Deseret News | 10 years later, MWC a draft force

Reader comments
Dick Harmon: 10 years later, MWC a draft force

Neal | 11:52 p.m. April 27, 2009

Exciting to see these great players drafted. Kruger could be better than Weddle.

Let's not forget the guys who signed free agent contracts. More than a feww of them may be on rosters beginning next fall.

What a thrill to see so many dreams come true for these great young men.

Good Job | 1:26 a.m. April 28, 2009

Just keep it up. Great to see the kids get this chance to show their stuff on the big stage. Hope they are successful.

gdog3gtb | 1:30 a.m. April 28, 2009

Re:Neal, better than Weddle, I think not. You said he COULD BE, so I know you are not being definitive. Futhermore, going with your thoughts, it wouldn't shock me if Kruger became an all pro. I just don't think it's the safe bet. I hope Kruger suceeds but don't forget how unique and special Weddle is. He led the Chargers in tackles and makes plays all over the field.

Comments continue below

Minerman | 4:39 a.m. April 28, 2009

disappointed to see Smith leave Utah. With all the new offenses and quarterbacks in the MWC he really could have gone much higher had he stayed one more season, and the Utes could've used him. Oh well. If there's one thing we know, it's that Whitt will have that defense humming right along come game time.

PAC-10 | 5:09 a.m. April 28, 2009

had a horrible season and 32 players drafted. That means the league is underacheiving. Clearly, the MWC was better than the PAC-10 last year top to bottom.

Howard S. | 7:12 a.m. April 28, 2009

Max Hall will DOMANATE the league and win the Heisman.

Heads and Shoulders? | 7:29 a.m. April 28, 2009

I enjoyed the re-cap of the draft. On whole a pretty balanced article for a change. I do question your conclusion that TCU was "heads and shoulders above the rest." Really? TCU didn't have a player selected until round 5. They had 3 selected in round 6 and 1 in round 7. Yes they had 5 selected, but Utah had 4 selected including 2 on the first day. I can only assume this is your attempt to downplay the draft results of Utah in an effort to minimize the difference between Utah and BYU in the eyes of those that matter, NFL teams. I hope that all those drafted and signed as free agents by both schools get the opportunity to prove whether or not they belong on an NFL roster, but as much as it must frustrate you, some recognition of the accomplishments of Utah this season are due. While I wouldn't expect you to recognize the Utes, you don't need to minimize their results either. But you probably can't help it.

Magic Happens!

Really? | 7:45 a.m. April 28, 2009

Were there really 18 wide receivers taken in the draft before Austin Collie?

Quick Howard S. | 7:48 a.m. April 28, 2009

Wake up . . . your hands are still on the keyboard!

fireworks? | 8:16 a.m. April 28, 2009

I guess he mentioned Max Hall because a besting of his 6 turnover performance might be fun to watch. Why didn't this dude mention Harvey Unga, the most talented returning player for byu and probably in the MWC?

and correction, 19 receivers were taken before Collie was picked. Pretty amazing to be picked 20th in your position when you're the self proclaimed best receiver to ever play at your school.

The Utes will be a force again because of their defense and we should have another good year of MWC football. I can't imagine Wyoming being any worse than last year, yet last year they beat Tennessee handily IN TENNESSEE!!

Hopefully the new coach at SDSU can make that team, which has a lot of talent, into a conference contender.

sob | 8:21 a.m. April 28, 2009

the thing kruger will miss the most about playing for the utes is max hall

his nickname in the pros will be "freddie" everyone's worst nightmare

Brian Johnson? | 9:27 a.m. April 28, 2009

Whatever happened to him? Wow, that was a big and fast fall from grace ...

Get real | 9:43 a.m. April 28, 2009

RE:fireworks?
You stated Wyoming beat Tennessee handily...for real? Since when is beating a team 13-7 a "handily" win. Especially when all your points come off of interception returns.

The MWC has their best draft and still it is below the other real BSC conferences. Utah had a great year, but they won't be a "force" without a proven qb. TCU was very talented and may be this year. BYU is what it is, a good team that it great against weaker opponents, but very average against good teams. Get real folks and accept what the MWC is and always will be.

re: fireworks | 10:08 a.m. April 28, 2009

Yes, Hall will produce them. BYU statistically always has great #'s and overall record with a senior QB. With so many who left Utah's team, and many of the so call "best" who didn't get drafted, that leaves a loss of fireworks on that team.

Burleydude | 10:19 a.m. April 28, 2009

I wonder if jobeck cried when he got cut yesterday.

RE: Brian Johnson | 10:20 a.m. April 28, 2009

At least Brian Johnson still has a team to play or sit on the bench for. Either way it is more money than John Beck is making right now, not having a job.

