Speaker 1: You're listening to Cougar Sports with Ben Krettel, and it's
time for a crusing the Cougars and inside look at
the latest news on the recruiting trails surrounding Cougar athletics.
Welcome back your Sports one of three nine ninety eight
point three ESPN the Fan. I'm Ben Cridinal broadcasting from
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All right, some bad news on the recruiting front. This
one hurt me. I thought for certain, B why you
would be in the mix for him and that they
could get them Oregon transfer cornerback. Would you say we
need cornerbacks? We need one? Yeah, we need one. Yeah,
we need one Oregon transfer cornerback. So one law Lea
has committed to Missouri. Per Hayes Faucet now coming out
of high school or coming out of Juco, Sione was
a highly tatted, highly sought after cornerback. He ended up
at Oregon, but one of his first offers was was
b Yu and I was like, man, maybe we can
get them this go around. Missoo is where he ended up.
And I believe, if I'm not mistaken, we lost. We
lost out on another cornerback from Missoo And I'll pull
it up here momentarily, but yeah. According to anthree's Pete NACo's,
Missouri has landed a commitment out of the NCAA transfer
portal for cornerbacks. Ony Lao Leah head coach Eli Drinkwitz
adds Laulea to the twenty twenty six roster from the Ducks.
He's got one season of eligibility left and was one
of the few Oregon players who missed out on the
college Football Playoff experience due to the transperportal. He did
not appear in any of the three games, beginning with
the first round matchup versus James Madison, trips to Miami
for the Origin Bowl against x Tech, and the Indiana
rematch in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl. Didn't participate there either.
Lal Leya played in six games this season for the
organ Ducks, set totally seven tackles. Two pass breakups were
recorded on the RAR. October eighteen turned out to be
his last game in a Duck uniform win. The team
traveled across country to piscott Away to play the Rutgers.
But yeah, he was there for two seasons. Is this
final year of eligibility, possibly because of a red shirt
he took during the twenty twenty four season. Jucos where
Lao Leaya's college career got under way. He was at
College of San Mateo. He was the number two overall
JUCO player at the time. It up at Oregon. But man,
I remember him posting about his BYU offer and bringing it.
I want to say to his either his dad or
his grandpa, and he was just stoked about it. He
was elated back he took He took an official visit
to BYU as one of his first officials. But I
guess the not enough glitz and glamour and Provo to
obtain the talents of Sioni Lao lea Tomorrow. Warren uh
per k Pop has been on the phone ever since
he arrived in Provo trying to find the next great
cornerback to rep the y bred, always bringing the hammer.
What do you got for me? I'm pulling up the
transfer portal.
Speaker 2: Ron and I were doing this this morning, actually going
through the transfer because I was looking at running backs
and it's like, okay, who's left?
Speaker 1: You wanted an RB too? Who's left in the portal?
So I'm going.
Speaker 2: Right now to look at just who exactly BYU could
get because so BYU currently has.
Speaker 1: Seven transfers coming in.
Speaker 2: So I guess the question when you sit there and
you look at that, is like, what else does by
you not have in that list? Again, we know the
two linebackers, a wide receiver, three offensive linemen, and then
a tight end. I actually think like, as it sits
right now, the only things that I feel like you
could really still have on your Christmas list for BAU
in the transfer portal is you could say definitive wide
receiver one. However, I'll tell you I've looked through who's
left in the portal right now. There's not a wide
receiver one left. I don't even think there's anybody in
the top like fifty wide receivers in the portal that's
left right now.
Speaker 1: So I don't think you can get that.
Speaker 2: I think there's only two players B what you needs
left out of the portal, and it's I would like
a definitive RB two or what I'd like even more
as a definitive RB one B and then what we've
been talking about, which.
Speaker 1: Is a corner three. And so it does suck that.
Speaker 2: He missed out on that Jackson Gates Yep, Jackson Gate. Yeah,
he was the kid who went to Missouri over that hurts.
Speaker 1: Yeah, committed to Syracuse than BYU. Then I'm looking at
like guys that that BYU offered in the twenty twenty
five class that really didn't play much. One of the
guys that I'm looking at even from A because you're
looking for a wide receiver one, you're looking for an
RB two you're looking for a CV three right Jerome
Miles at Texas A and m at A Corner Canyon
six three two fifteen five star. I don't think he lost.
I don't think he's he he played at all for
the Aggies. I was like, okay, is that an opportunity?
Is that a you could you know, maybe if he
entered the portal, you could get an ev out. I
don't think he's entered the portal, but you know there
are third parties out there. We don't want to be
in the tampering game. I'm not saying that. All I'm
saying is I'm just saying it'd be nice if he
entered the portal because you need you need a guy. Now,
Kurtzignetti would say, go get productivity, not potential. So give
me an FCS baller. Give me a low level like
G six baller that wants to get the call up
from the farm league to the major leagues at the
P four, at a P four institution where you can
get some opportunities. But there haven't been a whole lot
of like offers from you know, from BYU that have
been doled out. Per reports that have been dropped. We
haven't seen much outside of the seven that have been
offered thus far and ultimately committed.
