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Speaker 2: Let's get to know the Cougars student athletes get a
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Nobody does it better than Vandrews. Well did he stop
a little uh player profile getting in a Walker Lions
That's right, Walker Lines, the four star transfer from usc
the brother of Ryder Lions, the five star quarterback at
a out of Fulsome High school in California. Walker Lions
is a six foot four, two order thirty five powder
and played in twenty three games at us O for
two season. Played in twelve games of the twenty twenty
five season, caught twenty balls for two hundred and twenty
three yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans. Appeared in
eleven games, making three starts as a true freshman, so
got the ball out as a freshman too, served a
mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day
Saints in Norway prior to arriving at USC and, as
it mentioned, a four star recruit that was touted as
the number two tight end in the nation by ESPN
and the number four by Rivals, number nine by twenty
four to seven Sports, and number thirteen by ON three,
right as the number eight player in the state of
California once upon a time by Rivals and then number
nine by ESPN, number eleven by twenty four to seven
and number fifteen by ON three. He was selected to
participate in the twenty twenty three Under Armour All American Game,
where he was honored as the All American balls Man
of the Year for his high standard of excellence in
community service and athletic distinction, and as a junior selected
to the twenty twenty one Max Preps California All State
Second Team. In twenty twenty one, Max Preps all San
Joaquin Section football team. Now he's a BYU cougar. Brought
his talents to Pro Bowl along with his brother, and
I was able to catch up with him earlier this week.
And you're gonna you're gonna want to get to know
Walker Lions here. The segment's gonna be brought to you
by Central Garage Utah. Central Garage Utah dot com. I
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All right, let's get to know Walker Lions BYU tight
End and gonna be a part of that twelve personnel
package that Kugarnation loves this season. All right, we got
BYU tight End, Walker Lions here, Walker House practice today.
Speaker 4: It's good. Is a good day.
Speaker 5: Lots of lots of take and learn from, made some
good plays, made some some bad ones, but that's kind
of part of spring and sounds good.
Speaker 4: But overall was good, good competition and stuff.
Speaker 3: Yeah, how's the transition been for you from from USC
to b YU with it? Has it been smooth? A
little bumpy along the way.
Speaker 4: No, I mean it's been really smooth. It's been really seamless.
Speaker 5: And for me it kind of feels like, in a way,
I don't know, it doesn't feel like a restart for me.
Speaker 4: I feel like I kind of was very.
Speaker 5: Familiar with the program, very familiar with a lot of
coaching staff, even teammates, even just students, and so everything
has been pretty seamless, been a good transition. I haven't
felt like, you know, kind of like I've been trying
to catch up to speed. I think maybe not a
little bit, a little bit right in the beginning, but
overall is good and I'm feeling good now.
Speaker 4: And you know, as far as.
Speaker 5: Football goes, there's a little little differences here and there,
but for the most part, you know, it's college football.
It's gonna be very so learn. As far as talent goes,
you know, we we have we have talent and we
got guys, so.
Speaker 4: It's been great.
Speaker 3: Was it a difficult decision for you to enter the
portal and and uh, you know, find your next home?
What what was some of the catalysts to kind of
push you into the portal?
Speaker 4: Yeah, it was definitely a difficult decision.
Speaker 5: And there was no hard feelings about me leaving or
it wasn't any like perse like, there wasn't there was
nothing that you know, really was I guess like that
pushed me over the edge. I think it was just
you know, a little little things that I felt maybe
could be fulfilled other places in my life. And so
I think for me making that decision was it was
it was tough at the time, and then as I
was exploring options in the portal, was exploring where I
kind of wanted to finish my college career ultimately, like
be what was really the place I wanted to be,
And you know, there's other schools that reached out and
talk to a little bit, But I honestly made the
decision before I've been visited here before I before I
even moved, I signed a lease, moved out here before
even coming, and it was kind of a done deal.
Speaker 3: So yeah, I think, yeah, during your recruiting process, how
many times would you come down to provo on the
that initial recruiting parade.
Speaker 5: Oh, I mean, I mean more than more than a
handful of times, probably five six times.
Speaker 4: Yeah, so quite often. And I mean in high school
I probably went to three.