Actually it is probably a good thing Miami was kind enought to release him, so he can find a real team to play with. In the mean time he can come coach a little league team.

re: Howard S. | 10:22 a.m. April 28, 2009

Clearly just another utah troll trying to stir the pot

Krueger and Collie will both have good careers in the NFL

It'll be interesting to see where King Louie ends up; he should be one of those 10-year career kickers if he finds the right team

what? | 11:32 a.m. April 28, 2009

Dick wrote:

TCU, with five players selected, was head and shoulders above the rest. The popularity of the Horned Frogs was so evident the ever-conscious-of-in-state-affairs publicity staff at the Fort Worth school couldn't let it go and noted TCU had the most players drafted of any Texas school including Texas (3), Texas A&M (3), Texas Tech (3) and Baylor (3).

Good to note. It works well when recruiting the blue chips that you had as many players picked as Southern Cal.

What does that last line mean? USC had 11 players taken in the draft, the most of anyone. Who had as many players picked as Southern Cal? Did Dick mean TCU, with its five, had as many? Dick, five and eleven aren't the same even when you are trying to favorably compare the MWC and the Pac-10.

RE: Howard S. | 11:34 a.m. April 28, 2009

Sill little Ute troll!!!!!!!!

RE: Get real | 11:39 a.m. April 28, 2009

The MWC may not be quite as good as one or two other conferences,but the rise to the top is not an over night prospect. It is a gradual increase year after year. Which is what all of you PAC 10 and SEC people are worried about. Which is why you guys take every opportunity toblast the MWC and make them looksmall. Whasn't the MWC something like 8&2 against the mighty PAC10 this year. Also had winning records against all of the other conferences!

Aggie Fan | 12:19 p.m. April 28, 2009

I couldn't agree with you more!!!!!

Our little brothers down south and further down south.....always are nervous about coming into Aggie Country.

Last year we almost BEAT the Utes except for a lucky bounce their way.

GO AGGIES!!!!! WE WILL RULE!!!!!!

Re Aggie Fan | 1:27 p.m. April 28, 2009

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HA!!!!!!!

Wow thats the best laugh I've had in awhile. Thanks!

Re: Aggie Fan | 1:30 p.m. April 28, 2009

almost beat the utes rather than a lucky bounce? i think you are thinking of the byu game dude, the utah game was like 50 to 10 or something like that. Get it straight.

The Truth | 2:00 p.m. April 28, 2009

BYU still thinks they have a superior program lol. After Utah gets 2 BCS bowl wins, a number one draft pick, and consistently places better players in the NFL you would think they would learn. BYU's "superiority" was over 20 years ago! BYU can only play well against weak MWC talent and will never recruit players athletic enough to play on the big stage. Maybe BYU should drop their religious classes and teach some common sense.

re: The Truth | 3:51 p.m. April 28, 2009

BYU IS still a superior program to Utah (but only slightly). There's no question that Utah's 2004 and 2008 teams were better than BYU teams in those respective years, but (in the long run) BYU has been a better program. Utah's team was much better than BYU's last year, but when you say a "program" is better it contemplates more than just two years out of ten. K-whitt just ties Crowton for conference championships, not a model of consistency if you ask this observer. What happens over a series of years IS still relevant. Besides, until I see a well attended game at rice-chex stadium after Utah has a loss I can't take Ute fans seriously. After three losing seasons in a row BYU had fewer empty seats than the U from 2005-2007. A strong program has a strong fan base rather than the appathetic bandwagon you call the MUSS. As soon as Utah loses a game or two their fans will disappear like they did in 2005.

Re: The Truth | 4:02 p.m. April 28, 2009

"Utah consistently places better players in the NFL draft"

I am pretty sure the article said that BYU has the longest streak on at least one player drafted, at 15 years. Next in line is New Mexico with a 5 year streak, and next is UNLV with a 3 year streak.

Where's Utah?????

That's the problem with Ute fans, they have a winning season every 4 years and so every 4 years they prance around saying their the best in the world. The 3 years in between each good season they call for their coaches resignation, make up excuses for why BYU is having a better season, and making sure that they don't attend any Ute football games.

2 good years doth not a good football PROGRAM make!

re the truth | 4:45 p.m. April 28, 2009

So I guess the Utes of 2007 and 2006 were one of those weak MWC talent teams you talk about? You talk big when your Utes win a conference championship every 4 years but what about in between those 4 years?

wer | 4:57 p.m. April 28, 2009

These players drafted by the NFL (and others chosen by free agency) are to be congratulated.

