Speaker 1: You're listening to Cougar Sports with Ben Kretel, and it's
time for a crew the Cougar's and inside look at
the latest news on the recruiting trails surrounding Cougar athletics.
Speaker 2: Welcome back to your sports one of Green nine ninety
eight points ref.
Speaker 3: Ben the Man.
Speaker 4: I've been little broadcasting from our.
Speaker 2: Sky Chevrolet in Provo, Rocky Mountain Chevrolet dealer five North
University Parkway. That's twenty one twenty five North University Parkway.
Just hop skipping a jump away from Lavelle Edwards Stadium.
Stop in and I'll obviously check out all the Chevy
vehicles here at Sky Chevrolet in Provo. But also we're
taking donations right now. Tis the season to be giving.
If you have nonperishable food items, lightly used clothing or
hygiene items you'd like to donate to the road Home.
Speaker 4: The Roadhome dot org.
Speaker 2: Road Home helps thousands of people every year that are
in need of a home and support. And so please,
if you have the means, give, Because I've been given much,
I too must give.
Speaker 4: As the old song goes, please give back.
Speaker 2: And we're going to get into a little alleged football
little recruiting segment here. Ryder lions is live right now
on his Instagram fet. He may be committing, maybe signing,
he's already committed. He may be signing with the BYU
Cougar's had to work a few things out earlier today.
We'll see how it plays out here momentarily on the
Instagram live. But let's get out to the hotline. Welcome
in Brandon Huffman of two four seven Sports to tell
us a little bit about what's cooking with the Cougars
in the recruiting order.
Speaker 4: Brent, And how the heck are you, buddy?
Speaker 5: Hey, I am doing great.
Speaker 3: It would be nice if we get this announcement from
jameson pal here because it's kind of a lot of
thing I'm waiting for on.
Speaker 5: This crazy day. Oh and there's also the Rider Liones
news chack.
Speaker 2: It yeah, I mean, any surprises, any flips, anything that
kind of has occurred today that you were taken back by.
Speaker 3: Well, the big one is Henry is the top receiver
in California. You know, his teammate Kid and Dixon, why
he was committed Ohio State flipped to USC this morning.
And then Chris Tendu was on his way to school
when he got the news about Brian Hartline. So he
is not yet signed anywhere. Oregon is making a push,
USC's making a push, Texas is getting involved Ohio States.
You know, he's been committed for two and a half years,
trying to get him back in the full So that's
been kind of the big one so far today.
Speaker 2: Yeah, he have a prognostication on where he could end up.
Is it going to go to the highest bidder type
of deal. It sounds like he was pretty connected to
heart Line there at Ohio State. Now with hardline head
the USF, he's got to find a new home.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't think he's going to USF. Sorry, bullstand.
I know you're probably a little excited thinking that by
the possibility that ain't happening. From the sounds of it,
it's going to likely the Oregon us He is making
a push right now. I think that Oregon has in
the school that has been involved the most in trying
to flip him for the last couple of weeks and
nearly for the last couple of years, if we're really
being honest and so, I think that the dust could
end up being even with will Stein leave and I
think that could end up being the ultimate destination for him.
Speaker 4: Why isn't Byu in on the mix.
Speaker 2: Doesn't he have some connectivity here locally, somehow, some way.
Speaker 3: Yeah, he's Paulynesian, have Polynesian. I think he's got family
ties into Utah. You know, it's funny this morning that
the school that I was hearing that was the wild
card was actually West Virginia. You know, his dad played
for rich Rodriguez at West Virginia. But you know in
West Virginia had a home of close today. But I
don't think that's going to happen. I think it's going
to eat to be Oregon or USC, which has been
you know, rumored for months that those are the two
schools that had the best chance of getting him.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, let's hope he finds a home. I'm sure
he will. He's one of the highest prospects, highest rated
prospects in the country, so Rider Lyons. I don't know
if we've heard official news. I don't know if we
have any breaking news, Ronald. I'll try to keep an
eye on this stuff later. Signing. It looks like I
think we just had got off the phone with Will
Snowden looks like things.
Speaker 4: Have been worked out.
Speaker 2: I think he should be signing with the Cougars if
he does. How good of a get is it for BYU?
Speaker 3: Well, it'd be a significant because now you know, with
the emergence of Bear Bachmeyer, it gives them a quarterback
that can take over the reins in two thousand and whatever.
That would be twenty twenty eight. Rader would come in
twenty twenty seven. Now you've got a year to get
him back acclimated. It again, you got Bart going into
his junior year, and you've got that bridge before Bear
goes on to the NFL. If that's the calendar that
we're looking at. But obviously he would be a significant
get for BYU from a procession standpoint going into California,
you know, beating Oregon, beating USC, beating Lane Kiff in
an all myth, and then in the last couple of weeks,
you know the transpiring of Lan Kipp and going to LSU,
And I know that LSU has been trying in the
eleventh hour now that Miami has been in contact and
trying to get him, and I know Oregon never relented
even with will Stein Leavin. Now like with Chris Henry.
I don't think he's going to West Virginia. I don't
think there's any chance that Riderlands goes to Kentucky. So
it's a big one because it's not just the challenge
that you got, but it's the player, the teams you
beat to get him.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's a special class for by. Is this
the best class in recruited class in BA football history?
Speaker 3: You know, I was looking and trying this thing from
a rating standpoint. It's going to be one of their
higher rated classes ever. But I got to think back
to maybe the twenty ten class the Jake.
Speaker 5: Keeps Ross Apo.
Speaker 3: Was that Alani Fua zach Stout type of twenty ten
class where they were, you know, really doing well in
cooking under Bronco. To have a class that's got the
national caliber recruits that they beat so many elite schools
had to head.
Speaker 4: For, yeah, that was I'm looking.
Speaker 2: I'm looking at the composite ranking on the website and
that ended up being I think thirty third in the
country at least what I have in front of me.
I don't know if it's an accurate depiction, but I
mean it's right there.
Speaker 4: Man. This this this crew.
Speaker 2: If everyone's retained right, you never know what can happen.