Speaker 5: Or four games. And obviously my dad played here. I
grew up coming to games here. Brother in law he
played here. So it's just there's a lot of connections.
My little brother's coming here, so kind of just you know,
it's a it's a family. It's a little bit of
a family feel for me here and now I'm just
to be a part of it.
Speaker 4: Is it's a cool feeling.
Speaker 5: Like I said, it kind of is like it going
back to what I said about the transition, that's kind
of I feel like what's made it so smooth is
the fact that it's just super familiar, and it's something
where it's a place where I want to be and
I want to give my all two and make a
lot lasting impact because I've seen how BYU was affected
my life and I kind of want that saying, you.
Speaker 4: Know, for for my future as well.
Speaker 3: Love that What were what were some of the determining
factors the first go around? Why not be what the
first go around? But the second go round was the
right plot spot.
Speaker 5: I mean, I think right out of high school, I
felt like there.
Speaker 4: Was some things just missing.
Speaker 5: As far as just I don't know, I felt like
there was just a few things where they didn't quite have,
you know, the answers to it in a way, or
like there was just some development pieces that I was like, hmm,
like I don't know about this or that.
Speaker 4: And I think the.
Speaker 5: Second time around, those initial concerns have almost all been
just taken and made, you know, some of the best.
Speaker 4: I guess, like, I don't I don't really know how
to phrase it other than.
Speaker 5: Like my initial concerns now or when I entered the portal,
they were gone and now instead of those concerns, there
was just so many positives with the strength staff, with
the nutrition staff, with the sports science, with.
Speaker 4: You know, the tight end play, with the success there
with the last.
Speaker 5: Couple of seasons, and with the coaching stability and all
these things that I guess at my time out of
high school, I felt like I wasn't too sure about
if that makes sense.
Speaker 3: Because you initially did you commit to Stanford and then
commit to USC. So I've heard, you know, obviously great
things about all those things that you mentioned in Stanford
and USC.
Speaker 4: So I could I could see that.
Speaker 3: I think there's some valid, you know, constructive criticism there
and that feedback and it's been transformed. I mean, I've
seen it personally over the last three years. Colby, Colossum, Skyler, Maine,
you know, all of the Ryan Phillis's, It's different than
it than it was maybe four or five years ago.
Speaker 2: No.
Speaker 5: Yeah, and that's exactly what I felt. And I think
it's also evident in just looking at the team, looking
at the caliber of guys we have on the roster
right now. I think it's one of the most talented rosters.
I think, you know, he's happen in a long time,
and you know, we have high expectations and we're just
kind of buying in one day at a time.
Speaker 3: What stood out to you about you your teammates as
far who would you like to highlight that you've been
impressed by, maybe on the offensive or defensive side of
the ball, that you've been impressed by.
Speaker 5: I would say I've been really really impressed by our linebackers.
I think they've been playing really really.
Speaker 4: Well, all of them.
Speaker 5: My roommates kid, so that's fun. We lived together, and
he's he's doing awesome.
Speaker 3: Can he lift with the club?
Speaker 5: Yeah, it was a little brace when he lift, but yeah,
I think he's been doing a good job. And I'd
say the lot has been doing really good helping us
with communications. As far as the tight ends go, all
the tight ends have been playing really well. The receivers also,
I think Reggie's been doing really well.
Speaker 4: All over. I think Jojo has been playing really well.
Speaker 5: Kyler, I mean, I can't it's hard for me to
like focus on one guy, especially the way we do
it here where it's very.
Speaker 4: Just everyone's getting a lot of raps. There's not really
depth charts right now, and it's just kind of.
Speaker 5: Everyone's just kind of playing. And but I've been really
impressed by everyone.
Speaker 3: You mentioned, you know, three really tall wide receivers. I
was joking around on my show that I would love
to see an empty set with Walker Lyons, Roger, Sally Apaga, Kyler,
Reggie and Jojo. That may be the biggest empty set
in college football.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I know, I mean it would be pretty fun.
Speaker 5: We've we've been doing a lot of twelve with four
of those guys, and that's been pretty fun in the huddle,
just like, well, it's not used to this, but I mean,
I think it's cool. I think it's speaks to the team,
the talent that we have, the growth, you know, maybe
production wise that we're hoping to have this year, and
I think, you know, we have big players and.
