Speaker 1: A local perspective. It's the NFL Blinz week Gay Mornings
at seven forty five only on twice and via newship
on one oh three nine at ninety eight three ESPN
The Band. You're listening to Cougar Sports with Ben Kretel
and it's time for a crewing of Cougars and inside
look at the latest news on the recruiting trails surrounding
Cougar Athletics.
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point three ESPN The Fan. I've been critinal broadcasting from
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Q and A with our tax smart Wealth Advisors, our
NFLPA Certified Financial planner, Plane Anderson. It is time for
little cruit and the Cougars. We're gonna get to know
the late Laters, the most recent commit to the Bau
Cougar football team in the twenty twenty seven class. It's
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Let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in. The six
foot three, two hundred and fifteen pound er out of
Mountain Ridge High School in Harriman, Utah, part of the
twenty twenty seven class is an athlete can play on
the offensive or defensive side of the ball, and he
had offers from cal Michigan, Purdue, Stanford, Utah, Boise State,
Oregon State, New Mexico, Utah State, Utah Tech, and of
course BYU and he committed just a little bit ago
just over twenty four hours ago. Let's welcome in Titan
de Young to the show. Tight and how that? Heck?
Are you buddy good? How are you doing? Awesome? Man,
appreciate you hopping on so we can get to know
you a little bit. How does it feel to know
where you're gonna be playing college football? Oh?
Speaker 3: It feels great, man. So it's even better than to
be a Cougar. Let's go.
Speaker 2: Let's go, man, it was? Uh? Was Byu always kind
of a favorite? Or did it become a favorite? Kind
of give us a little breakdown of your recruitment through
the through this process.
Speaker 3: So you want to know what's crazy?
Speaker 2: Actually?
Speaker 3: So I I've lived in Utah my entire life, and
I've actually grown up Utah youth fans for as long
as I STU remember, and in my mind, I was like,
there's no way I'm ever going to be a Cougar.
And I mean, obviously obviously that's not the case, you know,
and uh, you know with with Byu, it was they
offered me January eighth this year, January eighth, twenty six
and it came in and Kawanne Sataki was actually uh
in the school in the building that when they offered
me the scholarship, and so that was just a super
special moment, and just the love that I felt from
from Klane and Coach Pop and the rest of the
staff was just right then and there. It was just
kind of like a punch in the face of just wow,
like I could I could definitely see myself playing here.
Speaker 2: So you got to know the coaching staff. Was that
the first time that you had met them, or had
you had prior kind of engagements with them going to
camp or interacting with them prior to that offer, Yes.
Speaker 3: Sir, So I went to their camp, their football camp
in June of twenty twenty five and was able to
be coached by them and you know, see the facilities
and all that, but a real sit down conversation with them.
First time was the day that they gave me that scholarship.
Speaker 2: So who coached at the BAU football camp then? Who
was maybe more hands on than others?
Speaker 3: So I went into that camp as a linebacker and
at that time, Coach Enna was the linebackers coach. He's
still there does special teams, and Coach Pop as well
was a part of that. So those two were coaching
me at that camp.
Speaker 2: Okay, So they got initially the hands on and then
finally the offer came down. Did you did you expect
the offer to come down that day or was it
a bit of surprise. Oh?
Speaker 3: It was a surprise for sure.
Speaker 4: I mean it was I was at school, just you know,
mine of my day and coach coach pulled my head.
Coach at Mountains pulled me down to the office and
I see the entire coaching stuff there, and it was
just a shock, A good shock, but a shock. Nonetheless.
Speaker 2: Man, well, congratulations, who are the final schools? And why
did you commit?
Speaker 1: Now?
Speaker 2: I mean, you're it's it's it's March thirty first, it
was March thirtieth. Why commit now? Why not wait it out?
And uh, you have a lot of offers, as I mentioned,
give us a little breakdown of that. Who who did
it come down to? And why commit early? All right?
Speaker 3: So I had kind of had the idea of where
I wanted to go, obviously BYU being one of them,
and I had them down to about my top three.
I had cal Berkeley and Michigan and BYU as my
as my final three schools that I was going to
decide to go on. And I went to a spring
practice last Wednesday, and I mean the energy there was
just unreal. I mean just the way the way that
the coaches were able to teach their players and the
way that the players would respond and the energy everyone
had a practice. It just it truly felt like just unreal,
like something I've never been to. I mean, I've been
to places all over the country. Like I said, I've
been to Cal, I've been to Michigan, I've I've seen
Stanford like I've been to all these places, and just
nothing compares to the BYU football practice. And it was
just as soon as that, as soon as I went there,
I clicked and I was I wanted to be a
cougar H.