Speaker 2: So there's five corners in the top twenty five left
in the portal right now, so that that could be interesting.
There is a corner from Oregon see if Chris Graves
Junior from Ole Miss, Daniel Harris from Georgia, Aaron Scott
from Ohio State, Dalen Austin from Oregon, and Cam Calhoun
at Alabama. So there are some top top guys left
in the portal number fifty one, fifty two for two
four seven, fifty six to fifty seven.
Speaker 1: So there's some good.
Speaker 2: Top corners left in the portal right now. So I
I to me, the only thing I really need from
BYU before this portal closes is a top running back
and a top corner, which there still are those guys
left right now. And I remember you lose Pokai Hunga Yep,
you know we thought maybe he'd be back this year
after sitting out this year, Shoni Mo LJ. Martin, They're
coming back.
Speaker 1: Devon Ekka is gonna be in that room. And Ina Knawahine,
I mean, uh Joe Vessa Demuni, you know, like I
wonder if they're hesitant to go out and get another
running back because that could potentially take away toats from LJ. Sure,
but I also think expecting LJ.
Speaker 2: Preston Rex is there too, And I look, I think
Joevessa was awesome in the bowl game.
Speaker 1: But here's my question. He didn't.
Speaker 2: BYA didn't just find out that Joe Vesa could do
that when they they knew who Jovessa was. So if
the coaches told me, hey, we're not playing him until
the bowl game or we're not giving him really meaningful
reps until the bowl game, that makes me think, Okay,
then you're not one in love. You ran Jovesa out
there because you were low on options.
Speaker 1: And look, I hope that's not the case.
Speaker 2: I would love for Jovesa to be definitive RB two.
But I just I feel like, given what BYU didn't
do when they needed a running back, especially when you
look at that Iowa State game, what they didn't do
when they needed a running back, that makes me feel
like they don't.
Speaker 1: I have supreme confidence.
Speaker 2: I think this BYU offense gets unlocked if you have
a two headed monster in that run game between LJ
and someone else, and then bear becomes your third sneaky
option that guys forget about. I don't think I've said
this is a ton I don't think option number one
is bear being RB two. And I think if you
could find someone else. I know there's a trying to
remember the name of the the individual who's at LSU
right now, there's a six six, two hundred and twenty
pound kid who ran like a ten eight forty from LSU.
I can't remember the name of that young man, but
by you could pull him, that would be like my
dream poll, because I don't think BAU needs like another
shifty scat back like in enicknawahene or a Joe Vess
de Mooney. I'm thinking about when BAU has that fourth
and one in the first quarter against Georgia Tech and
you don't have LJ. Look, LJ could have made it,
but also you had to run Enick andawahen A and
he didn't have the power to get through there.
Speaker 1: If you could get a just.
Speaker 2: Power third down back so that LJ doesn't have to
take some of those hits, I think that would be awesome.
Speaker 1: You already have him on the roster if he can
stay healthy. I mean, come on, yeah, right.
Speaker 2: But that's the question is if he can stay healthy
and when have we seen in Canawahene is style healthy?
I wanted to, but I don't think that's the reality
of the situation.
Speaker 1: Do you go after a juco player? Maybe you know
what I mean? Is that what you do? As far
as junior college players are concerned. Not many of those
guys left either. Julius Pope Northwest Mississippi Community College, six
foot one ninety five running back. He's available, But like
I said, there hasn't been any sort of connectivity with
these guys. There haven't been any reports on these guys.
So it's kind of getting a little bit later in.
But that being set, I don't think it's ever too
late because after springball that portal opens up again and
you see some individuals that are like, you know what,
I don't think I'm gonna have the role that I
thought I was gonna have at this particular school. I'm
gonna get I'm gonna get portaling and maybe BYU is
the place for you. This is the place we've seen
many late acquisitions. I remember, I want to say, Tyson Williams.
This is before like the modern day transfer portal. It
had been instituted, but but Tyson Williams in May signed
with BYU in twenty nineteen. He was like RB three
at South Carolina. I'm telling you RB three's in the
SEC or Big ten. I think that would be a
nice opportunity for BYU. I'm not saying you have to
go do it. I'm saying, Harvey, if you're listening, let's
see what's available out there, let's just take a gander,
if you will. So let's make a transition here.
Speaker 3: Uh.
Speaker 1: One of the things that a little transition to hoop
talk Richie Saunders showing up in the latest NBA mock draft.
Jeremy Wu has him gone fifty first overall to the
Cleveland Cavaliers, and it bakes the question, who's your NBA
comp for Richie Saunders. We were talking off the air
here and your initial assessment was Alex Caruso one hundred percent.
I would love for him to be Alex Crusoe. I
don't know if he's got the bounce that Alex has.