You never know what can happen. But man, it feels
like this is a kind of a pivotal shift for
b What we thought this shift was happening in twenty ten,
but then BAA was essentially forced an independence and they
didn't get the call up to the P five ranks,
and it was just a different time, different places. They
had to go into independence and wander the wilderness for
you know, almost most thirteen years. But now it seems
like this is the time, this is the place, this
is the change, This is momentum that's really creating some
positive momentum in Cougar Country.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, you know, if you look at the
timing of really you go back to last fall when
scenes really turned around on the field. There was that
obviously really tough twenty twenty three season as they're getting
adjusted to the Big twelve events, twenty fourth season happened,
and it seems like, you know, ever since then with it,
whether it was the ballgame in San Antonio, the you know,
obviously there was a dip with Jake Grisloff and then
you get a Bear Bockmeier out of it, and it's
like things have been just cooking for BYU for the
last play fifteen to sixteen months. And I think that,
you know, this is going to sound weird, because I
would imagine that the last seventy two hours ninety six
hours have been some nashing his teenth and some freaking out.
It's Kilana going to go to Penn State. And you
know how many times we heard Plani's name mentioned, and
you all know that the culture he's built there, we
always hear his name mentioned, but you never think he's
going to leave, and this maybe looked like it was
the closest he's ever to leave in that should tell
you what kind of demand that he has as a coach.
And I think the response from the fan base kind
of shows like, hey, you know what, Bilani has this
thing exactly where we want it to be, and he's
catapulting him to even be further than BYU probably thought
that they could be after that.
Speaker 5: Twenty three season.
Speaker 3: And so the momentum continues to build and it's trickling
down into the recruiting ranking, just thing down into the
recruiting class, and I think that that you know, you
can't have a better ninety six hours, even though it's
stressful at the beginning.
Speaker 6: Of the week.
Speaker 3: I think with him doubling down, sticking with BYU and
now writer with a talk that maybe he wasn't going
to sign to now signing today, you know there could
still be some late drama here with BYU with a
couple other players. You know, this is the kind of
stuff that if you're a BUYU fan, this week has
been a roller coaster, but you are exhilarated with the
results of it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I do.
Speaker 2: We do have some I guess breaking news. Rider lines
are signed. Who's l OI to b YU and so
he's a BYU Cougar. Big news for this BYU Cougar
football team. As far as quarterbacks are concerned, right, you
mentioned Jake Keeps, he was a big time recruit at
that time. You look at some of the other commits
that boy has received in the quarterback room since kind
of the inception of two four seven and and the
recruiting rankings. Where does Ryder rank out amongst the best
quarterbacks that have signed with BYU.
Speaker 3: Well, I mean from a ranking standpoint, obviously, Jay Keith
was the highest rated guy five star at the time.
I was at scott dot Com. We had him as
the number one quarterback in the country in that twenty
ten class. From a overall talent standpoint, I mean Rogers
got to be there in that top two or three
based on what they were in high school. I mean
I wasn't I was four whatever when Robbie Bosco and
Steve Young signed or Jim McMahon signed. So I'm not
even going to try to football is different back then anyway,
But I think, you know.
Speaker 5: This has got to be.
Speaker 3: In the social media era, this may be their most
significant signing period, no matter what position it is on
the football field. You know, Twitter wasn't as big in
twenty ten as it is now. But I mean, Rider
Lion is also a brand. Jake Keath is a quarterback,
very talented quarterback. Obviously things didn't work out like he
had hoped, but Ryder Lions is a brand. And I
think that from a perception standpoint too, You're getting a
guy who is being off the field, and that doesn't
even get into discussion of how good he is on
the field. Got a chance to win second state championship
as a starter at Fullsome. They got a regional championship
game this weekend and then if they win that they
played for the state title in two weeks. You know,
he's been selected to play in the Under Arming Game,
the Navy All American Ball, the Polynesian Boll. I mean,
he's has decorated a player period that BYU has been
able to get in recent years, and that you know
is pretty significant too in an era where it is
about branding just as much as it's about the ability
on the field.
Speaker 2: Ryder Lyons is an interesting study, you know.
Speaker 4: BYU fans.
Speaker 2: You know, we've talked many times with the years, we
have a bit of a persecution.
Speaker 4: Complex, right.
Speaker 2: We feel like the ratings go down for our prospects
once they commit to BYU. You've heard it, Tom and
Tom again, Brandon. They feel like Ryder Lions should be
a five star. Why isn't he a five star? Huffman?
Why is he only a four star? Are composite on
the brink of a five star rating?
Speaker 3: Let me ask you this, Ben, I haven't heard any
of the questions of like, oh, Adam Bywater moved up
to a four star. Oh no, Petty Mlwaala moved up
to a four star. We only people only complain about
the player who dropped. They never acknowledged that it's a
ranking sucked and they must suck that we rated a
bunch of guys hired than where they are to begin with.
Speaker 5: So there's my answer.
Speaker 3: We'll talk about that as soon as people give us
the flowers. On those players who saw their ratings bump.
Speaker 2: Up, It's very true. No, a number of players got
their ratings bump up. Look, your your your team, your crew,
you yourself. You got eyes on these guys, especially late
in the season. You did in person evals and you
elevated certain players you got eyes on.
Speaker 4: And look, you guys have shown you guys are the most.
Speaker 2: Credible uh credible in uh uh you know platform in
the industry as it pertains to this, and you're way
more right than you've ever been wrong.
Speaker 4: So I think you got to trust the process.
Speaker 2: If you're a BYU fan and say, hey, this is
the rating, this is what it is.
Speaker 4: Take it or leave it.
Speaker 2: Take it or leave it now it's up to ride
or to say, hey, I was a five star and
go out and get go go out and get his flowers.
Maybe put a little chip on his should because he
didn't get that five star.
Speaker 3: For sure, and I mean he's still considered one of
the top half dozen quarterbacks in the class. He's still
projected at worth a second round draft pick. Which when
was the last time b YU had a first round
draft pick quarterback not named Zach Wilson? And what was
he when he came out of high school? He outplayed
his ranking, So you know, you got to trust if
you're byu. Hey, our coaches turned a three star into
the number two or three taken the draft, and now
we've got an elite quarterback that if our coaches developed
like they did with previous quarterbacks, then we're gonna have
that first round quarterback again. So I think again, yes,
the quarterbacks are the ones that draw the attention, They
draw all the eyeballs. But I think that the bigger
story here is getting in on a ty Getchee when
he was starting to see his recruitment blow up, and
then washing him become a four star Jack Stanner, who's
a composite four star as Paul is ready alignment, and
now they got a wait two years. You know, I
talked to a coach that I know in the state
of Idaho who has been going up against him for
three years. He said, do one of the happiest days
my life was tight was Jack Stanners senior night because
I'm sick of having to try to defend him or
try to have to, you know, get my defensive players
to go against him, you know, and a little Petti Mawala.