Speaker 2: Who stood out to you? Which coaches? Players? You mentioned?
This energy? This uh, this communication, It was singular, it
was unique, right what what what specifically stood out to you?
Can you can you you know, give us a tangible example?
Speaker 3: No, for sure. One one player I want to mention
is cat Catu Lave. He actually came from Mountains High School.
Was that was that Cal for for three years and
then he just transferred in to b y u H
this past year and he's just I mean the stud
all around. He he has just he's physical, he's violent,
and he knows that I play the game of football
and and Coach Pop knows that. So Coach Platina, sorry,
coach coach Plapinka knows that. And he and the way
he just adapts to that situation and is able to
to show him things and refine Cade's craft because caid
the he was the number one linebacker in the recruiting
portal uh the this offseason and he's going into going
into BYU And you mean, coach Pop can see his
greatnesses and you can also see his flaws. And the
way that he was able to know that and be
able to teach him is just somehow I want to
be a part of. Because you know, the most important
thing about picking a college is is are they can
be able to let you grow? They can be able
to make you a better person and a better player
year in and year out.
Speaker 2: You mentioned you grew up a Utah fan. How did
they get ousted out of your top three? Man? I
mean that you grew up a youth fan. How is
it that they're not in the mix? They?
Speaker 3: I mean, I have a ton of respect for for
Utah and they they are actually my first offer to
be able to play college football. And they are a
great program, and it honestly just came down to the
stability of their coaching staff with coach Whittingham leaving and
you know, a lot of their staff following coach Whittingham.
It was kind of on the line of, but I
want to be a part of the program that you
know is unstable with their future not very certain. And
with d YU, I mean you have Kawani Satake, who's
who's been there for i mean years, and he just
had another contract to be there for years to come
and he chose he chose to stay at YU over
you know, a lot of a lot of offers like
Penn State. He chose to stay there for a reason,
and it took me a while to get there, but
I see the reason why he wants to stay, and
that's the reason I'm going to play there.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you mentioned a couple of things maybe that stood
out to you that that maybe you saw yourself playing
at BYU. One of the things I've I've discussed with
some of the recruits over the last couple of years
is the developmental piece strength and additioning human performance, nutrition,
mental performance, Uh, we're able to kind of get a
grasp of what they're offering in that regard, and was
that an influential factor and all this?
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, the way they're able to to almost change
a player's body like entirely is just super I mean,
it's it's the stats, you know, like every every player
that's gone in there comes out bigger, faster, stronger. And
I actually have a friend that transferred there. He's put
on close to close to ten to fifteen pounds of
good athletic muscle and he's dogging right now. His name
is Legend Glaster. He's a receiver for BYU, true freshman,
and just seeing him be able to transform, you know,
is super cool. And I can definitely see myself, you know,
being there and doing the same thing.
Speaker 2: We got Titan de Young here on your Utah ESPN
ready to network Crewton The Cougar segment brought to you
by Odion Min's where odion minswear dot com. What do
you bring to the football field? Tight And I mean
you could play tight end, you could play linebacker. Maybe
you're gonna be putting on enough weight to play kind
of an outside edge d N type, you know. Yeah,
I'm sure you like to crack heads. I've been watching
your film. What do you feel like you bring to
the table and what position do you see you tell
playing at the collegiate level.
Speaker 3: That's a great question. I'd say I could give you.
I could give you three things. Number one would be
my coachability and my versatility. I can play. I mean,
like you said, you've watched the film, I'm able to
play both sides and and play both sides well. I
have a good a good frame, especially for my side.
I got really good speed. And leadership. I've been a
leader on my high school team since my sophomore year
and and I'm going to be the head captain of
my team this year, and so it's just it just
comes natural to me to be able to take people
under my wing. I mean, I can be freshman through
a senior like any age. I don't, I don't care
like I'm gonna be gonna be a leader on that team.
And and that's you know, a big, big actribute of mine.
And number two, I'd say coachability. I'm able to adapt
the situations.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 3: Being coachable, I think is the most important attribute as
a player, especially going under the collegiate level. Uh, those coaches,
I mean they're there for a reason and they got
stuff to teach, you know, And so it's my job
to come in open minded and be able to be
able to come in there and get better.