Alex is bouncy bro bouncing like he can go like,
so I'm not willing to go Alex Caruso just said
he's not a Sam Merrill, He's not that, you know
what I mean? So who who is his player comp
When they're evaluating Richie and he's a second round pick,
who are they comparing him to? What are they saying
about his ceiling? What are they saying about his floor?
Because it would be a fantastic opportunity for Richie rich
the Todd King to head to Cleveland and be the
fifty first overall pick in the NBA draft, no doubt
about it. But who's your true player? Cop Dizzel says
this Perry Board one O three on Twitter. I've said
this many times. He reminds me of Matt Harpring. Okay,
his motor never stops, always brings the energy even when
his shot is falling, isn't falling. Won't be a star,
but can make a difference in every game. And he's
not a Kyle Korver where he's just like spotting up
in the corner shooting threes, you know what I mean?
So Matt Harpring is what Dizzel says. Agree or disagree,
I got.
Speaker 2: Some good ones for you from the good old the GTP,
the good old Chat.
Speaker 3: Yea, all right?
Speaker 2: Give me that overall comp per chat GPT Dante DiVincenzo.
Speaker 1: I actually really like that one.
Speaker 2: Okay guy with a high motor, guy who can shoot
the three ball, really good defender, plays bigger than his size.
So I like Dante DiVincenzo. They list Duncan Robinson. I
don't really like that one because Duncan Robinson is basically
just a tall guy who can shoot three pointers.
Speaker 1: He's not the athlete.
Speaker 2: I don't think that Richie Saunders is, uh, you'll like
this one.
Speaker 1: He is. He is six seven, two fifteen. Dante's sixty
four to two oh three.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I like that one. Dante DiVincenzo. I don't
know how Boa fans feel about this one. I don't
know how college basketball fans feel about this one. Grayson
Allen similar build and athletic profile. Confidence shooter with edge,
plays with emotion and toughness, will take and make big shots.
I don't know that I would compare him to Grayson
Allen when I talk about playing with emotion and toughness.
Speaker 1: Because I've never seen Paul. I've never seen Richie try
to take anybody out of a game.
Speaker 2: I think it's the only difference with Richie and Grayson Allen.
Speaker 1: I mean that was a raftick by the Jazz that
I thought could develop into something. I mean currently you know,
with the Phoenix Suns, he was he was a first
round twenty one overall, but he averaged what fifteen point
seven points per game, two point nine rebounds, three point
seven assistant, forty two percent from the field. Not too bad,
not too shabby. What year is he in now? I
mean he's almost in his like eighth year in the
NBA too. And if Richie sticks around that long, I
think you could see something like this where he's more
than just a just a role player coming off the bench,
because Richie's gonna put in the work. If he stays
healthy and he's in the league and he and he
continues to progress here, you could see him in the
league for a long time.
Speaker 2: The other one they gave, and I actually think I
like this one the most out of anyone besides the
Vincenzo Austin reeves for the Lakers.
Speaker 1: Austin is a man. He is so savvy with the handle. Though,
like for Richie really to take a next step, I
would like to see, you know, maybe a little bit
more athleticism, yes, you know, getting you know, bigger, faster, stronger.
I mean, he's six five, two hundred. Austin Reeves. What's
his highthwight, what's his profile? I feel like Austin is
a little bit taller, six six ninety seven, pretty similar,
but his handle is just and he he is a
slippery sucker. If Richie approves the handle, I'm down with that.
Speaker 2: I like that player com I do think Richie has
the athleticism.
Speaker 1: I just don't think he has the dunking ability. I
think that's it.
Speaker 2: Like, I think we agree that Richie is quick enough,
fast enough.
Speaker 1: I think he's athletic enough.
Speaker 2: I just think when it comes to dunk in the basketball,
that might not be his thing. But everything else, when
it comes to athleticism, Richie Saunders is no slouch.
Speaker 1: All right, So we're gonna go. Then ceiling is Austin Reeves?
All right? And then what's his floor? Allen Grayson? Allen Well,
I mean that's pretty good having that floor. That's a
that's a that's a high floor. I mean, I feel
like Grayson's been good. I don't think he's a starter though,
I mean, I mean he hasn't necessarily been, but but
he's always been a rotational, right, right, that's what. That's
a good floor. Yeah, yeah, okay, I'm down with that,
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forards last nine to sixty. Let's go to break, don't
go anywhere more to get to Jerem Jordan Coming up next.
This is Cougar Sports on one o three nine ninety
eight point three ESPN The Fan. This is a one
oh three nine down ninety eight three ESPN Sports Center.