I mean, I think it was on this show a
couple of weeks ago where I said that the best player,
best defensive player I've seen this season across six states
and that includes you know, going to California, going to Washington, Idaho, Utah, Colorado,
and Arizona. Lopetti Mawala is the best defensive player that
I saw and the jump that he made, So you know,
we could bemoan what Riders done. But I think get
the few i U stuff some credit for some really
good Ben Ben Bodywater. Sorry, Sorry Ben, Sorry Adam. You know,
the younger brothers never want to be called their big
brother's name. I mean, that's the thing that I'd be
really excited about. And then we haven't even talked about
the best player in this class, not name writer in Bob,
who was an elite defensive lineman. They flipped him from
Oregon and Oregon doesn't lose a lot of recruits that
they get early on and Bot, you know, wants to
be an offensive lineman. He goes out wins the MVP
at the under Hummer camp. I mean this class, if
you're a DYU fan, you could look at this twenty
twenty sixth class as being one of the most you know,
satisfying classes because in an era where some guys nail
it in as a senior, you saw three or four
guys that they just raised their game to another level
this year, and you had to be jack. If you're
a YU.
Speaker 2: Fan, Yeah, this is a fantastic class. I always always
ask it, who's the most underrated in this class? Would
you say, Brandon Houffin, you got Bot, you got Brock, Harris,
Adam Bywater, Tigetchi Lapetti, Mawala, Jacks Tanner, Terrence Serian Brexton,
Lindsay Kaboacana Legend, Glasger, Matthew Mason, Graham, Livingston Parker, ord
Cepaniah A Latini, Antonio Johnson, Neamiah Cologne, Justice Braithwaite, and
Devon Ecka.
Speaker 4: Now writer lines.
Speaker 3: I'm gonna say Sef and I a Latini. I'm a
big stand of Seth and Iah. You know that league
that he plays in, the West Castle Athletic League, is
the best league in northern California. He's been a stalwart
for an outstanding Saint Francis team the last couple of years.
I think that, you know, he's a player that just
doesn't get a lot of attention.
Speaker 5: He's hurt a little bit in.
Speaker 3: The offseason, hasn't been able to do a lot of
the offseason camp. But I think he's going to end
up being a very valuable player, whether it's the safety,
whether he ends up moving up into the box.
Speaker 5: I love the way Seth and Ia plays.
Speaker 4: Love that breakdown.
Speaker 2: Brandon Huffman here on ESPN the Fan talking BYU's recruiting class,
their signing class for the twenty twenty six crew, the
Cougar Crew of twenty twenty six. Pretty pretty impressive work
that Kilane in his half of put Together. You look
at the momentum, You look at the recruiting rankings here
by US right now, eleven and one they have. They're
coming off an eleven and two season, their their third year.
Speaker 4: In the Big twelve.
Speaker 2: You know their average recruiting ranking under Kolone I wouldn't
say it's been overly impressive, right, but you're seeing would
you say that like b YU overachieves under Kilanne versus
their recruiting ranking year over year, and if so, like
by how much?
Speaker 5: Yeah?
Speaker 3: I mean it's funny because you look at the schools
that consistently are competing for national championship, they're using the
ones that are you know, kicking above their their weight class.
We're punching at their weight class from a recruiting standpoint.
And I think that you know, Kilani has done a
fantastic job of really in this. I don't want this
to sound as a flight because there's some very content
players that were highly talented coming out of high school
that had been really.
Speaker 5: Good at BYU.
Speaker 3: But he really did a good job of finding fits
for the programs, cultural fits, and then development. The player
development there is as good as you're going to see
in the Western United States. And I think that that's
what he's done is he may not in previous year
has not had the flashiest class, but those guys really
fit what BYU was looking for and what BYU was
really trying to do. And I think the coaching.
Speaker 5: And the development and the other.
Speaker 3: Big thing is the consistency in that staff. There's such
little turnover with that staff in comparison to so many
other schools that that there's something to be said about
that those guys know that that same voice they're going
to hear for three or four years on one side
of the ball or at one position group. That guy
that was there as a freshman, that was sitting in
their living room when they were in high school, he's
going to be there when they're senior. Maybe when they
come back to their mission, he's there still. And I
think that that's that goes back to culture, and that's
why Penn State, I think, was so interested in hiring
colonies because they have that culture. And then there is
the player development, whereas you know, maybe Penn State didn't
get that kind of development from their coach who did
have recruiting classes. Maybe they were looking for something a
little bit opposite that that kind of run the most
talent he could out of that rag. And I think
that's what Kolani does is he does such a good
job at evaluation and then developing that it looks like
consistently they're out playing what their ranking is.
Speaker 2: So my question is this, now that they're ranking, if
they get into this mode right where they're overachieving on
the football field and they're obtaining top twenty talent year
in year out, let's say top twenty, top thirty talent
year in the route. What's the potential for them as
a college football playoff contender? Do you think they can
obtain enough talent develop enough talent to compete and win.
Speaker 4: In the college football playoff?
Speaker 3: I mean, they were what a couple turnovers early on
a year ago from playing for the Big Twelve title
and potentially being in the playoffs, and we're seventy two
hours away from seeing if they're going to be, you know,
getting a playoff home game if they knock off Texas text.
So I think that, you know, the momentum has already
been building and now it's okay, you're getting the players.
You're doing this with good players. When people were questioning
is Kwani the right man for the job? Those guys
that maybe when they were scuffling in the first year
of the Big Twelve are now the reason that they
have a chance to play on Saturday for a chance
of going to the playoffs. And you know, what are
they going to do when they get better talent coming
out of high school with the ability to develop that
they've been showing. I don't think there's any any way
to think otherwise that DYU is going to be a
top three program in the Big twelve for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 2: Love the breakdown, Brandon, always love talking ball with you.
