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BYU receives pledge from All-American QB

Another example of BYU using LDS Church missions as a two year recruiting tool. The NCAA needs to put in a rule that still enforces the year of lost eligibility when transferring after an LDS mission.

If USU had even a sub-decent head coach, Riley would stick around. Get rid of Brent Guy, and get someone here who wants to coach football the Utah State way with Utah players. Good luck to you Riley, you only did what any player with half a brain would do and that is run from the sunken ship.

Wow, what are the Aggie faithful going to say about this? This guy seemed to be a born Aggie. Hall has already proven to be one of the top QB's in the nation. No way he'd take Hall's place, but could replace Hall.

I don't blame the guy. If he has that much talent, he wants to go where he can use it the best-win. I wouldn't go to USU either, especially when each year the win total is shrinking, instead of growing, like it should.

John,

BYU lost the #1 overall high school recruit, Ben Olson, to UCLA after his mission.

So, it can work both ways.

BYU fan, and I agree with John.

Also a bit bothered by the fact that the missionary was given permission to basically open his recruiting while on a mission. A nominal, once-a-week email with his father about recruiting options are OK. Communicating with coaches whenever/wherever are not OK.

As an Aggie, this really stinks. The gloating from already obnoxious BYU fans is going to be really hard to stomach.

I'm resigned to my opinion that USU will always be bad in football, but at least I'm not a bandwagoner... I'll always stick with 'em.

I wish BYU had the backbone to come to Logan and play basketball in the Spectrum, one of the few good chances we have to really beat the cougars.

More Yootar fans.

Give it up guys! It's time for you to go to the cooler!

I agree that recruiting on the mission works both ways, sometimes it hurts BYU, evidently this time it helped. I just thought Bronco made a point of saying that BYU wouldn't recruit other schools players and would appreciate if other schools didn't recruit Y players.

Although I don't agree with a one being recruited while on his mission, if anybody thinks the Y is the only one who does this, you are crazy. Any player from the Y who was highly recruited gets re-recruited while on their mission by schools all across the country.

I personally don't think he is that big of a signing. He would fit better in the Utes system. He is more of a run threat than the typical BYU throwing QB.

Good athlete, but doesn't fill the need in a QB that byu uses.

In my day, making detailed plans for post-mission life while still in the field was frowned upon as "trunky" behavior.

BYU football is a religion unto itself, I guess.

BYU doesn't actively recruit other schools' missionaries-unless those missionaries contact BYU. I'm willing to bet that's how it went down with RJ (just like with guys like Max Hall, Tom Sorenson, Brandon Bradley and Malosi Teo)

NCAA rules state that a missionary or equivalent is recruitable after 18 months away. BYU loses a player or two from time to time. I doubt there was much of a disturbance to his service as they sent each other a few e-mails...and now that the decision is made, he can focus again on his work.

If you don't think all missionaries don't spend a little time thinking about and making some plans for what they're going to do when they return from their missions, you're naive. Same is true if you think Bronco is going to be disruptive to a missionary.

Get over it and grow up.

Utah State really needs to get out of D1 football. Fall in line with the ranks of Weber State and Souther Utah.

McKay,
I wonder how many mission presidents let their missionaries talk to schools outside of Utah? All over the country? I don't think so. He should definately lose a year of eligability. As an Aggie, I am angry, but it is hard to blame him. As RR said, you want to go where your talent will be show cased. On the other hand, it is pretty low of BYU to recruit when he should be concentrating on those more important things, as the article says. Are people still mad about Olsen? Give it up. Do you really want him over Hall? I can't believe Cougar fans are still this terrified of him. That is why you will drop the UCLA game at home this year.
Anonymous- What are you even responding to? Put that education to work.

Did you say the same thing when Ben Olsen reconsidered? I'm sure you did!!!!!

And isn't Bronco supposed to be "raising the bar", shouldn't he be taking the high road and not messing with some missionary's head.

Get over it and grow up is right... you need to grow up and realize that you think this is OK because the kid chose to come to BYU. If he was opting to leave, you'd be screaming for legal action... '01 BCS ring a bell?

At least my aggies are still taking the moral high ground... I guess Bronco is just another football coach of just another college football team.

at least we used up a year of his playing eligibility before sending him down south :)

It's true. Athletes are fair game, released from their LOI, 18 months after leaving their previous university. Of course, we should expect a number of BYU fans to rub it in, that's just how they are for the most part. Arrogance and self righteousness come with the territory. But realistically, USU football is so bad that you can't blame the kid for going elsewhere where he can better display the talents he has. Until USU football gets serious about improving the program by hiring a legitimate D1 head coach who knows how to win, who can recruit, motivate, and who players want to play for, this is what Aggie fans can expect.

I do have a problem with BYU playing N. Iowa- but I have no problem with this. A kid goes on an LDS mission and wants to play at the school of that same religion. What a surprise. It is interesting how many of the great LDS football players are playing for the U. Utah State is in this mix somewhere-just don't know where?

He called BYU, are they supposed to tell him "no thanks". HE CALLED THEM!!!