Speaker 4: Updates its game day as the Cougars get set to
take on the horn Frogs of TCU. Tip Off is
at nine o'clock tonight with the pregame show starting right
here on ESPN the Fan at eight o'clock. Yesterday, Richie
Saunders was named one of the USBWA Oscar Robertson National
Players of the Week for his performances against Utah and
Arizona State. Saunders needs just five points to pass BYU
Hall of Famer Roland Minson and six to go into
the top twenty of the BYU all time scoring lists. Yesterday,
by Football announced the signing of Jake Clifton, a former
Kansas State linebacker who recently returned from his two year
mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day
Saints in Nicaragua. Clifton joins a loaded linebacker room that
includes Isaiah.
Speaker 1: Glasker, Kadu Luave, and Cilia Sarah.
Speaker 4: Also, quarterback Tracy Borgay announced his intention to run it
back with the post on social media. By you currently
sits at three qbs in that room with Bear Bachmeer, Borgay,
and Cole Hagen On the diamond elove Bridge.
Speaker 1: Ingham was named.
Speaker 4: Softball's forty ninth best overall player by d one Softball
following an incredible freshman season which he was named a
third team All American in the Big.
Speaker 1: Twelves Freshman of the Year.
Speaker 4: Finally, Zach Selias and Fussini Triorey were both in action
yesterday and France's top basketball league. Selias had six points,
three rebounds and one assists for lblc Asvill and for
sig Strasburg. Fus contributed four points and eight rebounds to
go along with one assist. 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.
Speaker 1: The Royal Army Brand.
Speaker 4: You can look good, feel good and feel good play good.
Use discount code ESPN to get ten percent off your order.
It's with Ben kretel At.
Speaker 3: It's time for the Cougar Beat.
Speaker 1: Getting the dish from the local reporters that covered Cougar athletics.
Welcome back Cougar Sports one of three nine ninet eighty
point three ESPN The Fan. I've been crital broadcasting from
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Let's get out to the hotline. Welcome to Cougar Sports
Insider representing BYU TV. We got Jerem Jordan on the line. Jerem,
how the heck are you?
Speaker 3: Ben Cridle, what is up? My brother?
Speaker 1: Living the dream Man? Getting into this off season of
transfer portal talk as well is BYU hoop season. Where
have you been allocating your bandwidth?
Speaker 3: Listen, it's always football season. It's always men's basketball season.
And then it's am I calling men or women's volleyball,
and right now that's men's volleyball two and zero two
more matches coming up this weekend Talk ten matchup, you
see San Diego BYU and so it's all happening baby,
the portal and football. This afternoon they announced the new
men's basketball transfer portal window, which is fifteen days after
the national championship game. And so yeah, that's when you
jump in. You don't have to jump out by the
end of the fifteen days, but you just have to
basically declare that you're in the portal within that fifteen
day window. So there's always something man. People always people
probably ask you the same question, like what are you
talking about in the summer. There's always stuff going on.
It's where where we're like, I don't know, let's make
something up.
Speaker 1: Always something to talk about. There's always news and notes
coming out of Brig up BYUS required seven football transfers
via the portal. What else is missing? What else do
be why you need Many people are saying we need
an RB two. Many people are saying we need a
wide receiver one. Many people are saying we need a
CB three. What are your priorities right now?
Speaker 3: Jerem Well, given how unbelievably good the retention has been,
I don't know that. You know, Boy's gonna have a
ton of dough to go get a ton more dudes,
because you only have so much unless you got Cody Campbell,
you only have so much dough to spend. And you
said the word acquired like it's a pro team, like
that's where we are right. Obviously, Boy wants it to
be transformational, not transactional, but there's a certain amount of transactions.
I think, Boy, you probably got its left tackling paki
Fino from Washington. They added some beef almost one thousand
pounds the other day. I thought that was great. Kyler
Casper is a guy that we hope, you know, has
an impact and it's exciting. You know, the experienced guy
that from Morgan six to six, you know, hasn't had
a ton of catches. Maybe maybe he does here. Maybe
that's the Alex Barcelo Carson ran principally you come here,
it's a nice fit you. You explode onto the scene.
RB two is an interesting one. What will Sione Moa become?
And can you get healthy after compartment syndrome? You know
that's that's tough, does boy? You have a ton of
resources to go get a guy that wants to be
RB two or three, because when you when you come,
when you come here, if you're super good, you're staring
at LJ going how many carrys am I going to get?
Because this dude's gonna get twenty a game. I do
think boy needs a viable backup quarterbacks potentially. Uh, you
know Tracy Boorgay has good experience obviously at Western Michigan,
but hasn't really played the last two years. You know,
you bring Eniquaton off a mission yourself, Cole Hagen, so
you basically have room for one more guy. If you
carry five quarterbacks like you did this year, you know
you don't replace Chase Roberts. You're not gonna go pay
a million bucks to a dude that's gonna come in
and be that guy. I don't think, but I do
love Kadu Luave coming in at back of replacing Jack Kelly.
That dude's legit. And I don't know if in the
Portal era or even before BO he's brought in a
more proven transfer he's not the Well hopefully it's a
good fit and he produces. This guy, it's he is awesome,
He's going to produce. It's that's an incredible get for BYU.