What a great recruiting class for Kilani and his crew.
Hopefully Klinie can keep all the coaching staff together for
another run next season and they can continue this momentum.
But pretty tremendous to see what they've accomplished over the
last few years. Best way to support you, huff and
what you do, how you do it For all of our.
Speaker 3: Listeners, Hey, twenty four to seven Sports is where to go.
You can find all my content there on twenty four
seven Sports, go to Cougar Sports Insider at on the
twenty four to seven network the YU side, but at
Twitter at Brandon Huffman or I guess x whatever we
call on in you know, there still might be some
more recruiting stuff going on these next couple of days
to keep an eye on.
Speaker 4: Well, yeah, I was wondering is it flip season possibly?
Speaker 5: Can we see some any guys?
Speaker 3: There is buzz that there might be some flipping in
the future.
Speaker 4: Here, flip season, let's go.
Speaker 2: You said forty eight hours, seventy two hours, what are
we looking at?
Speaker 3: So let's see, seventy two hours is when the big
twelve championship games be done. Forty eight hours in the
signing period, and so let's say the next seventy two hours.
Speaker 4: Let's go.
Speaker 2: All right, Huffman, we appreciate you. That's why you guys
got just gotta follow Huffman brand. Huffant is great work,
and you gotta subscribe to two four seven. I've been
a part of the two four seven subscribers for a
very long time. I say, take my money and give
me all the insight, and they do it, and it's
always worth it.
Speaker 4: Thanks so muchf Man. We appreciate you any time.
Speaker 5: I appreciate it.
Speaker 4: Much love to.
Speaker 2: You and your crew there at twenty four seven Sports. Guys,
we're live from sky Chevrolet in Provow five North University Parkway.
Here in Provo Chevy dealerships along but watch that front
are locations for your donations.
Speaker 4: Okay.
Speaker 2: The road home needs nonperishable food items, lightly use closing
and hygiene items and you can stop off at any
Rocky Mountain Chevy Dealership and drop off those items'tis the
season to be giving, Because I have been given much,
I too must give. If you have the means, please give. Guys,
come on in too, here to this location. I'm gonna
be here till six o'clock. I got some little season
with pizza for you. I can get you some Royal
Army brand gear if you give. So we appreciate you
guys giving, and I want to give back to you
if you stop in and drop off some items.
Speaker 4: So there you have a nation. What a great segment.
Speaker 2: Fantastic segment talking ball with Brandon Hoffman and shout out
also to the Road Home for always giving back to
the community and for always being a place of refuge
for those that are in most need at this time.
You can also give cash donations online at the Roadhome
dot org. Let's go to break, don't go anywhere more
to get you. This is Cougar Sports on one of
three nine ninety eight point three ESP is.
Speaker 1: Cougar Sports with Ben Kretel at its time for the
Cougar be getting the dish from the local reporters that
cover Cougar athletics.
Speaker 2: Welcome back, Gouger Sports one of three nine ninety eight
point three ESPN The Fan. I'm Ben Brutal, broadcasting from
our sky Chevrolet in Provo Dealership twenty one to twenty
five North University Parker. That's twenty one twenty five North
University park We're taking all your donations for the road home.
It's through December seventeenth, but we'd love to see you
here today. I got pizza, Royal, Larmie brand gear that
I want to hand out to you, and much more.
Chevy Dealerships will be taking donations through the close of
business on December seventeenth. Lightly lose clothing, food donations obviously
non perishable food items. Go and take the music out
of my ear bear buddy, Hey, thank you. I feel
like I'm like speaking.
Speaker 4: Over the rock music. Sorry about that.
Speaker 2: But also we have you know, hygiene needs as well,
so hygiene items, clothing and food.
Speaker 4: So come on by guys this segment, this.
Speaker 2: Cougar Beat, We're gonna welcome in a daily Heraldian to
discuss what's cooking in Cougar Country. It's going to be
brought to you by Bresa Cleaning Services. Brisa makes it
a breeze to keep your house clean. The quickest way
to and that's hardest, through his stomach with delicious food.
Speaker 4: Okay, we know that the.
Speaker 2: Quickest way to the heart of a woman, I believe
is cleaning her home. I believe that whole heart to
clean up her house so that she doesn't have to
clean it up. It's you know, having all the dish done, everything,
vacuum everything, wipe down everything orderly, creating a house of
order and a house of prayer, making a house a home.
That's what women love to do. Nesting if you will,
and so getting it all cleaned up, that's the way
you can do it. You can get to the heart,
especially during the holiday season. Great way to it's a
great gift during the holiday season. Bresa is providing seventy
dollars off your first cleaning right now. That's seventy dollars
off your first cleaning. Give a call, set up an appointment.
Eight oh one three eight zero eight zero eight seven.
That's eight o one three eight zero eight zero eight seven.
Brisa makes it a breeze to keep your house clean.
Let's get out to the hotline.
Speaker 4: Welcome in. Darnel Dickson, double D of The Daily Herald
does have double d.
Speaker 6: Well. I'm in the bowels of the Delta Center, so
I'm hoping you're here in the okay, But happy holidays
to you have been, and happy colony. Sataki Week.
Speaker 2: I guess right hap Kilanie Satake Christmas Week, Ladies and gentlemen,
it's the Kalani Satake Christmas for Cougar Nation. Your reaction
to the news that Kilanie's been extended. He's going to
be your head football coach, well, the Cougar Nation's head
coach for the foreseeable future. I don't know for how long,
right is it ten years, is it fifteen years? But
I think it's going to be a long time, a
long while before we see another head coach in Provo.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think.
