it's just fun to throw a firecracker in the zooby beehive and watch the meltdown. If you don't like it zoobs, quit reading the comment boards and get back to work at your multi-level marketing schemes, err, I mean jobs.
Comments continue below
Amen jefe57! | 10:32 a.m. July 7, 2009
61 days (44 working days) until the season begins!
Cotton Bowl | 10:41 a.m. July 7, 2009
I never hear much about the 1996 Cotton bowl Champion Cougars that finished ranked 5th in the country by ewe fans. That was a nice victory over a good Kansas State team on New Years Day. It was in my opinion just as much a quailty win as the ewe victory over power house pitt in the 2004 BCS. I believe both team finised ranked 5th.
A little early? | 10:49 a.m. July 7, 2009
Wouldn't it be better to get recruits after their senior year in high school? Who's to say these juniors will still be highly regarded after another season of high school football. Not only is it too early to say these players will be great in college it's still too early to say they are even great recruits.
2 out of the 3 | 10:54 a.m. July 7, 2009
BYU football has a storied history of great things, so does Utah to some extent, what I don't understand is why all the put down talk from the Utes , when the cougars have won 2 out of the last 3. Can't get much more modern than that. no need for talk about that national championship , heisman, doak walker etc, Just 2 out of the last 3, nuff said
Coug in Indiana | 10:55 a.m. July 7, 2009
Obviously the 1984 National championship is not meaningless to cougar fans, anymore than Utah's success in the NCAA basketball tournament is meaningless to Utah fans. Neither reflect the recent level of acheivement of their respective teams, but if Utah had won an NCAA championship in football or basketball in 1984 don't you think their fans would be crowing about it.
It is all about BYU baby!! | 11:18 a.m. July 7, 2009
Having so many Ute fans posting on BYU boards is a huge compliment to BYU. So, don't let it worry you too much. Notice that about half of the posts are from UTE fans. Many of these guys spend more time on the BYU articles and boards than 99% of the BYU fans. They are passionate about BYU football and can't get enough. It is all about BYU baby or they would not be here. Even though their comments are negative, their passion for BYU (positive or negative) shows their respect for BYU, which is fantastic for BYU. I love seeing the UTE fans all over the BYU boards. Like I said, it is all about BYU baby.
Who Woulda Thunk? | 11:22 a.m. July 7, 2009
Wow, another article that is followed by the Utes hating the kougs, the Cougs hating Yewts; who would of thunk. Guess that is what makes this a rivalry. Utes clinging to their almost there's (consilation BCS games to the National Title); and the Cougs haning on to their '84. You gotta love it.

Not defending BYU's recruiting philosophy; but Ute fans get a clue, they are no different than any other top program in the country. The USC's, Ohio St., Florida's, Texas, etc all have 20 or so 2010 scholarships offered already also. Recruiting has evolved, College BBall recruits 8th and 9th graders now, and College Football recruits Sophs and Juniors now.
NCAA CHUMPS | 11:28 a.m. July 7, 2009
The worst national championship in NCAA history..
Beat a 4th place Michigan team that was 4th in their conference to win the title. Everyone in the country knows it not just UTE fans
LP Grad, BYU Alum | 11:38 a.m. July 7, 2009
RE: a little early?

It's not too early. Letter of Intent day is not until February, after these kinds' senior year has ended. Until that time, BYU can withdraw scholarship offers, the kids can go elsewhere, anything can happen. So to answer your question, it's definitely NOT too early to recruit these guys.

BYU is mastering their recruiting scheme, definitely the best in the country with what they have to work with (honor code, religious affiliation). I doubt any other coaches in the country could do as well as Bronco with all the restrictions he has.

I echo previous comments that it is pointless to argue about which team is better. But I am happy that BYU is establishing dominance again, with three ten win seasons in a row, getting enough respect to play OK come September. FYI, BYU was chosen not because it would be an easy win for OK. They were chosen because they have had three consecutive top-25 finishes, they are a powerhouse that will draw a huge crowd and even larger television audiences. In a world governed by the dollar, I'm glad that BYU is marketable to the entire nation.
cougarman | 11:42 a.m. July 7, 2009
ive always wondered why utah fans read byu articles and then comment. i never read utah articles. who cares about them. its nice to know that utah fans care about byu.
Anonymous | 11:47 a.m. July 7, 2009
I love Bronco's comment that it doesn't matter how many stars you come in with but how many you have when you finish.