Super excited about him. I'm wondering if they keep him
at middle linebacker move him to the outside, because as
a pass rusher, he's crazy, crazy good. That's the best
thing he does. And he makes a bunch of tackles too,
So I think, you know what, a second tight end
wouldn't hurt if they wide receiver feels pretty loaded given
some of the young guns they're bringing in and the
excitement around Legend Glasger and Jared Pula and and sorry
on and I feel pretty good at that spot, and
it seems like they feel pretty good at most of
the other spots. I mean, there's not a lot of
transfer portal major needs, and I think for the most
part they probably filled them.
Speaker 1: You mentioned uh a y too alongside maybe the incumbents
competing for that y too job. But Roger Sally of
PAGA has entered the portal. He was offered by BYU
out of org Utah. He had I believe three septer twenty.
She started a touchdown for the Dutch this past season.
I think he's played two years there. Do you think
he could be a target?
Speaker 3: That'd be sweeten man like, there's some good options to
what I love about DYU right now. Ben. It's like
they don't have to go, oh crap, we need thirty dudes.
It's that year one in the Big Twelve. It was
that and it didn't work. It was five and seven.
You know, Texas tech Win did that and it worked
for them. So sometimes it does work. And it's not
just because you have a bunch of dough you're gonna
be good. It have to come together, like Indiana. BYU
is going to have more four stars next year than
Indiana had this year. It's not always about kind of
the talent out of high school or how much money.
You have to come together in a way that works
and functions at a super high level. If you're Texas tacking,
you crush Bye, then you get crushed by organ like.
You have to figure it out, and I think the
YU is maximizing its opportunity in terms of motivation, coaching system, culture,
resources continue to get better. Now you've got to play
better in the biggest games all season, when you play
Notre Dame and when you play Utah again and in
hopefully another Big Twelve title game. But he doesn't have
to add a ton from the portal. I think it's
really good, like they was very good last year, almost great.
They're very close. You want to get into the playoffs.
If you win the Big Twelve title, that's great, but
more importantly getting in the playoff. I think they're real
close and they're super motivated, and you can see that
from everyone that wanted to run it back, which is incredible.
Speaker 1: Speaking of running it back, Lj's back. You made the
pitch not too long ago on why he maybe could
be coming back. His draft status is maybe a Day two,
day three guy. He had hopped onto our show as
well prior to the bowl game and discussed a few
of the elements that could influence them one way or
the other. It seems like you can make just as
much money in college football if you are maybe a
late Day two or definitely a Day three. If you're
a Day three guy, you could pro and you're an
RB one in college football at the P four level,
you're probably making more money at the university than you
are in the NFL.
Speaker 3: Yeah, And I talked to al j today. We record
an interview that where tomorrow and Usport station, and we
asked him some of those questions you just brought up,
like why did you come back? What was it hard?
He said it was hard and he was thinking about
maybe going, but he thought about, hey, I might be
able to be the all time league rusher, I might
be able to win the Dope Walker. We might be
able to win the Big Twelve and go to the playoff. Yes,
and of course, you know, you can be paid well,
and BYU made sure he was paid very competitively because
I'm sure that was a conversation and it's worth it.
You know, if you're the Big twelve offensive player of
the year, you think about the sixteen teams in the league,
he was the best offensive player. That's amazing. You deserve
a certain amount, right and BYU got that to him,
and he wants to be here. He wants to run
it back. He had surgery a little earlier so he
could be healthy and be ready to go. You know,
by April, so it sounds like he'll miss springball, of
course recovering. He told us he got a millennium Falcon
lego set for Christmas. He has classed and nothing else
to do right now, so he's busy doing that. He's
got the nil A pay for that thing. That's great. Yeah,
the research I did in reference to the tweet that
you mentioned is unless you're a four to four guy,
you're probably not being drafted in the first three rounds.
That's typically kind of what I saw from last year's draft.
Ashton Genty didn't run the forty because he didn't need to.
He ran for twenty six hundred yards. The lowest, the
slowest dude that was drafted. The highest was a four
to five to seven guy out of Iowa in the
late third round. So to me, that was probably LJ
ceiling right like late third round. Super productive does everything well.
He's not a four to four guys, probably a four
high four fur guy, and that's okay.
Speaker 1: He is.
Speaker 3: He is an NFL running back. He's not a burner,
but he's lacing doubles against defense, if you will, all
the time, moving the chains, success rate, power rusher inside
the red zone. He does so many things. Well, I
think he can't. And he mentioned this too. He feels
he can up his stock. What if he can be
a mid third round guy, like maybe he sneaks into
the second just typically that dude is a four to
four guy, and so I think it was wise for
him to come back. He gets paid, he can be
the guy, can maybe be the all time leading rusher.
And I don't think a BYU rusher has led the
team in rushing all four years they played her. I
think he'd be the first to do that.