Speaker 6: I keep thinking about us how unique this situation is
for BYU and it's fans, and it's program because of
the you know, nil, because of the transfer portal, because
of all the money it's flowing. It's just it was
an unusual situation and an unprecedented situation, and you know,
I think most BYU fans were like us in the media,
going well, I mean, he might go, he might go,
And then he decided this day with the stipulations and
the requests that he had for the administration to fulfill,
to take care of his guys, his assistant coaches and staff,
and to come up with more money for nil this
This program wants to be competitive, They want to be
successful and they know what the path is to get
there and have id. When by made that jump to
the Big twelve, or at least announced they were making
that jump back in twenty twenty one, it meant that
the board of Trustees was on board, like, yeah, let's
do this, knowing that it was going to require a
greater commitment. Well, that commitment just increased this week. It's
higher stakes now and higher requests. So it's just a
really interesting time to be covering this program and to
see what the Brethren are willing to do to create
a great football program and then want Klini to be
the one in charge of it. And I don't blame him,
He's the right guy for the job.
Speaker 4: Love that breakdown from Double D.
Speaker 2: Do you think the whole Cougar coaching staff family stays
together this offseason?
Speaker 5: Right?
Speaker 4: It seems like the.
Speaker 2: Focus was less on Kilanne, I would say to a
certain degree, right, and more so on the staff and
the EDIL dollars that would be allocated to hopefully retain
his coaching staff. Do you think that everyone stays together
and we're all one big, happy family into twenty twenty.
Speaker 6: Six, I would say probably, But there's always going to
be an opportunity for somebody to maybe be a head coach,
and if there's the out opportunity, that might be something
that would you know, supersede their commitment to Byu and
Kilane and getting an increase in salaries. Being your own boss,
that's something that appeals to just about everybody, even you Ben.
You like being your own boss, So that that could
definitely pull somebody in some direction, because this coaching carofel
is still spinning and will continue to spin all throughout
the month of December and probably into January. As teams
that the trickle down effect happens. You know, somebody gets hired,
that creates an opening which to hire somebody else that
creates an opening, and it might hit the YU and
that their assistant coaches might somebody might get an opportunity
to be a head coach somewhere, but not not leaving
to be an assistant somewhere else I don't think or
a coordinator of that kind of thing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's going to be someone that wants to level
up right in that. Come on, the head coach of
an institution, no doubt about it, darnell.
Speaker 4: Uh.
Speaker 2: The signing class, Okay, the signing class is pretty impressive,
a top twenty class. You remember the twenty ten class
which was similarly ranked with Jake Heaps, et cetera. What
makes this class different than the twenty ten class?
Speaker 5: Do you think.
Speaker 6: What makes it unique?
Speaker 4: Here?
Speaker 6: Special? You mean, what.
Speaker 4: Makes it like? Okay?
Speaker 2: So what happened with that class? Did the class live
up to it? Did the past take it to like
BYU was coming off of, like the momentum and I
should have prefaced it with this six to nine double
digit win seasons four years in a row since twenty twenty. Okay,
BYUS had double digit win seasons four out of six
years now, two back to back, and we're seeing kind
of the same momentum occurring this go around. What's the
difference between last time and this time?
Speaker 6: Well, in my mind, the major difference is the transfer
portal and nil the opportunities for these guys to go
elsewhere and make a lot of money is a big deal.
But they never had that opportunity at BYU. When they
brought in Jake Keeps in that group, it was the
promise of let's go in a championship, let's do something
unique and special. That was all the by you had
to offer. Well, they had more to offer. I mean, obviously,
you know, being a member of the Church of Jesus
Christchoo latterday Saint probably brings guys feel like they are
obligated or want to have that experience. But now that
there's aash involved, a lot of money and opportunities to
make more money, b what you can offer all of
those things, and so I think this group may be
solved more solid from top to bottom than that class
was maybe a little top heavy. And because of the
fact that coaches like to go out into the transfer
portal and bring players in, I think that it's making
a little more select for those high school kids to
get to the next level. And if you are selected
to come to on Division I school, a power conference school,
then you're you're I think pretty good and ready to
go and understand what needs to happen for you to
be successful. So those are some things that I kind
of see is a little bit different at this point
in time between those two classes that I think it's
a little more from top to bottom, a little stronger.
And these are the elite of the elite because of
that transfer portation.
Speaker 2: I got to get your perspective on this, because I
think you could, you can, you can provide some some
truth and knowledge in this regard. So okay, So this
is a monumental thing that just occurred with Kilane, the momentum,
with the recruiting, But it also comes with some questions
for for many, I call them the builders of the Kingdom. Right,
these are the people that it's all about the faith.
It's the religion, all this temporal stuff, it doesn't matter,
you know what. It definitely not sport. Right music is different,
Right music, I could endemic academic efforts and scientific endeavors,
medicinal efforts, those are all different than athletic talents being
utilized or being invested in or being highlighted. Right, many
builders of the king that they look at this and like,
why are we investing in athletic Why are we spending
so much filthy luke or on this idolatrous sport? How
dare they why would the Board of Trustees approve anything
of the sort. The report's coming out that Kilonie's making
nine million, Kevin Young four point three to five million, nil,
offerings of ten to fifteen million plus rev share from
TV and look the t the athletic department eats what
it kills.
Speaker 4: It's self sustaining.
Speaker 2: There are no ties, no offerings given unto the athletic
Department that is continually re emphasized that this is the
hobby of alum and fans everywhere to kind of buoy
it up and to aid and support it because we're
passionate about these athletic talents. But I feel like, you know,
you can give some insights like where's the balance is this?
Speaker 4: Is this going to set?
Speaker 2: Is this gonna bifurcate more of like the traditional maybe
BYU fan do good to see you? Hey wait right here,
you come up, come here. I want you to get
on the on the line with me, sir. We got
a BA fans showing up here, get on a headset here.
I wanted to get your perspective on this because I
feel like you know these people, these are some of
your people, Darnell. You know the NIL transfer portal world.
Speaker 4: You don't like it.
Speaker 2: You don't like all this the filthy luker that's being thrown.
It's ruining the sport, the altruistic nature, and maybe we
need to focus on the things that really matter and
have balance in all things. Give me your thoughts on
all the things that I just mumbled and jumbled together.