Speaker 4: Hopefully we make some big plays.
Speaker 3: You mentioned your brother in law also played here.
Speaker 4: He's played here, He's a played here.
Speaker 5: I don't know when, but he was a tight ends
David David Weeks.
Speaker 3: So yeah, it's in the family obviously. And when Ryder
was going through his recruitment, what what were you what
were you thinking? What were you what were those conversations
like within the family at the family dinners.
Speaker 4: His recruitment was a little as crazy.
Speaker 5: It was very just very nationally followed, very national stage
at the time, and I hear the community I was
still has obviously, but it was like one of the
top players in the whole country, and so I just
I always just wanted him to I gave him my
advice after being in college football two years, and I
kind of told him what I felt was was important
about making a decision, because it really recruiting is really
just like smoking mirrors for the most part, and they'll
say whatever, And I've had experience that and if you
ask every single player he's ever been recruited, they'll say
the same thing. So I kind of just tried to
help him through that process of you know, make sure
you make a decision that you know is good for you,
good for your life.
Speaker 4: And ultimately what you want, what you want to do.
Speaker 5: Like I feel like he felt a lot of pressures,
you know, to go to different places, and truthfully, he
made the decision on his own, and it was the
one that you know, I gave him my opinion, but
he really made that decision his own, and I thought
it was cool that he committed and he was just
pretty much all in on that once he made that decision.
Speaker 3: So you mentioned his recruitment and how high profile was
I mean you were four star tight end. I mean
you were getting recruited by a lot of different schools.
Did it make you reflect it, like on your position choice,
You're like, man, maybe I should have been a quarterback.
Speaker 4: I don't know, it's too much pressure for me. I
don't like it.
Speaker 5: I used to like word back in high school my
first you know, kind of two years of high school.
Oh you did, okay, Yeah, I switched over my sophomore year.
Speaker 3: What was the determining factor, like why it was more natural?
Speaker 4: More natural? I probably was not as good.
Speaker 5: I wasn't as good as a writer was It was
just a more natural, bigger and like I kind of
like this less little, less pressure, more chill and just
something I really I don't know.
Speaker 4: I just became very passionate about.
Speaker 3: It schematically and even speaking to maybe Kevin Gilbride, what
do you like about the scheme and also your position coach?
Speaker 5: I mean the development for our position specifically is it's
some of the best I think I've seen, like seen
or heard of. And we have three designated people in
our room just tight ends helping us, which is I
don't think that's normal. So Kevin, who else have Kevin.
We got Al, and we have Tyson, Tyson McDaniel and
then a yes, yep, and we.
Speaker 4: Have all three of them.
Speaker 5: Obviously, Al played in the NFL for you know, eight
ten years. He so he has just lots of nuggets
that helped have helped me. And coach Gilbright obviously coached
the highest level for you know, ten plus years. And
Tyson he's very familiar with just the position itself, and
so during our individual time and during film, I think
the biggest difference I've noticed as far as like my
development goes is there's just so many things that I
thought I knew that I didn't know and.
Speaker 4: That they've just helped me to get better at.
Speaker 5: And that's just run blocking, feeling zones, different man techniques,
just so so many things. And I would say the
development for our position the Titans specifically is just top notch.
Speaker 3: What skill set do you bring to the tight end
room that differentiate yourself and then do you model your
game after anybody collegiate later professionally?
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think for me, I've always tried to be
a player who can, you know, play every every level
of the field and play every down and kind of
just do whatever that's asked who what's ever asked of me,
whether that's run blocking, whether that's past blocking, whether that's
running a vertical route, screen intermediate, you know, blocking in space,
whatever it is.
Speaker 4: I've tried to just be able.
Speaker 5: To be a complete player and really just become a
player that doesn't need to be taken off the field
because he can do it all. And so that's kind
of what I'm trying to do. And the person I've
really studied a lot of as far as like just
like NFL goes is, I've really studied a lot of
George Kittle stuff, and actually I've studied a lot of Dalton.