Speaker 1: Do you think he breaks the record? Do you think
he breaks the the the all time total yardage record
and surpasses some pretty good running backs all the way
up to it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, beat Jamal And you know, if he plays fourteen games,
then yes, he basically played eleven and three quarters because
he didn't play all the Portland State game because Jou
was up so much. He comes out after a quartering
at Siowa State, you know, he doesn't play in the
bowl game. So yeah, there were some moments. Rate wasn't
in there all the way. But if he can assimilate
something similar to this last year, because he went over
thirteen hundred yards he'll be right there.
Speaker 1: Man.
Speaker 3: That'd be pretty cool. You think about all the great
running backs he always had, especially the last ten years,
last twenty years, Brey cranked it up. It used to
be if you're the running back, you were an afterthought here.
Not so kind of Luke stay on in this century
like Luke Staley, Curtis Brown, Jamaul Williams, Tyler l Geer,
Harvey Junga, l J. Martin, Like, there's been some dudes,
and that's pretty awesome. He could be. He could be
the all time leading rusher. Is he the best running
back in Boyan history? I mean, if he has another
year like you did last year, there's there's a strong
argument that perhaps.
Speaker 1: He is well, especially considering he's the strength of schedule. Right,
There's a number of different things that go into the
activity of a running back. Obviously a quarter the quarterback's
ability to throw the ball, the coordinator's ability to call
the right plays, the great blocking ability of his supporting cast.
But you know, LJ definitely gonna be up there all
time in BA football history. I mean, how do you
rank it currently all time running backs? Is Jamal at
the top? Tyler o years right there, Harvey Unga, you
got Luke Staley, you got Jamal Willis, Kaylen Hall, you
got some you got some dudes. How do you rank
him right now? And and and insert LJ into the mix.
If he's in that group.
Speaker 3: I'd have to break it down more. But off the dome,
Like I really love Luke Staley's two thousand and one
as in two thousand he was a scoring machine. He
would just come in in the red zone and he
led the nation in scoring for a while and that
was crazy. In ninety nine, you know that those two years.
Two thousand and one obviously goes off and he's the
Dove Barker Award winner and he's eight yards to carry,
and I really like that season. Tyler Old just twenty
one was amazing. Tyler was incredible. Jamal'skin systancy over his
time was amazing. Harvey Junga, you could argue as the
goat here. I mean, you even go back to lack
Ahey mooie, you gys had some great ones. But yes,
if LJ. If LJ has another year like last year
in the Big Twelve, in all four years he leaves
bing rushing and he's the all ten leading rusher and
he's drafted let's say third or fourth rounds. I mean,
there's a real argument that he is the best really
running back year he's ever had. Like now, if I'm
stacking my my all time team and I get the
first pick of running back, I'm probably going Tyler Lgier
at this point or Jamal but lj is in that conversation,
which he should be proud of. He's gonna end as
a top five guy probably in voy history.
Speaker 1: Jerem Jordan here on a Cougar beat and it's brought
to you by Utah Protective Films, Utapprotective Films dot Com,
BYU Basketball. Is he's doing great things. One of the
we got to enjoy these moments, right, I mean, this
could be the year that BYU gets the monkey off.
It's back the most NCAA tournament first without a final
four run. I was reading up on a stat today.
If you got an NBA draft pick, your top ten
in offensive efficiency per ken pomb, in top twenty five
in defensive efficiency per kent Pom, you are a national
champion in the making. That's the three facets of a
national champion. It looks like over the last six or
seven years. I just want to get through the final
four jam. It doesn't happen this year, and very well.
Speaker 3: Could you always got a starting lineup and a trio
and a star player and players to do it. Did
they have a bench enough to make a run in March?
Do you gun Dag have much of a bench?
Speaker 1: You know?
Speaker 3: Sean Farne has mentioned that Blayne Thalis mentioned that Mark
Durant has mentioned that, like Dundaga in the CC, we
weren't like, oh they go ten deep. What boy had
last year is super rare. It's not common and it's
not the model that probably is gonna work going forward
because you're just not going to be able to afford
a dollon hall and a foos on your bench. They're
gonna want to go somewhere and get paid and have
more playing time, you know. And that's what Dallan did
at Virginia. And he starts and he's in the ACC.
That's great. It's like BOI put a lot of its
resources into its big three and it is absolutely working.
D yu Is should be a top ten team. I
know people are upset about that. This week. Don't worry.
You win to this week, you'll be fine. You know
TCU at Texas Tech Utah and then you have this
gauntlet right Arizona at Kansas in one week. There's gonna
be opportunities. BOI should be a top three seed in
the NCAA tournament. That should that should really help you
with the seeding to get to the Sweet sixteen. And
now you're playing a massive game of which you will
have played many in the Big twelve. You will be
a hardened team that's been through it. And it's nice
Ben to walk into every game going Boa has the
best player on the court, and that's Aka or Richie
typically Rob right the third can do amazing things. Canard
Davis knockdown three is KBA Cata is perhaps the most
athletic center you always ever had. Times are good, man,
enjoy all these games, only so many times to see
and the Marriott Center. And we got the Jimmer announcement
of the jersey retirement against Colorado and Valentine's Day, which
would be fun. So it's awesome, man, Like I think
BYU very well could be in the Final four. Like
it's you have to get hot at the right time,
you have to win foul trouble and injuries and all
this stuff, but it's it's sucking great and I'm expecting
at least in e lite eight. Obviously with love would
love the final four. And if you like get to
the final four, come on, let's win the whole thing.