Speaker 2: Hey, you mentioned you've been coached up a little bit
by by Justin and a little bit by maybe K Pop.
What stands out to you about the b YU coaching
staff and how they teach, how they coach up to
this point.
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, No, Number one, I'd just say how personal
those coaches are. I mean, they really get to know you.
And I'm not even a part of the official rostery
obviously because I'm in high school, but like I already
feel like I'm a part of the team. And I
know every player at YU would say the exact same thing,
And you know it goes to show there. There's that,
and there's also the way they coaches. They want their
their few to help you get better, not to put
you down. So you make a mistake, They're going to
let you know, but they're also going to show you
how to fix it and how to become a better player.
Speaker 2: When you watch your film, what do you see like
what do you like about the way that you.
Speaker 3: Play the game, I would say the way I'm being
able to. I'm able to play fast and be able
to play violent. Football is a physical sport, you know,
any position, and I felt like I can do that
well and I can feel like I can do it efficient.
I'm fast for my size. I'm also very strong for
my size, and especially going into by U, A lot
of people have compared me to Uh, to Jack Kelly, UH,
great linebacker played there. Uh, and I feel like I
can I can feel those shoes and you know, excel
more or hopefully excel more than he did.
Speaker 2: Do you come from an athletic family? Titan mom, dad
plays sports, brothers and sisters. Give us a little breakdown
of the familial composition. Yeah.
Speaker 3: No, So my father he played He played college ball.
He played down at Vicky State now known as as
Utah Tech. He played there when it was a JUCO
and he played defense and offensive line. And he was
just I mean he was the way I would compare
his playing style almost the same as mine. Just being
able to to use his strength, his abilities, but also
be able to use his speed for his size. He
was super athletic and he did numbers in college and
as well as in high school.
Speaker 2: So what years did he play down there at Dixie?
Speaker 3: Do you know he played down there in he played
down there two or ninety nine to two thousand and one?
Speaker 2: Okay, and did he did he play ball after that
or did he kind of just call it quits after
the JUCO ranks?
Speaker 3: So he actually so after he went JUCO, he actually
ended up playing in a couple of indoor leagues. He
played for the Salt Lake Swarm in the Salt Lake Lions.
He played indoor league for those two teams. And then
once he had his oldest, my older brother, his oldest kid, Tanner,
he ended up hanging out the cleets and decided to
become a family man.
Speaker 2: What's your dad's name?
Speaker 3: His name is Aaron de Young?
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I'm pulling up the All state list from
nineteen ninety seven Deseret News All State football teams. Aaron D. Young?
Did he tell you about them days where he was
a two way, you know, starter offensive and defensive lineman.
Speaker 3: Yes, Sir Granger, Lance's baby ninety seven.
Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, he played with Fahu my teammate. Yeah, yeah,
that's my guy. That's my teammate. There at BYU. That
dude was you guys had a pretty good team there, Granger.
They won some ball.
Speaker 3: Games, yes, sir, they they I believe it was his
is either his junior or senior year. They made it
all the way to the semifinals. They ended up getting
bumped by Skyline, which back in the day they were
yeah they're to be wrecking with.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, there would be cool man. And then and uh,
did you mention your mom as well? Did she play
any sports? And then do you have some brothers and sisters?
Speaker 3: So my mom actually did not play any sports in
high school, but all of her brothers played basketball in
high school. I get most of my also, I get
most of my height from my mom's side. My grandpa
is is six' five and he's a big basketball. Guy
all my uncles are are six four. Plus and then my,
brother my oldest, brother played high school. Ball his name
Was tanner Dey. On he played At Mountains High. School
he was a. Linebacker he racked a total of one
hundred one hundred and FIVE i think one hundred and
ten tackles is his senior year of high school and
then ended up going and serving a mission right after
his right after his high school. Career and then my little,
brother his name Is, tag he plays. Football he's a
fresh incoming freshman this. Year and THEN i had we
had a little sister of a Name's. Hazel she plays, basketball, dance, cheer,
soccer or just you, know every sport you name, it
she can do.
Speaker 2: IT i love, it, MAN i love a good athletic,
family well rounded. Family you mentioned your brother's serving a. Mission,
uh it sounds like your your latter day. Saint do
you plan on serving a mission or is that still
to be?
Speaker 3: DETERMINED i say still to be. Determined, Obviously i'm never gonna.
Speaker 2: Leave that out of the.
