Comments about ‘BYU already working with some new faces’

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Published: Friday, Feb. 8 2008 12:33 a.m. MST

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SJ Bobkins

I have never heard of a guy de-committing to re-commit. He was lost when Ken Norton, Jr., stepped into his parents front door. I wish he had been as honest as Hanani Steven's was when he switched to Oregon saying he had no intention on keeping his BYU commitment.
I know it's politically incorrect but I would love to see more on recruiting Poly kids. BYU thrives on these kids, but it's got to be never racking. Freud said: "In 30 years of study I still cannot answer the simple question, "What does a woman want?". BYU coaches after two straight heartbreaking years losing the top LDS and Polynesian kid in the country must be asking themselves: "What does a young, Polynesian football player WANT?"

bluedart

Dick, Brandon Kafusi is committed for 2010 class

P.S.

Dick, Bronson Kaufusi is another 2010 commit.

Commitment

Too bad some of our youth are clueless on what giving their word means. If they have no intention of keeping their word, then don't give it. If they feel pressured into making a commitment, then they are most likely not quite mature enough to handle the pressures of D1 football.

Also, it shows a great lack of character to sign with another school, after having committed to a school, without giving the school a courtesy call and letting them know they have changed their mind. Bronco is looking for student-athletes with character and this young man appears to be lacking the needed character he wants at BYU.

After working with youth for 33 years I saw plenty of this lack of standing up to your word. Those students continued to have problems not only in school, but also in their personal lives, because they simply did not understand what a commitment means. It was simply too easy to say yes, when they had no intention of following through or where "hoping" something better came along.

Perhaps student-athletes who commit and then decide to change should loose a year of eligibility. Commitment would have a new meaning.

m. romney

the same lack of follow-through occurs at universities (and all aspects of society) even at byu...it's a negative aspect of human nature.

true blue

Pete Caroll must have really wanted this kid because he said he would hold his scholarship if he went on a mission. He didn't do that for havili.

Anonymous

I think if someone changes their mind about were they commit they should not b allowed to play football.

BYU Steve

Backing out of the oral commitment should not come as too big of a surprise since he committed to UCLA before he committed to BYU. On a positive note, I think Pete Carrol said Kaveinga could serve a mission and USC would honor the scholarship when he returned. Maybe that swayed his decision. Any way you look at it though, it's quite a loss for BYU.

oh well....

Yeah, its too bad he didn't keep his commitment, and too bad BYU lost a great player. Hopefully, the kid will serve a mission. If not, he might not have been what BYU was looking for

Dan

I know most BYU fans are disappointed in the loss of Kaveinga. He would probably have made BYU a little better team. Being intent on going on a mission is great, but what these young men don't understand is that when BYU is successful in the major sports, it brings more recognition to the Church then if they spent their entire life on a mission. We wish him well, but he could have done more good here.
I also noted Pete's flip-flop(speaking of Romney) on missionary service. Havili sold out cheap. He should go back and get equal treatment.

Integrity First

Based on how he handled the recruiting process, I'd say the Cougars are better oof without Kaveinga.

o.c. ron

Kaveinga is naive to think that the scholarship will be still be there when he comes back from his mission. Does Carroll really care? Besides, the USC football program is about to take a direct big time hit when the whole Reggis Bush thing comes down. They could loose at least one national championship, future scholarships, etc. And trust me, Carroll will either jump ship to the NFL or get fired. As for Kaveinga, he has shown that his "flavor of the month" actions makes me think it's good he went to SC. He's going to wallow in the depth chart when he gets back. That is, IF he goes on a mission. Another opportunity for him to change his mind. What a waste.

PRC

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A COACH COMMITS TO A ATHLETE THAT HE WILL COACH HIM THROUGHOUT HIS COLLEGE AND THEN BOLTS TO ANOTHER COLLEGE WHEN THE LURE OF MORE MONEY COMES CALLING. THERE IS NO HONOR THERE AS WELL. DON'T GET SO DOWN ON THE KIDS FOR NOT HONORING THEIR COMMITMENTS WHEN THE COACHES WHO RECRUIT THEM DON'T DON'T THINK TWICE ABOUT BOLTING WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY COMES. HONORING YOUR COMMITMENTS SHOULD BE TAUGHT AT HOME. SOME OF THE BLAME SHOULD BE PUT ON THE PARENTS. SOME SAY THAT THE POLY PLAYERS ARE TAUGHT TO RESPECT THEIR ELDERS ANS THAT IS WHY THE COMMIT SO EASILY. I DON'T BUY THAT FOR A SECOND. I DON'T BELIEVE THEY ARE TAUGHT RESPECT AT ALL OR THEY WOULD NOT DISRESPEST THE COACHES THEY FOOL INTO THINKING THEY ARE ON BOARD WHEN THEY ARE LISTENING AND COMMITING TO OTHERS AT HE SAME TIME. AND THEN THERE ARE THE COACHES WHO KNOW THAT A CERTAIN ATHLETE WHO HAS VERBALY COMMITED TO ONE SCHOOL AND THEN TALKS THE KID OUT OF THAT COMMITMENT. WHERE IS TE HONOR IN THAT. QUIT WHINNING COACHES WHEN MOST OF YOU HAVE NO SHAME YOURSELVES!!!

Backing Out

We may not like it but sometimes it is what best for the student athlete. Look at Haloti Ngata. He committed to Nebraska. Then to BYU and finally played for Oregon. The end result was number 11 in the draft. Who knows if he would have made it at BYU or Nebraska.

BYU fine at LB

BYU's positions that perform at a high level consistently are the linebackers and tight ends. Losing a linebacker recruit is not a big deal. If he were a top cornerback, then I would be disappointed.

BBKing

One concern that I have with recruiting is the lack of defensive backs. I know our secondary did incredible work for having 4 walk-ons. From what I have seen we have one corner back from Springville and one safety from a junior college.

Are we really that set in the defensive backfield that we didn't recruit heavier there? Or is it a case where we simply took the best athletes and didn't have any that happened to be DBs.

in any case, if we had a couple of shut down corners, and explosive safeties our defense, already very good, would only be that much better. Have a good corner makes the job of a defensive lineman that much easier. Gives them that extra second or two to pound the quarterback into a pile of goo.

Let's trust they have that worked out but does anyone have insight into this issue?

Mission or Not.

I give Kaveinga a 30% chance of going on a mission. He'll probably excel at his position and they need LBs. After a year of all the props he'll be getting and the pressure to stay from coaches and players, he'll be less likely to go IMO.

Too bad.

Ernest T. Bass

Why does Coach Bronco continue to recruit kids who've committed elsewhere?
He's talking out of both sides of his mouth and is a walking contradiction when he speaks about commitments.
Stop whining about having recruits poached when Bornco does the exact same thing.

Chances are

When a coach recruit a player, any player - he is essentially take a chance on that player. Sometimes the student athlete can't handle D-1 demands, or worse yet, an injury for which the player is not ever the same. I like the coaching staff at BYU, how they can get the most out of their players. But most importantly, the coaches are shaping character of a man. Long after the players careers are over, it is their character and integrity that will last. That will also have an influence on their children, as well as hundreds of young kids that look up to these players. No need to talk of this USC-bound player, we have great ones in the program that will elevate BYU football program, on and off the field.

Cougblue in TF

No big deal here. Kids change their minds during their missions. If this kid goes on a mission the odds are that BYU will end up with him anyway. The switch to BYU after a mission happens more often than the other way around. And if he doesn't switch?? Still no big deal. Ben Olson switched from BYU to UCLA and did it hurt BYU??? Nah! I'd rather have Hall.

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