Speaker 6: Well, one of the things that comes to mind is
is there are probably I would I would estimate that
in years past, the board of Tristees would not have
approved this kind of a move. I think that maybe
those guys have evolved just a little bit into what
the current situation is, which is good to know that
there's opportunities for them to kind of examine what it
means about influences members of the church and the university
and if they see the benefits, and I think they're
logical human beings as well as spiritual, so they see
the benefits to the university and to the church to
be successful in athletics and to be excellent. And that
doesn't mean winning a national championship per se. It means
competing at the highest level and having success and showcasing
what the way you do things to the world. And
I feel like that's probably why we're in a situation
we're in now where the board of trustees is saying, yes,
let's invest more, let's keep going. This is working. It's
not just working on the field as working off the field,
and I think I have to for them to understand
and to believe that this is the right move.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's an interesting dynamic, right, Like what's your
personal opinion on it? Are you do you feel do
you feel like BYU Athletics and ba's institution the border
there are they moving in the right direction as it
pertains to this. I mean, your a member of the faith,
you attended by you you're you're a sports writer and columnist,
and you've been covering sports for a long time. Obviously
it's something you're passionate about. You still keep your independent
journalistic integrity, obviously, but you have a good perch and
a good evaluation of of all of this.
Speaker 4: I think.
Speaker 6: I'm not opposed to it. You know, there was always
the feeling that b why you can't be successful at
that level because they won't do what other teams are doing,
which at the time was against the rules. You couldn't
pay players, you couldn't go out and influence players that
come to your school from another school. There wasn't the
avenues or a processes for that to happen, and it
was against the rules. So be why you didn't. Now
it's not against the rules, and be where you're showing
we can play this way. If we invest in this uh,
this is this program and these programs in our athletic department,
we can be very successful because of how we are
and the kind of kind of people we are and
how we do things. And so I don't think it's
a bad thing. I think it obviously has the influence
can be negative in some ways on some people. And
I know there are BYU fans whoill kind of thrown
up their hands like, look, I don't I can't invest
this much more money in being BYU fan. They're asking
more of YU fans. They want they wanted to pay
more for tickets and and they wanted to be supporters
in a more, you know, more financial way than they've
done in the past. And some people have thrown up
their hands and said, nope, this is where we get off.
And so other fans are willing to step in as
long as that's the case, then it will keep moving
forward and as long as be what you continues to
try to do it the right way, which they will
won't make mistakes. We'll see mistakes being made and things
make color them in a bad light, but they're prepared
for those to be. You know, those who oppose what
they're trying to do to be negative with them. But
at this point I see by you just all they're
doing is trying to be the best version of themselves
that they can be within the rules, and there's nothing
wrong with it. I think the college athletics are terrified
of what be why you can do with this kind
of access. I really do is that.
Speaker 2: Why they're stiff arming them from this college football playoff access.
They're putting them at eleven. They will not move them
from eleven. They won't move them up, they won't move
them down. They're like, yeah, that's a nice little program.
Those Mormon boys. You know, they're mature. They got a
lot of money down there in Provo. But hey, they
ain't getting into our college football playoff cupball club, No way,
no how.
Speaker 6: I was just talking to Chad Lewis for a story
I'm working on, and he said this remarkable to him
how the discussions today are very similar to what they
were when he was playing in the mid nineteen nineties
and B why you was trying to break through into
the Bowl Alliance. It was the same thing happening. And
here we are, you know, twenty years thirty years later,
and it's the same discussions about hy you not receiving
their just due. And you know, we heard the yes
man announcers say, well, they simply have to go beat
Texas Tech in the Big twelve championship game and then
we'll be in. Well that's not an easy task. But
if that's the route they're given, b why He's going
to do everything they can to get there and to
do that. And once they start breaking through, I don't
think there's any stopping them. And that's why I say
that the college sports isn't ready for what by You
can do. And if they continue to grow, and they've
shown their willing to put in the effort to continue
to grow by signing up Kilani for this long term
contract and giving him what he wants, Guy's a limit
with this program in a lot of different ways, not
just football.
Speaker 4: Of the day.
Speaker 2: I just thought of this is inspirational. I think, which
group of people want to see the complete destruction and
uh and removal of athletics within BYU and the Church
of Jesus Christ the Letterary Saints as the sponsoring.
Speaker 4: Institution of of b Y.
Speaker 2: Is it a utah fans because they're losing. They've lost
three in a row, they're losing recruits. There could be
flips here momentarily, they're losing in nil they're losing. They're
just losing, right, and they're like, ah, man, now b
YU is going to become the USC and we're going
to become the UCLA of the Big twelve like the
former Pact of anyway.
Speaker 4: All right, So that's number one.
Speaker 2: A Number two the nerds, the kingdom builders that hate
sport and the idolatrous nature of athletics at BYU as
B like you know, they're they're academics, they are seekers
of truth of science, academic and theology. But they hate
modern da gladiatorial worship.
Speaker 4: They hate it.
Speaker 2: They want to see it completely done away with because
sports do not build up the kingdom. There's no talents
that God has given unto man athletically that we should
have any money allocated to period or number three, the
college football cabal, the oligopoly that doesn't want anything to
do especially higher academia. Right, you're talking about these big
time brands, universities not all that conservative by.
Speaker 4: Data, you know, data shows not all that conservative.
Speaker 2: Okay, very left leaning player. And I'm a centrist. I'm
a pragmatist. I'm a realist.
Speaker 4: Okay.
Speaker 2: I just see the writing on the wall, like they
don't like me BYU a stiff on forever right, bigotry, religious,
you know, religious bigotry, et cetera. Like who not lit,
we like eighties love BYU. University presidents do not want
anything to do with b YU, Right, is it that
group that just wants to see B YU go a
B or C?
Speaker 4: What do you got for me? Darn now?
Speaker 2: I know it's a philosophical question. This is a tough one.
This is maybe my best poll of the day. I'm
gonna give myself credit here.
Speaker 6: Well, I'm gonna go with with a combination of B
and C.
Speaker 4: Okay, wait, you can go d all the above if
you want to.
Speaker 6: No, no, I want to go I want to go
B and C. And here's why.
Speaker 4: Okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 6: Okay, So C. Those people may take college sports in
the direction B. Why you can't follow, I don't know.
I mean, I never thought we'd be in a situation
where we are now, where the players are getting paid
and there's money coming from from all different areas, and
the transfer portal is a wide open thing. I mean,
I've had to laugh when people were talking about the NCAA.
You know, B, why you just signed for basketball a
G League player to come play for them next year.