Speaker 4: Kincaid college stuff, which might be a little.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think he's just the way he like attacks
the ball, the way he's just I don't know. There's
a lot of clips of him that I've watched, and
I feel like I've tried to.
Speaker 4: Just kind of implement my own game.
Speaker 3: Awesome Walker, What goals do you have for yourself through Spring?
I'm sure the playbook and alignment assignment is probably the key.
Obviously you want technique and all those things, but knowing
where you're at and what you're supposed to do on
any given place, probably the most difficult thing right now.
Speaker 5: I mean, I've been surprised by how fast I've picked
it up and understood offense. And I think that's it
helps that have you know, played a lot of college football,
and so I may be less worried about, oh is
this dude gonna like absolutely destroy me right now, or
more like focused on Okay, what do I have here
and able to kind of go a little bit quicker now,
whereas if I was newer, it's probably just like you're
drinking out of fire.
Speaker 4: It was a little bit.
Speaker 5: The goals for me, I mean, for then, for the
rest of the spring is just continue to develop the
most I can, continue to try and get his be
the most out of it because this is kind of
the last competitive football we have for a while. So
just to take take the most out of it to
get the most development I possibly can.
Speaker 4: And then, you know, goals going to the fall.
Speaker 5: Just be the best player can be the best team
that can be, help help help team win the national championship.
You know, I have a lot of personal goals. I
want to you know, I want to eventually be drafted.
I want to be All American, all these things. I
have these goals, but I kind of just you know,
before all that, I just kind of want to help,
you know, team be what they need me to be.
Speaker 3: So outside of football, what do you gonna be studying?
What do you want to get into career wise after
the NFL?
Speaker 4: Yeah, so I'm doing business right now.
Speaker 5: I was studying real estate development at USC So I
studied that for two years and that's kind of where
I want to. I want to get into just a
little bit commercial real estate and just kind of that
that realm of work.
Speaker 4: Great network here, yeah, I know.
Speaker 5: So there's lots of lots of people I've been put
in touch with so far, and hopefully I meet a
lot more who who can help me and you know,
learn and help me learn the ropes a little bit.
Speaker 3: When once you get big time, one last thing, uh,
product or service? An IL deal you're looking for for
those corporate sponsorships.
Speaker 4: Out there, I don't know, that's a good question.
Speaker 3: If you could choose one right now locally, anything food plays.
Speaker 5: I think I think if like some golf courses golf
course and IL deal, Yeah, I.
Speaker 4: Think those would be pretty sweet. You know, I don't know.
Speaker 3: Golf clubs golf, golf.
Speaker 4: It's about that time.
Speaker 3: Yeah, there we go, all right, walker, lions, ladies and
general things. So much it is golf season, isn't it
like these? As soon as springball is done and they
get into the strength and conditioning, nutritional law season, the
extra bandwidth that is not allocated to maybe classes you
know where, you know where it goes, they head over
to the golf course. Remember, like Cody Apps just fell
in love with the golf courses here in the state
of Utah in the off season. All the boys getting together,
competing with the sticks on the uh on the manicured
greens and uh beautiful fairways of Utah County. Baby, and
going around the state. There's some tremendous golf courses. We're
in a high desert, but man, we have some tremendous
golf course. I love Hobble Creek, you know, t Point.
I was a member at Alpine for a long time
and I loved that course as well. Anyway, a lot
of great courses. It sounds like he's got the bug.
He's got that golf bug that all these Cougar football
players get in the offseason. Rob up the three man weaver.
That's what he wants. If he wants an nild, he
wants to get on board with a golf course. It
sounds like, I.
Speaker 6: Mean, how do you not fall in love with golf? Ben,
And I mean, that's my I've fallen in love with
Look I've gotten better. Look it's been what three years
since I've started, And I see why you fall in
love Not my bank account can't fall in love with it,
you know for some reason.
Speaker 3: Well the driving rangers.
Speaker 6: Fine, well, no exactly, Well that's why you said that.
You told me, don't spend all these money on courses
in this and I saved a lot more money compared
to year one to year two when I looked at it.
So wow, that's anyway to the point he I mean, look,
he's a ca boy, he's from California.
Speaker 3: It's nice.