Speaker 3: PICTURE i will say That god given me a talent
to play the sport of football and give me a
body to do, it and can't play football. Forever so,
definitely gon try to take advantage of the body and
the skills THAT i have now and you, know put
it towards you, know given giving The cougar is another national.
Speaker 2: Title love that that's the is that the end? Goal
And Natty i've been hearing a lot of people talk
about getting Another natty for THE Byu cougars this. Offseason
it sounds like that's a goal not only for the,
team but all the new recruits and commits that are coming.
Speaker 3: In oh, YEAH i mean HOW i, mean how can
you not you, know the most, pristine pristine championship you can,
win know and and you, KNOW i feel like any
college football player has got to have the mindset, of you,
know you've got to, win you, know especially going against,
big you, know big time, teams especially in The big.
Twelve you, know you Got Texas tech obviously The Big
twelve champions last, year and you, know you go got THE,
sec the A sec on The Big. Ten you, know
all those. Competitors is you, KNOW i think DO i
us heading in the right direction to be able to
compete with those teams That i'm excited to be a
part of.
Speaker 2: That outside of, football what do you like to? Do?
Titan when you have some extra, time where do you
spend your?
Speaker 3: TIME i spend my time in the bowling Alley Dalton
lane's is about about ten minutes late from my. HOUSE
i go bowling about twice a. Week have my own bowling.
Ball that's second second love right.
Speaker 2: THERE i love, it. Man that's. Great it's anything you
want to study specifically while you're at b.
Speaker 3: Yu SO i want if you want to get, SPECIFIC
i want to BE i want to be a pediatrician
When i'm, Older So i'm gonna go into the medical.
FIELD i love helping. KIDS i love being someone that you,
know kids can look up to or in time of
need they can come to, comfortably you. Know and and
that's something THAT i think a patrician does. WELL i
had a really great pedatrician WHEN i WHEN i go
to the. Doctor. Uh and just being you, know you,
know helping kids when they're at rough, times you, know
SOMETHING i love to. Do and patrician you do that every.
Day and you, know if you do what you love
and never never work a day in your. Life so
that's What i'm planning on.
Speaker 2: Doing love that titmed to young here on Your UTAH
Espn radio. Network the uh the recent commit to the
Bau cougar football team for the twenty twenty seven. Class
i'll be, honest, LIKE i, mean these are early. Commitments
SO i DIDN'T i didn't expect any commitments to come
down the. Pipeline you just it just felt. Right you, Didn't,
YEAH i mean you you were gonna get more offers, Here.
TITAN i mean you could go and do more camps
this off. Season why? NOT i, mean and THEN i
know By you wasn't the dream, school but why not
leave it open and continue to take visits et.
Speaker 3: Cetera oh, Yeah i'm totally. REASONABLE i could, have for,
SURE i could, have you, know gone to other camps
and shown to the colleges you know WHAT i have
to offer. Them but at the end of the, day
whenever a coach only, whenever it's whenever you feel like it's.
Right you, know you know it's. Right AND i want
to BE i want to be a part of THE
byu program and AND i want to do that as
soon as. Possible and you, know being the first committed
of twenty twenty seven, Class LIKE i, SAID i like
being a leader AND i like you, know you, know
taking taking it uh control of the, SHIP i, guess
be the captain of the. Team and IF i can help,
others you, know understand WHY i chose By you can
hope we get more big time recruits to come to
the y and be a part of be part of the.
Speaker 2: Program, YEAH i was gonn to ask you have you?
Now are you engaging in the sales of in recruitment
process to get more twenty twenty seven, commitments, uh, signed
sealed and.
Speaker 3: Delivered oh, yeah without a. DOUBT i, have you, know
being able to play with with kids out of state
and being able to play with the top recruits In.
Utah ever since every SINCE i, Commit i've been you, know,
NonStop NonStop, salesman you, know almost you, know compared to a,
missionary just knocking, doors knocking doors and trying to get you,
know trying to get people to.
Speaker 1: Come come to the.
Speaker 2: Place.
Speaker 3: Man so that's that's been the. Goal and, uh you,
know trying to trying to get more people to you,
know come to the.
Speaker 2: Place we have a message of of of a national
championship we'd like to share with. You if you, commit
we got to get you on. Board let's, talk all. Right, No,
no What i'm saying is, like who is it that
you've been you've been? Pitching who have you been targeting
here at the. STATE i know there's a lot of
high level.
Speaker 3: Guys, No, yeah Well I'm i'm good buds with a
with a lot of a lot of people you, know
up and up In Salt lake and a couple of
people down In. Provo i'd say the main Ones.