And I'm thinking this is the same group that five
years ago suspended Julie Child for nine games for filling
out you improper paperwork. I never thought we'd be in
this spot. So I'm saying the C group could take
college sports in the direction where BYU goes we can't
do that. It's not ethical, it just doesn't seem right.
And that would be the group B that would say that,
And they have a lot of influence at b YU
because it is an academic institution. So that's my answer
to your question. And I can't predict anything, but that's
what I would say. Would lead me to believe that
those two groups combined might be able to pull something
off in the future. Or BYU says we just can't
do that.
Speaker 4: I love it. I love it.
Speaker 2: There's another constituency that I did not bring up, but
sometimes it does fold into I would say maybe the
first group, and that is the x MOS and anti mos.
Speaker 4: They and they're like, I just want to, you know,
see them just fail at everything. B YU and the church.
Speaker 2: You know, anything that they do wrong, right, they're going
to point out and say, hey, like see, you're not
living up to your standard. You know, you're not living
up to the standard that you set for yourselves. You
guys are fraudulent.
Speaker 4: You know. They just want to see burned down, just
all burned down, right.
Speaker 6: And then I can I can think of another group.
That's the why use kind of silence? You have a
group is the the special interest groups that were so
opposed to be why you joined the big twelve.
Speaker 2: Dollar the Iowa State special Interest Group, the LG group.
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, that was a.
Speaker 6: Group that that had a really big influence. I think
the first time be why you came up for it
at least the last time, and then the why you
managed to vacate those feelings and move on through and
and so there's another there's a lot of luck. Why
you look at it that way.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'll say this.
Speaker 2: I had a deep conversation with someone who I love
and appreciate and trust. I said, look like, okay, what
has been the what's the biggest issue? Maybe that, uh,
the biggest problem, the biggest bottleneck, the biggest impediment for
maybe growth and that that that that that the church
that you describe the Letter of Saints faces in this
modern era or forever since the it's inception. What what
has been the biggest issue maybe for even more rapid growth?
And uh uh, you know, the the expanse of no
one hallowed hand will stop the work of progress. What's
what's stopping the work from from progressing? In your opinion, Darnell, Oh.
Speaker 6: I thought you were talking about your friend you were
talking to, was answer, and you want me to answer that? Well?
Speaker 4: No, I mean, yeah, I know, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2: I asked a question I was pondering, and I was
gonna say I was discussing no and and.
Speaker 4: It's rhetorical a little bit.
Speaker 2: But at the same time, I don't know, what do
you think, like, what what do you think about that?
Speaker 6: When here's what comes you know, Here's what comes to mind,
is is we know that the wheels at b Y
you sometimes move slowly. And I remember when b Y
you replaced Dave Rose, and it was what two weeks
before we got Mark Pope signed and sealed uh and
in the press conference, and we were amazed at that, Like,
how did that happen when it has to go through
all of these silos and it has to go through
the brethren up in Salt Lake. You understood why there
was a reason why it was slow anyway, and then
this one they get it done in what a day
and a half. Yeah, so maybe biggest impediment was was
the machinations and the process.
Speaker 2: Well as its athletics one hundred percent. No, but I'm
talking about like the general Church. Like if I look
at the marketing efforts of the church right where they've
allocated bandwidth and and and support, like you know, they've
changed over the years, right, I remember you to meet
the Mormons campaign.
Speaker 4: I'm a Mormon campaign.
Speaker 2: Remember that, Like we're spending a lot of money to
what to normalize, to humanize, to to have it, you know,
kind of the tentacles reach out and say, hey, like
we're just like everybody else.
Speaker 4: We're we're normal. We're not We're not a bunch of
you know.
Speaker 2: Overly religious, crazed zealots with multiple lives and and uh
absurd theology. It doesn't make any sense, and you know
what I mean, Like it's this normalization humanization element, and
so like as I was having this discussion, I think
that's the biggest thing, right, And in my opinion, like
from what I've seen how the churches operate, they want
to have more yeah, like tentacles out there far and
wide of real human contact and anecdotes, because we're only
as good as our anecdotes, right, We're only as good
as our human experience.
Speaker 4: Right. They're seventeen million Mormons.
Speaker 2: Half of those don't even go to church anymore, they're
not even affiliated with the church anymore. And then half
of those, you know, seven eight million are are in
the United States of America's for formulas. So as it
pertains to the United States of America, you have four
million active lds amongst three hundred and fifty million people.
And so there's so many misconceptions about who Mormons and
Latter day Saints are, right, would you agree with that?
Speaker 6: Sure? And maybe not as many as there used to be,
But yeah, I think that that's there.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I mean it there right, And so like
what I said was, okay, like you want as many
human interactions as you can get with the platforms that
you have. And one of those platforms, you know, it's
the it's the the Tabernacle Choir, it's young Ambassadors, it's
it's missionaries going out and in serving right and proselyting
and all those things. A part of that's BA athletics too,
and then the alumni chapters that are serving in those
communities and raising funds and raising foods of stuffs and
impacting the community, serving right and and and all those things,
and creating human connection in those communities and normalizing and
humanizing uh, those members of the church by serving right
like and we're seeing more of that, uh through this process.
And then then so I think of that, and then
I also think of what's the what's the most Where
is the most diverse place that exists within the Church
of Jesus Christ or Latter day Saints.
Speaker 4: What's the most diverse place on earth?
Speaker 3: I don't know where you're going, really don't.
Speaker 6: I know.
Speaker 2: I'm going add as follow me. It's it's it's the
b y U athletic department.
Speaker 4: Okay, that's the most diverse place.
Speaker 2: That's the most diverse place on earth for for the
Church's Christ Lattery Saints.
Speaker 5: Right, divers.
Speaker 6: Diverse in the sense of what there are.
Speaker 3: This city programs, ethnicity okay, uh right, culture, languages.
Speaker 2: Like yeah, eldest not eldest, Polynesian Blacks, Latinos right, like
and and you bring all that together and it's extremely impactful.
Speaker 7: A J.
Speaker 4: Debonsa goes to church one week introduce.
Speaker 6: To missionary prep class.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean like, like, how do you normalize the
humanize You bring other people that aren't of the faith
to to b yu and you let him experience the
fruits of the faith, and then they go out into
the world and then they impact like, dude, you're wrong,
You're right.