If that isn't some weird way to apply eternal progression to college athletics then I don't know what is.

Either that or Bronco has learned its not about silly quests but rather how you finish a season than what you expect when you start.
LP Grad, BYU Alum | 11:47 a.m. July 7, 2009
RE: NCAA Chumps

Guess you're forgetting that Washington team BYU played in '85...they didn't want to play BYU in '84 and many thought they shoulda been '84 champs. Well, they didn't lose any talent that year, and BYU drubbed them by 28 points, 31-3 in '85. Any doubt about the '84 cougs was forgotten in '85 after the wins over BC and Washington. Guess you have selective memory...
Itake Uteduece | 11:49 a.m. July 7, 2009
Beat Alabama finished ranked #2 and no one, including recruitscares, welcome to the University of Utah. The ugly red headed stepchild.
RE:LP Grad | 11:55 a.m. July 7, 2009
Please BYU also lost to New Mexico that same year, the worst loss of a defending champion in history.Sounds like someone else has a selective memory. Anyway who counts what a team does the following year,typical BYU.
Why Utes Fans? | 12:22 p.m. July 7, 2009
Do you guys care so much about BYU football? I don't read Ute articles unless it's about someone going to the NFL or a charity function. Are you guys really that insecure?
Dan | 12:36 p.m. July 7, 2009
Lets see BYU barely beat a 6-5 Michigan team.
Which nearly Ohio St.
OK Utah barely beat the worst Michigan team in history. SHOULD HAVE LOST TO Oregon st. and TCU.
So Utah's great team, and it was great should have had three loses and NO BCS game.
R E S P E C T | 12:46 p.m. July 7, 2009
should be a two way street. Utes should respect the winning tradition of BYU football. Cougs should respect what Utah has done recently with big BCS wins. This rivalry is a fun one, but there's a lot of immaturity involved on both sides. That's the part I wouldn't miss at all if I moved to Alaska.
Why....? | 1:07 p.m. July 7, 2009
It's pretty simple actually. Not jealousy, not insecurity, not little brother complex, not obsession with your cute little program. None of those things. The truth is that it is quite entertaining to verbally beat up on our zooby little brothers to the south in these boring summer sports months. I guess you could compare it to picking on the nerdy kid with glasses in elementary school - we should be more mature and abstain from such childish behavior, but it is just so much fun to tease Erkel about how nerdy he is.
David H | 1:39 p.m. July 7, 2009
I hate the BCS but it does do something good. It would assure that a team like the 1984 BYU team could never win a National Title. I hate the format but a team needs to actually schedule some decent opponents and play in a bowl against a decent opponent.
David H. | 1:44 p.m. July 7, 2009
BYU does recruit bigger and better players. They have failed on the speed end. That said, however, the truth is that the BYU coachin staff is predictable. The players are better but they cannot win all the games when the opponent has a superior game plan.

RE: 25 years | 1:53 p.m. July 7, 2009
In the last 25 years...
BYU is 216-98-2, the U is 174-120-1.
BYU is 6-6-1 in bowl games, U is 12-0
BYU has 13 conference titles, U has 5
Re: Why? | 2:01 p.m. July 7, 2009
You just proved my point, you gather your self-esteem by picking on the so-called "Erkel" kids and try to put other people down (I'm not a shrink, but sounds like insecurity to me). Most of us already passed the 7th grade, you might want to do the same bro.

Were you the Erkel kid growing up or something and now you have a chip on your shoulder?

I really could care less about Ute articles, I occasionally read them if it's signifigant regarding the MWC, but the Utah fan obsession with BYU football is very weird and border-line disturbing.
Re: Why...? | 2:04 p.m. July 7, 2009
That's a great analogy. Unfortunately, Erkel kicked your trash 2 out of the last 3 years, Erkel has finished three consecutive ten win seasons where Erkel was nationally ranked and won two of three bowl games, Erkel's national fan base blows yours out of the water, Erkel's head coach has more conference titles than yours and Erkel has a football tradition (top ten finishes, NC, Heisman, NFL MVP's and Super Bowl Victors) that you are not even close to realizing.