Speaker 6: They got some nice courses out there, probably been good weather.
And then he comes to Utah, so he's already got
a good bug to have. And you're right, that's what
football players do. And look, there's been a lot of
news been in the off season with some football players.
If you're on a golf course, that's exactly where you
should be with your teammates, with your family, with your friends.
If you're married, with your wife, take the kiddo, gonna
be taking jersey, and then go out there and enjoy it. Look,
the weather's nice and right now it's a little muggy,
but yesterday, Ben, and then you know, last week it's
been beautiful. So after this cold front, I'm looking forward
to definitely seeing the golf courses. You and I gotta
get out a little bit more. And look, I was
even talking to the Sids. We even know when our
media golf tournament is gonna be, so I'm looking forward
to that as well. But golf season is definitely upon us.
Speaker 3: With as April hits, golf season, Baby is the best season.
Let's go. That was a great segment with Walker, Lions,
ladies and gentlemen, and it was brought to you by
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Let's take a time out. We'll be back on the
flip side. We'll get to know Titan D. Young. That's right,
three star BYU Linebacker wide receiver.
Speaker 7: Just could purchase a device call us today eight oh one,
four hundred and five to three one eight. That's eight
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visit us at Orthroprosiutah dot com.
Speaker 2: This is a one oh three nine and ninety eight
three ESPN Sports Center updates.
Speaker 4: And they just keep on winning.
Speaker 8: BYU women's basketball defeated the Kansas Jayhawks yesterday in the
semifinals a wbit seventy to sixty seven. The Cougar were
down for most of the game, and a surge at
the end of the fourth quarter propelled the Cougs out
in front, and they never looked back. In the semifinal matchup,
Olivia Hamlin tied her career high of twenty three points
for the second time this tournament and could not miss
from deep. Adding to the party was a lot of
rocal who would scored nine points. More impressively, had a
season high fourteen rebounds. BYU will look to take home
the crown tomorrow. Sorrow at five o'clock is they take
on the Columbia Lions out of the IVY League in
the championship game. The only game going on today is
the BYU baseball team, who will play Kansas State at
home at three o'clock. This will not count toward conference
standings and will be the lone midweek game for the
Cougar Is before they head out to Waco, Texas to
take on Baylor this weekend. I'm Cameron Clark and this
has been your ESPN the Fan Cougar Sports Center update,
brought to you by Royal Army Brand dot com. Royal
Army Brand. You can look good, feel good, feel good,
play good.
Speaker 3: He's my local perspective.
Speaker 2: It's the NFL Blitz week game mornings at seven forty
five only on twice and BA New Chip on one
oh three nine at ninety eight three ESPN the Fan,
You're listening to Cougar Sports with Ben Krettle, and it's
time for a crew of Cougar's and inside look at
the latest news on the recruiting trails surrounding Cougar athletics.
Speaker 3: Welcome back Cougar Sports. One of three nine ninety eight
point three ESPN the Fan I've been critil 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 laters, the most recent commit to the Bau Cougar
football team in the twenty twenty seven class. It's going
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Let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in the six
foot three, twohundred fifteen pounder out of Mountain Ridge High
School in Harriman, Utah, part of the twenty twenty seven class.
He 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. Titan.
How the heck are you, buddy good? How are you doing? Awesome?
Speaker 2: Man?
Speaker 3: 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 4: It feels great man.
Speaker 9: So it's even better than to be a Cougar. Let's go.
Speaker 3: Let's go, man. It was was byu always kind of
a favorite or did it become a favorite? Kind of
give us a little breakdown of your recruitment through through
this process.
Speaker 9: So you want to know what's crazy? Actually, So I
I've lived in Utah my entire life, and I've actually
grown up a Utah youth fans for as I actually 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 you
know with with Uyu, it was they offered me January
eighth this year, January eighth, twenty twenty six, and it
came in and Klane Satakie 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 Klanne 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 3: 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.
Speaker 9: Yes, sir, so I I went to their camp, their
football camp in June of twenty twenty five, and was
able to be coached by them and and uh, 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 3: So who coached at the BAU football camp then? Who
was maybe more hands on than others?
Speaker 9: So I went to that camp as a 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 3: Okay, so they 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?