Speaker 3: People have these.
Speaker 2: Dave portno It comes to Provo, big New Kickoff, interacts
with Claune. He's like, I love Clide. He danced his
way into my heart. Is Dave Portnoy the most morally like,
superior spiritual man? No like, but like all of a
sudden he becomes an advocate for byu maybe the faith
and and and maybe we soften his heart to whatever
it is that he thought about Latter day Saints to
the first place and be waiting the first play and
what type of impact could you have? I saw the
self righteous Rammi up to Mormons weep whil and gnash teeth.
As Connor MacGregor showed up to BYU's Marriott Center for
a basketball game, They're like, Wow, dare you He's an
evil and horrific man. I'm like, man, did you not
study the life of Jesus Christ and who he served,
who he ministered to? Did you get did you miss
that part of the of his life? Like like he
was also criticized for hanging out with people that he
shouldn't supposedly be hanging out with anyway. I know this
is a rant, but like we're talking, you know, the
role of athletics, I guess within the church, within BYU,
And I think when you take all of that, all
those thoughts that I have together, like, okay, it makes
sense if we're doing it the right way, even though
we're going to fall short and the student athletes are
gonna fall short.
Speaker 4: You're gonna have a Jake Ritchlow situation.
Speaker 2: You're gonna have a situation with uh, maybe a Dui
here and there, like it happens like these are. We're
in the fallen state and no one's gonna be perfect
and we're not going to live up to the standard
that we set for ourselves. But it's all about the
end goal and eternal perspective in and hopefully introducing more
people to the fruits of the faith in my opinion.
Speaker 5: Yeah, good fruits.
Speaker 6: I was just gonna say that ben is what does
what does it produce? What does the athletic de farm produce?
It produces good human beings? They have to step out
of the world and good human being Yeah, and that's
that's the goal. And if people see that, they can
maybe accept the fact that we're different and and and
just realize that we're just people trying to be good
and trying to be the best version of ourselves. I mean.
Speaker 2: And then and think of all your favorite players that
that played at b YU tied Emmer didn't come to
b y U l d S. And I'm not saying, hey,
you got to bring people in that aren't LDS and
then baptize them and like choking it up.
Speaker 4: But we got another one. We got another one. Yeah,
you know what I mean. But it's more, but it's offering.
It's kind of like what Gordon B.
Speaker 2: Hinkley said, like, take all your truth, take all your happiness,
bring it here and let's see if we can add
onto it and maybe you'll like it. You know, you
don't know what you don't know to you know, Jamal Willis,
Caylin Hall, Curtis Brown, my teammate, right Like, that's what
I mean. That's another is a huge component of it
in my opinion. So, Darnell I was. I always learned
something from you, man. Love talking to you.
Speaker 7: Well.
Speaker 6: I feel I feel like I should be sitting next
to you to kind of steel your aura as your
discussing this and get a better grip on it because
I want.
Speaker 4: To embrace you right now.
Speaker 6: Hard, it's hard.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I want to embrace you, man, Love you, Appreciate you.
I love talking Cougar beats with you. Darnell Dixon, Ladies
and gener thanks so much, double d.
Speaker 6: All right, we'll see you soon.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we got a b yu fan here. I want
that mic close up to your face. Can you hear
me what I was saying here?
Speaker 4: Brother? Uh?
Speaker 2: And we'll get to a break here momentarily. But I
want to give a big cougar roar to this awesome
fan that just stopped by. Ken Harris dropping off some
some goods.
Speaker 4: Here to the road home.
Speaker 2: Appreciate you tuning in, Ken, Uh, tell us a little
bit about yourself here as I bring that mic up
a little bit closer to you.
Speaker 3: Uh.
Speaker 7: Yeah, no, I just listened to your show every day drive.
I'm on the road quite a bit. I actually come
visit the Sky dealerships and do business with them, and
oh you do. Yeah, they're a great group. So I
was on my way down to visit over at the
Chrysler Jeep Dodge store there, and Uh, I was listening
to the radio. I'm like, I gotta stop and grab
some stuff and bring it in because I really enjoy it.
I could just sit here and listen to it. It's fun, dude,
I appreciate it. Thanks for letting me kicking the all
above too.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I know, and you're the one that said it.
I was like, I'm kind of going through these random poles.
Sometimes I put them out right. Sometimes some of them
are good, some of them are bad, right.
Speaker 4: Let's be honest.
Speaker 2: But I think that's a good one because there are
a lot of people that just want to see it
go away. And I'm like, wait, like it brings way
more good than and creates more positive fruits, then it
creates bad fruits.
Speaker 7: I was thinking as we were sitting here, we all
want to c B, why you get into the conference playoffs?
Right right into the playoffs? Yes, but we are also
lots of missionaries out there. We're used to knocking on
that door and them not respond.
Speaker 6: No.
Speaker 4: I was sitting there thinking about that. So anyway, Hey,
I really appreciate what you do. It's fun. I heard
your guy on the other.
Speaker 2: End, So yeah, so val hell coming up next, But
can't we solute you man, appreciate you, God blessed, thanks
for coming in and giving you back. And then hey,
yeah I got I want to get your address so
I can send you some royal army brand to grab
a piece of pizza, and then all text you and
then okay, send me your actress so I can drop some.
Speaker 4: Swag on you.
Speaker 5: Cool.
Speaker 2: Appreciate it, Hi guy, Ken Harris, Ladies and gentlemen, shout
out to him for stopping by.
Speaker 4: We'll go to break guys, please don't go anywhere.
Speaker 2: Want to remind you guys, though, that we have tickets
that we want to give away to an event at
the Delta Center coming up here shortly in December. Shout
out to the Salt Lake City Slam doubleheader.
Speaker 4: It's at a.
Speaker 2: Utah Valley University playing University at Cal Santa Barbara twelve
pm and then Utah State will face Illinois State University
at three pm in salt in the Salt Lake Slam
at the Delta Center December thirteenth. Listen to Bryce and
Biannucci at eight twenty am throughout the week for chance
to win your tickets.
Speaker 4: That's right, let's go to break.
Speaker 2: Don't go anywhere more to get to This is Cougar
Sports one three nine ninety eight point three