Let's go.
Speaker 1: We discussed this about I don't know two weeks ago.
I noticed you guys were discussing kind of the Brig three,
and I wanted to ask you the question, is just
the best trio in BYU basketball history? It's just better
than Danny Age and Great Hide and Fred Roberts? Is
this better than the Jimmer and Brandon Davies and and
Tyler Hawes? I can't remember. I guess who's the third
Jackson memory? You know? Is it truly the best trio
and BYU basketball history? What do you of it?
Speaker 3: Yeah? Who's gonna guard a J? Who's gonna go Kresmere?
Speaker 1: Chose? Chose? Its will?
Speaker 3: Who are the two other dudes?
Speaker 1: I mean, well, what through that door?
Speaker 3: Rolland dude goats fifty one? N I t title, Let's
go in MSG. That's what That's what they and this
team have in common.
Speaker 1: They won halfa halfa with body with body up a
J on the perimeter, or what about Travis Hansen, Travis Hansen,
Halfa and uh and and La Day. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
that's a good trio.
Speaker 3: That's hey love Travis. That ain't happening. Dude, Halfa would
get cooked, he'd walk over in Tucanos, he'd get some
facial lota.
Speaker 2: Know.
Speaker 3: This is the best one. This is the best one, dude,
Like you have two of these three guys are NBA.
One of them is the future NBA All Star. You know,
only only Danny could say that from before, right, No,
this is I think this is the best trio. Obviously,
they still got to finish the season to do something.
But the way that what they're pacing to do and
what they're doing in it in the Big twelve, by
the way, this isn't the whack and much of the FCC. Yeah,
and I think it even expands beyond basketball. We were
talking about best trios among all sports of joy ever,
like they might be the best ever. It's it's pretty awesome.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I was kind of reviewing through just like you know,
the hoops teams, and you know, you wonder it's like,
you know, what are we witnessing right now? And are
we savoring it? Jerem Are we truly savoring these moments?
Speaker 3: We need to? And I've been screaming this from before
the season, like, enjoy this whole process. Don't rush it,
don't push it, just take it in. If you have
a chance to watch them in person, you know, try
and do it. Watch every game like this is special, Cougarnation,
this is special. And uh, you know, the boy has
never been more talented on the basketball court. And they
have the right coach and the right players right now
to do something awesome. And we're just getting going in
Big twelve play you're always playing TC you tonight, I'm
gonna it's nine pm, and that's so who cares. We're
gonna enjoy every second of this because hard things happen
in life and you don't get it. Just kind of
sitting and enjoy certain things. Sometimes we're stressed up. This
is the time where we can just enjoy this and
it's gonna be awesome.
Speaker 1: Hey, you know a squad that could maybe give these
guys a run for their money. How about Andy Toolson,
Jeff Chapman and Michael Smith. No, no, Michael Smith, Jeff
Chapman and Andy Toolson.
Speaker 3: Huh, that'd be good. But again, who's guarding Aj, Who's
guarding Rob and who?
Speaker 1: Mike? Mike, Michael smith Man, Mike, Mike.
Speaker 3: I talked to Mike all the time at the Belt Center.
He ain't standing in front of ag AJ's windmill. Don't
king in a half court?
Speaker 1: Michael Smith.
Speaker 3: No, Michael Smith was ahead of his time. Like if
Michael played now, he would crush it because it'd be
a stretch.
Speaker 1: For They didn't.
Speaker 3: They didn't let him kind of sit there and shoot
threes like they would now. Also, Michael Smith could have
been an All American bolleyball player.
Speaker 1: He was unbelievable, no doubt about it. Uh, Jerem Jordan,
Ladies and gentlemen talking Brigham ball and uh BYU football
here on your UTAI ESPN radio network. Uh, what have
you heard regarding the coaching vacancies for the BU football team.
We still have maybe a safeties coach. It looks like
everybody else's gonna be retained. I haven't heard anything different.
You're gonna have to maybe shift it up a little bit,
Chad Chad k maybe moving over to the outside edge roll.
That's what he's done in the past. He's he's coached
defensive tackles, defensive ends. Uh, we'll see where Kelly's gonna
be coaching. Where does Justin Ena go. What do you
make of maybe some of the domino effects that we're
seeing on the defensive side of the ball with the
Mario Warren heading in there to coach up the corners.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I love the idea that boy feels like, hey,
we what we need internally, I mean, b what you
had one of its best, if not its best coaching
staff ever this last year with Chad K's you mentioned
Gary Anderson behind the scenes. Gary Anderson's behind the scenes.