Speaker 9: Oh it was a surprise for sure. I mean it
was I was at school, just you know, mine of
my day and coach coach pulled my head coach at
Mountainers 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 3: Man, well, congratulations, who are the final schools? And why
did you commit? Now? I mean, you're it's it's the
it's March thirty first, it was March thirtieth. Why commit now?
Why not wait it out? And you have a lot
of offers, as I mentioned, give us a little breakdown
of that. Who did it come down to? And why
commit early?
Speaker 8: All right?
Speaker 9: So I had kind of had the idea where I
wanted to go, obviously BYU being one of them, and
I had them down to about my top three. I
had pal Berkeley and Michigan and BYU as my as
my final three schools that I was decided 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 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, clicked and
I was I wanted to be a cougar.
Speaker 3: 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, No,
for sure.
Speaker 9: One one player I want to mention is Kadu 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 it that all around. He
he has just he's physical, he's violent, and he knows
that I'll play the game of football and Coach Pop
knows that. So Coach Papinka, sorry, Coach Coach Papinka knows that.
And he and the way he just adapts to that
situation and is able to to show him things and
refine Caid's craft, because Kaid's he was the number one
linebacker in the recruiting portal UH this this offseason and
he's going into going into by U and you mean,
coach Pop can see his greatnesses and you can also
see his flaws, and the way that he was able
to 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 the
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 3: 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?
Speaker 9: They? I mean, I have a ton of respect for
for Utah and they they are actually my first offer
UH 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 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 a
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 signed 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 3: 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. We be 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 9: Oh yeah, the way they're able to almost change a
player's body like entirely is just super I mean it's
the stats, you know, like 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 is 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 3: At Titan Dejung. Here on your Utah ESPN Ready to
Net Network a crewt and the Cougar segment brought to
you by Odion Men's where Odion Menswear 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. Uh you know, yeah,
I'm sure you like to crackheads. I've been watching your film.
What do you feel like you bring to the table
and what position do you see yourself playing at the
collegiate level.
Speaker 9: That's a great question, and 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 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 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, a big actually of mine.
And Number two, I'd stay coachability. I'm able to adapt
the situations.
Speaker 3: You know.
Speaker 9: Being coachable I think is the most important attribute as
a player, especially going into the collegiate level.
Speaker 3: Uh.
Speaker 9: Those coaches, I mean they're there for a reason and
they got step 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 3: 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 y U
coaching staff and how they teach, how they coach up
to this point.
Speaker 9: 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 roster. Yeah,
obviously because I'm in high school, but I already feel
like I'm a part of the team. And I know
every player at BUYU would say the exaccame thing, and
you know it goes to show there. There's that, and
there's also the way the 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 a better player.
Speaker 3: When you watch your film, what what do you see like?
What do you like about the way that you play
the game?
Speaker 9: 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 feel 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 3: 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 9: No, So my father he played he played college ball.
He played down at Dixie State now known 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 with 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 3: So what years did he play down there at Dixie?
Speaker 9: Do you know he played down there in he played
down there two or ninety nine to two thousand and one?
Speaker 3: Okay? And did he did he play ball after that?
Or did he kind of just call it quits after
the JUCO ranks.
Speaker 9: 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 up the cleets and decided to
become a family man.
Speaker 3: What's your dad's name?
Speaker 9: His name is Aaron de Young.
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I'm pulling up the all state lists from
nineteen ninety seven Deseret News all state football teams. Aaron
de Young? Did he tell you about them days where
he was a two way, you know, starter offensive and
defensive lineman.
Speaker 9: Yes, sir, Granger, Lance's baby ninety seven.
Speaker 3: Oh my goodness. He played with Fahu my teammate. Yeah, yeah,
that's my guy. That's my teammate there at b YU,
that dude was. You guys had a pretty good team there, Granger.
They won some ball.
Speaker 9: 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 semi finals that ended up
getting bumped by Skyline, which back in the day they
were to be recking with.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, there would be cool man. And then, uh,
did you mention your mom as well? Did she play
any sports? And then you had some brothers and sisters.