However, it makes one wonder if the NCAA brain trust isn't making draft decisions for the NFL teams. A number of excellent MWC players were left on the table.

tue | 5:00 p.m. April 28, 2009

TO "Re: The Truth"

While I do not have Utah at the top of my college football teams list, it's clear they have a top program. Two undefeated seasons in four years. They didn't do that with smoke and mirrors.

please add to list.. | 6:37 p.m. April 28, 2009

Utah utes drafted since 94
1.luther ellis
2.
3.

Re: The Truth | 2:00 p.m. | 9:06 p.m. April 28, 2009

Judging from the Cougar responses....

THE TRUTH HURTS.

college fan | 9:19 p.m. April 28, 2009

I find it interesting every time I read this section that BYU fans instantly downplay any suuccess of the so called "yewts" and there are always some utah fans that answer in similar fashion. I grew up watching the Zoobies and enjoyed watching Steve, Ty and the gang. I am however tired of so many flapping their gums and treating it as a holy war. I went to school at the U and enjoy watching all the success they have had while BYZoo continues to melt down when have any opportunity to make a statement for the school, state of Utah and the MWC. It happened with Crowton when he screamed BCS and it has happened twice under the current coach especially this year.

Hero of Canton | 9:23 p.m. April 28, 2009

Dick, I get the distinct feeling you have no idea what a cover corner is...

FL Cougar | 10:45 a.m. April 29, 2009

To Fireworks: Where were you picked in the draft again? Regardless of Collie being picked after 19 other receivers he was still picked, and in the 4th round.

The Truth | 2:18 p.m. April 29, 2009

Urban Meyer established Utah as a powerhouse football program in 2004. After that season we lost nearly every coach and coach Whit faced a tough task rebuilding the program. After 2 seasons of rebuilding Utah was BCS material last season but injuries and inconsistency caused them 4 losses. Utah now is a powerhouse and will be for years to come. Their recruiting classes get better and better every season. Utah is expected to be BETTER than BYU, the team that was supposed to bust the BCS with an experienced team last season and this year. BYU is so overrated, the cougs need to face THE TRUTH

The Truth | 2:29 p.m. April 29, 2009

Utah DOES consistently place better players in the NFL. Currently there are 20 Utes on a NFL roster. How about the high and mighty cougars? Only 11. Utah has nearly double. Check your facts. Just because BYU has a streak of placing one player in the draft doesn't mean they will succeed in the NFL like John Beck who got cut the other day.

silly | 3:03 p.m. April 29, 2009

Every time I make the the mistake of reading the posts of one of these articles I feel dumber afterwards. Its a constant back and forth between BYU and Utah fans bragging about which team is better and using juvenile insults like "BYZoo" and "rice chex stadium". Really, are we in the fifth grade? Couldn't get more creative than that? Even when the article really isn't talking much about either teams but the conference as a whole these same ridiculous posts follow. Face it, both schools have great programs with great coaches and have been keeping the mountain west conference afloat in both football and basketball (not that there haven't been some other great teams like TCU in football and UNLV and SDSU in basketball.) That's what makes it such a great rivalry, both teams a usually contending for a championship. Stupid comments like the one I usually read here make both BYU and Utah fans and both programs look bad. Next time I'm tempted the read the post I'll definitely do something more productive with my time.

SLC guy | 6:22 p.m. April 29, 2009

Sadly

The MWC is 'crowing' about 16 total players drafted. The fact that it's the highest number ever; truly illustrates the difference between the BCS haves and the MWC have nots.

Re: Truth | 6:29 p.m. April 29, 2009

Guess what? BYU's recruiting classes are getting BETTER AND BETTER TOO!!! And so far they show more talent than Utah's classes. Everyone complains that BYU doesn't have athletes. That's because BYU is still playing with Crowton's players. Bronco has only been coach for 4 years and because of the missionary cycle the older players are still Crowton's, and they are still winning 10-11 games a season. So BYU has only begun to feel the impact of Mendenhall's players, and with the up and coming athletes getting better and better there are a lot of great things that can happen for BYU.

Parity in Draft | 2:10 p.m. May 1, 2009

Starting with the draft held in 1993.
BYU 33 players drafted. BYU 1st round picks 2
Utah 33 players drafted. Utah 1st round picks 4
Top 100 overall:
BYU - 2
Utah - 5
Top 100 overall:
BYU - 8
Utah - 11
Top 200 overall:
BYU - 20
Utah - 20

Overall Pretty even for supposed Older and Younger Brother (you can decide which is which). Looking at these results, I would say they are twins.

RE: Re: Truth | 8:46 p.m. May 5, 2009

you did say at least one thing correctly. byu does win 10 to 11 games a year, but thats not 13 so there ya have it

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.