I'm not sure what constitutes "beating up" zooby's verbally, but I assure you we haven't seen anything close to that on this message board today. I guess if obnoxious comments are synonymous with "beating up" someon on a message board then let me put a little annoying beat down on you. After four seasons at Utah, Whittingham has the same number of ten win seasons and conference titles as Gary Crowton in his four year tenure at BYU just before he "resigned." Utah football, a tradition since 2004!




RE: 25 Years | 2:11 p.m. July 7, 2009
If you're bringing up past performance, why only 25 years? Why not the complete history:

BYU is 494-372-26 (.553), the U is 607-418-31 (.589)

BYU is 9-17-1 (.352) in bowl games, U is 12-3 (.800)

BYU has 13 conference titles, U has 26 Conference Titles

BYU fans are ridiculous. Utah owns you this decade, and all time. The only thing you have ever had was a nice little run in the 70's and 80's. Grow up and face the truth --- UTAH OWNS YOU PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE!
Ute Outsider | 2:17 p.m. July 7, 2009
BYU 2008 10-2 still 3rd place in the MWC. Bwaaaaaahaaaahaaa.
RE: RE: Why...?  | 2:18 p.m. July 7, 2009
Check the all time facts boys:

BYU is 494-372-26 (.553), the U is 607-418-31 (.589)

BYU is 9-17-1 (.352) in bowl games, U is 12-3 (.800)

BYU has 13 conference titles, U has 26 Conference Titles

BYU fans are ridiculous. Utah owns you this decade, and all time. The only thing you have ever had was a nice little run in the 70's and 80's. Grow up and face the truth --- UTAH OWNS YOU PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE!
Dave | 2:21 p.m. July 7, 2009
It doesn't matter how many superstar recruits BYU gets, if the coach can't coach what good will it do. I'm sure these guys are looking forward to half-speed practices and no pad practices and firesides each T-Th-Sat-Sun and FHE on Monday's. It's too bad all of that talent is going to be wasted in zoobieville.
DRLL | 2:23 p.m. July 7, 2009
This is good stuff for fans to spend their time on during the off-season, but I believe I have seen Dickie H. proclaim every BYU recruiting class for the last 5 years to be BYU's best ever. Recruiting classes are only judged at the end of seasons, not at the beginning. So let's hope at least half of these guys remain academically eligible, don't end up in legal trouble, don't transfer because they aren't used to sitting on their prima donna rear ends for a few years while others play can you imagine a 17 year old kid who calls his own presser to announce his college decision being happy about sitting on the bench for two years?), and actually live up to their billing.
Waste of talent | 2:28 p.m. July 7, 2009
it's too bad these quality recruits won't have a chance to practice with pads, or become better players because they're coached into mediocrity. hahahahahaha, if they wanted to wear Aggie blue they should've gone to Logan, if they wanted to win they should've gone to U of U. I think I'd jump off a bridge if I had to listen to Bronc's "pep" firesides every day. Hopefully the LB, Ho Ching from Alta decides to play somewhere else because he's got a shot to be a great football player in college.
Wow | 2:29 p.m. July 7, 2009
Utah has a better all-time record, more bowl wins, and double the Conference Titles. Ouch.
RE: 25 years | 2:29 p.m. July 7, 2009
Sorry, I only brought up the last 25 years because Ute fans were complaining about dwelling in the past. I could really care less.
Ernest T. Bass | 2:39 p.m. July 7, 2009
The more can do the more I see that it is funny that you guys are not very good. I am gladly accepted upon by the fans here.
BYU | 2:44 p.m. July 7, 2009
wow. think of the guys you could get if you could make a BCS game.
Digbads | 2:46 p.m. July 7, 2009
I love the job that Coach Mendenhall has been doing. I love the things he emphasizes with his team. I'm so very grateful to have him coach.