Speaker 9: So my mom actually did not play any sports in
in high school, but all of her brothers played basketball
in high school. I get most of my auto, 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 tannardy On you 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
have we have a little sister of a Named. Table
she she plays, basketball, dance, cheer, soccer just you, know
every sport you name, it she can do.
Speaker 3: IT i love. It, MAN i love a good athletic,
family well rounded. Family you mentioned your brother's serving a.
Mission it sounds like your your latter day. Saint do
you plan on serving a mission or is that still
to be? Determined i'd say still to be.
Speaker 9: Determined, Obviously i'm never gonna leave that out of the.
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 given The cougar is another national?
Speaker 3: 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 9: In oh, YEAH i mean HOW i, mean how can
you not you, know the most, pristine pristine championship you can,
win you, know and and, uh 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 by is heading in the right direction to be
able to compete with those. Teams i'm excited to be
a part of.
Speaker 3: That outside of, Football what do you like to, Do?
Titan when do you have some extra? Time where do
you spend your?
Speaker 9: TIME i spend my time in the bowling. Alley Dalton
lane is about about ten minutes a lay from my.
HOUSE i go bowling about twice a week on my
own bowling. BALL i that's second second love right.
Speaker 3: THERE i love. It, man that's. Great it's anything you
want to study specifically while you're at B, yu SO i.
Speaker 9: Want if you want to get, SPECIFIC i want to
BE i want to be a pediatrician When i'm, older
So i'm going to 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 pediatrician does. WELL i had
a really great pediatrician WHEN i WHEN i would go
to the doctor and just being you, know you, know
helping kids when they're at rough, times you, know SOMETHING
i love to. Do and the pediatrician 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 3: DOING i love. THAT i to young here on Your
UTAH Espn radio. Network the uh uh the recent commit
to the Ba You cougar football team for the twenty
twenty seven. Class. Uh i'll be, honest, LIKE i, mean
these are early. COMMITMENTS i DIDN'T i didn't expect any
commitment 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 i know by you wasn't the dream, school
but why not leave it open and continue to take
visits et. Cetera, Oh, yeah totally.
Speaker 9: REASONABLE i could have for, SURE i could, have you,
know gone to other camps and some of the, colleges
you know WHAT i have to offer. Them but at
the end of the, day whenever a coach, toly 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 bau program AND i
want to do that as soon as. Possible and you,
know being the first committed of the twenty twenty seven.
Class LIKE i, SAID i like 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 DO iu can hopefully get more big
time recruits to come to the y and be a
part of be part of the.
Speaker 3: 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
seal and? Delivered oh, yeah without a.
Speaker 9: 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 can do, That 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 come come to the place.
Man and 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 3: 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 9: Guys, no, yeah Well i'm good buds with 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 Body. 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 acc 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 in A BYU 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's the stud AND i can totally see him being AT.
Buyu 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 there and the type of player they,
are AND i JUST i know they'd be a perfect
fit FOR.
Speaker 3: Byu who taught you you're only as good as the
people that you surround yourself. With there's Nothing 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 9: YEARS i 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 been, started you, know starting to
make friends and starting to How Frean ribsy 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.
Uh 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.
Speaker 3: Want you, know love that. 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. Uh but, UH i can't wait to see
a ball out for Mountain ridge this. Year how is
Mountain ridge looking this? Year let's highlight some of your.
Speaker 9: Teammates, OH i, MEAN i know everyone's going to say
this about the high, school BUT i really think, that you,
know we're in contention for a SIX a state. TITLE
i think with our we are returning Quarterback Jackson, hunt
the best top three Quarterbacks i've ever played, with And
i've been all across the, country you, know playing with top.
Recruits 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 Riverson High, school stud. Linebacker we also
got one From West. Jordon his name is his real
name Is, austen but everyone calls Him. Scooby he was
FIVE A linebacker of The year last. Year and Then
Shane johnson From taylorsville came. Over he's a stud. Aligneman
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 ay state.
Speaker 3: 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. Today, YEAH i know for.
Speaker 9: SURE i appreciate you guys and excited to be a.
Cougarman let's.
Speaker 3: Go let's. Go titan to young ladies and. Gentlemen baldershot
collar two way player out Of Mountain Ridge High school In, Herreman.
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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