You're telling me the former DC at Utah Utah State
coach Oregan State Wisconsin is behind the scenes. That's how
good this team is. Yeah, I'm hearing Chad k on
the ends as well. I was hoping for Gavin Fowler
at safeties, but since they named him the DC at
we were stayed officially, I don't know, they're just that's
TBD still and then yeah, I wonder if Kelly Peping
just takes the backers and then TVD on who the
safety coach is. But I have full confidence that the
staff will be fantastic and super experience and that they
will maintain the continuity of what boy has done the
last couple of years. I have confidence in Kelly Popinga
and the experience that he has at BYU, at Virginia,
at Boichise State, now at BYU again, that it's his
time to call these plays, and I think it's fully
ready and capable. We've seen what the special teams have
done the last couple of years, and I'm excited to
see the the maintenance of the culture and continuity. Even
though you lose great coach like j Hill to Michigan.
Speaker 1: Well, Blau's football roster be better than it was this
last season. Well this year be better.
Speaker 3: It's a good question because you lose Chase Carson Jack,
they had jotta those you know.
Speaker 1: Tanner Walls, the NFL guys.
Speaker 3: Yeah, those those of the NFL guys. Do you net gain?
Do you get better? Like? Is Bear better next year
than he is this year? I would? I would hope.
So canel j equal or better what he did? Last year?
Certainly hope? So can that O line be as good?
I think I think by he feels like TJ. Woods
has brought in the guys and they are four of
five guys returning three of five, you know, three and
a half. I think that's pretty good defensive line. You're
bringing in a lot of the same dudes, you know,
Kadu Luabe is a probably tit for tat ad for
Jack Kelly, you know, Raider de Mooney. Can you approximate
what kind of Tanner Wall did and can follow with?
Else thoughts will continue to be the Kyle Knicks, Kyle
Hamilton and college football is an NFL guy. Some ootography
him being as high as a first round like can
he be big time as a junior? Now? You know
the Yeah, it's hard to replace Chase Roberts. Though to me,
that's the biggest question mark is like where's that production
coming from? Because Parker had a great year. I can
Parker go next level? I thought he was really good,
So yeah, that's a good that's a good question. Obviously
we'll see it play out, but I would say right now,
it's hard. It's hard. It's hard to say yes because
those are some big names that be always losing. But
I'm excited to see what these guys can do. And
early in the season they were like, dude, they are
better than last year. And like I said, They're gonna
have more four stars on the rosters than they've ever had,
so why not. It's not just about the stars, but
it is nice that you get those guys.
Speaker 1: Who's wide receiver one next year? It's something we've debated,
do you have a wide receiver one?
Speaker 3: I mean you got to just say it's Parker Kinkson right.
I know he's not like the traditional outside receiver. It
will be the flat guy, but he absolutely will be
a wide receiver one for BA next year.
Speaker 1: Do you think they add any others or do you
feel like they have enough between the new you know,
Kyler Kasper and then the the young bucks coming in
to replace the old guys that are going out.
Speaker 3: I think they do have a lot of good young talent,
and I think they they like where Reggie Freshneck could be.
I think if you combine you know, some Reggie Freshnecks,
so maybe they throw deep to Cody Hagen a little
more Jared Pula Terrence sorry. On the combination of these guys,
I think they feel like, yeah, they could replace some
of the products can Jojo Phelipscope, and they I feel like, okay,
among the group, perhaps they could combine for what Chase
was doing. But Chase was special, man. I think he's
top top five receiver probably at BYU all time. He
was really really singing good. You don't You don't just
easily go yeah, we're good without Aim. I'm like, yeah,
and then they'll take some development and Betty STUCKI is
up for the challenge. I'm sure he'll do a great job.
Speaker 1: Jerem Jordan lazy and gentlemen, Jerem. Best way to support
you what you do, how you do it for all
of the listeners.
Speaker 3: Just give me a high five if you see me.
That's kind of the best way to support, you know,
just just nuts high five, Brooks super wide like any
any of that is great. But yeah, continue to watch.
Listen to the Oace Sports Nation Money to Friday Tending
the Mountain on the OUTVB. Are you ready on shout
out to you, Ben for all the great work you're
doing out here, doing the Lloyd's work, you know, cover.
Speaker 1: In the coops, thrusting, thrusting in our sickle with our might,
you know, just trying to make an impact, trying to
give the content that Kugarnation loves and deserves.
Speaker 3: The field is blue already to harvest. I think it's
right royal.
Speaker 1: Indeed it is royal, and we are loyal to the royal.
Thanks so much, JJ, Thanks Ben there. Oh that's Jerem
Jordan Lasy and gentlemen, and great segment brought to you
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here on your Utah ESPN Radio Network one of three
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