Keep up the good work coach!
A Little Friendly Advice | 2:54 p.m. July 7, 2009
The U has a much better football history overall. The problem is that all of you 30-40 loser zoobies living in your mom's basement were raised in the Lavell years and you think that history starts with Lavell. A little advice.... move out and get your own place, aim higher than the work-at-home multi level marketing schemes, watch more ESPN classic and less KBYU reruns, and hit up the 30 and over singles ward for a date.

UTAH OWNS YOU PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE!
Dave | 2:55 p.m. July 7, 2009
Hopefully by the time the class of 2010 are playing for the Y they've found a football coach with a clue. In fact they are selling clues for coaches at the U of U for anyone interested. I think Urban left a few and Kyle has a few you can rent. They finally bought one in Logan, perhaps after the Y loses to the Aggies Gary will rent one to Bronco too. Oh and I've got a question for the true blue BYU fans, how does humility and quest for perfection play out in the same locker room? er, it already did!!!!! hahahaha!
SJ | 3:05 p.m. July 7, 2009
re: RE: RE: Why...? | 2:18 p.m.

And yet here you are taking time out of your busy day to read AND comment on a BYU football article. You are living proof that U fans are left unfulfilled with their own program and have to obsess over what happens in Provo. Pathetic!!!
so many naysayers | 3:07 p.m. July 7, 2009
The recruits haven't shown anything on the D-1 level yet, but it's not like the stars mean nothing. These are players who have been closely evaluated and have a chance to be great. That's not to say the lower star players aren't good, but the players are ranked as some of the top high school players in the nation, and pursued by some of the top programs in the nation for a reason.
Howie | 3:19 p.m. July 7, 2009
Stop your drooling Mr. Harmon...Florida and USC's walk ons probably rank higher than BYU's recruiting class. Until Bronco recruits DBs and WRs that have real speed BYU fans will have to be statisfied with winning the MWC and an occasional bowl game.
Herb Gravy | 3:31 p.m. July 7, 2009
Oh, I can hardly wait until the season starts. Oh, whoopeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
itake utedueuce | 3:33 p.m. July 7, 2009
I wanted to read the articles about the utes and see if BYU fans fill the comment lines with tripe, like they do here, problem is no articles. Reality is NO ONE CARES ABOUT THE UTES and that is why you don't get 4 or 5 star recruits. Doesn't matter what you do on the field no one wants to go to your school other than non qualifier's and prop 8 opponents. The U of U is their little piece of heaven.
utah fan | 3:35 p.m. July 7, 2009
These Cougar comments are always the same:

Dismissing Utah's two undefeated seasons and two BCS bowl wins as if they are nothing.

Then claiming how great it will be when BYU goes undefeated and wins a BCS bowl.

Your Cougar logic is pretty funny.
Can't wait | 3:40 p.m. July 7, 2009
For the Oklahoma-BYU game..
Yes | 3:51 p.m. July 7, 2009
BYU 34 Oklahoma 18
Get Real Ute Fans | 4:06 p.m. July 7, 2009
Everyone who knows anything about college football knows that Alabama was embarrassed to play UTAH when just weeks before they thought they were going to play in the BCS CHAMPIANSHIP game. This team obviously didn’t want to play the little Utes.

Remember this. BYU and UTAH will always be little nothings. Tenn Vols will rule all of CF soon. Even in a bad year Tenn would kill both teams.
Elton John Fan | 4:06 p.m. July 7, 2009
Elton John wrote the music to "Your Song" but Bernie Taupin wrote the Lyrics.
Idaho Cougar | 4:38 p.m. July 7, 2009
Ya know, college football is a BLAST! The players and coaches are great and do a wonderful job entertaining everyone. Pro sports holds nothing compared to college football.

Problem is the fans. They are fanatics at a lot of schools. Go to a BYU home game as the visitor and you'll enjoy the game, win or lose. Going to a Utah home game as a visitor is downright dangerous! That is really sad, and shows very poor sportsmanship.

This is a game. It should be enjoyed as a GAME!

Wishing BYU, Utah and TCU GREAT seasons.

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