Speaker 2: Body.
Speaker 3: Sparrow he's From Davis High, school one of a one
good friend of. Mine he is, uncommitted and he has
a ton of big time, offers you, KNOW sec big,
ten A C. C you, know like the. LORY i,
mean more bigger recruit than THAN i, am for. Sure
BUT i JUST i want him to come to the
y one because he's a good, person you. KNOW I
i harp on surrounding yourself with like minded, people you,
know and at B YU i feel, like especially if
you're A utah, kid a lot of the a lot
of the people AT byu are very like, minded and
especially on the football. Team But Body Body sparrow is a,
stud AND i can totally see him being at b
Y u and him and also a. Kid his name
Is Peyton. Higginson he's From Salem, hills another, stud just
just a. Dog he has you, know a ton of
offers as. Well and those, two i'd say are the
biggest Ones i've been harping on, recently just BECAUSE i
know the type of person they are and the type
of player they, are AND i JUST i know they'd
be a perfect fit FOR, buyu who.
Speaker 2: Taught you you're only as good as the people that
you surround yourself. With there's, enough there's a ton of
scientific data behind, it right like the zip code you live, in,
obviously the community in what you're. In who taught you,
That who kind of embedded that into your? Mindset and
you've seen obviously the value of that over the.
Speaker 3: Years and give all that credit to my. Father My
dad's taught me so, much and that's definitely one of
the biggest. Things he's always said that ever, since you,
know ever Since i've, start you, know starting to make
friends and starting to have friend, rivers you always says
you're you're going to be the middle of the top
five people you you surround yourself, with and ever since,
Then i've that's been a big part of my. Recruitment
it's just because if you're hanging out or if you're
around people that don't have the same priorities of, you
they eventually you're going to, start you, know falling into
their priorities and that's not WHAT i, want you, know
love that.
Speaker 2: BREAKDOWN i think there's a tremendous wisdom from From. Pops
he's a great football, player great mentor as. Well shout
out to your your, dad, well titaned congratulations. Man impressed
with your film and, productivity and probably more impressed with
your mindset quite, honestly so uh and uh your ability
to articulate a message and have a clear. Vision you
know the scriptures say without a, vision people. Perish it
sounds like you've got a pretty good vision of what
you want your future to. Be so, uh you, KNOW
i think You're you're on the right. Path So, titan
we salute, you, Man we appreciate, you congratulations on. Everything
will continue to get to know, YOU i think through the,
process BUT i can't wait to see you ball out
for Mountain ridge this. Year how is Mountain ridge looking this?
Year let's highlight some of your.
Speaker 3: Teammates, OH i, MEAN i know everyone's going to say
this about the high. SCHOOL i really think, that you,
know we're in contention for a Sixth staate state. TITLE
i think with our we are returning Quarterback Jackson hant
the best top three Quarterbacks i've ever played, with And
i've been all across the, country you, know playing with
top or. Three he's just a stud and he's you,
know like LIKE i, said like. Minded People me and him,
think you, know we're hand in, hand especially being a
receiver playing for. Him you, know as a, quarterback we've
got to be on the same, page and we're you,
know always on the same. Page and he's a stud
and and we have him returning this. Year he threw
for four thousand yards last, year first year, starting and
he's just a. Stud and then we've got a couple
a couple of people that transferred. In we have a
linebacker name Is Kyler christiansen From Riverton High, school stud.
Linebacker we also got one From West. Jordan his name
is his real name Is, austen but everyone calls Him.
Scooby he was five a linebacker the year last. Year
and Then Shane johnson From taylorsville came. Over he's a
stud a. Lineman so just all those pieces that have been,
added as long as the pieces that we have and
the coaching that we have, ESPECIALLY i have no doubt
in my mind that we should we should be in
contention for that six say state.
Speaker 2: Title Man, titan looking forward to. It congratulations once, Again
we'll keep in. Contact thanks for hopping on so we
could get to know you.
Speaker 3: Today, YEAH i know for, SURE i appreciate you, guys
and excited to be A. Cougarman let's.
Speaker 2: Go let's Go titan to young ladies and gentlemen ballershot
collar two way player out Of Mountain Ridge High school In, Herriman.
Utah check out his Film. Cougarnation you're gonna love the,
Motor you're gonna love the. Violence you're GONNA i, mean
obviously getting to know, him you can see he's got
a great football like you as, well perfect fit to
be a part of THE Byu cougar football. Family that
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