I get it, we all love Kalani

and apparently we love to celebrate him signing 2 star kids like we've won the superbowl.



There's one kid this whole recruiting class that has committed that Bronco wouldn't have gotten, and that's because he was committed to Sitake and not Oregon State, where he would have gone. But even Bronco got BYU to 2nd choice before that.



On a positive note, the TE coach is a great hire. Having a former college OC in the coaches room will help Ty a lot.

Well in a short period of time, he has gotten our class to perhaps our best class ever and possibly a top 50 ranking. Looking forward to what he can do next year.

stuckinbig10country wrote:
and apparently we love to celebrate him signing 2 star kids like we've won the superbowl.



There's one kid this whole recruiting class that has committed that Bronco wouldn't have gotten, and that's because he was committed to Sitake and not Oregon State, where he would have gone. But even Bronco got BYU to 2nd choice before that.

I understand the sentiment about celebrating verbal commits--but you totally lose me with the Bronco-hugging comments like he would have gotten all but 1 guy that Kalani is getting.



I assume the 1 guy you are referring to is Sione Finau--who last I heard hadn't changed his commitment to BYU yet.



On Jackson Kafusi:
692367360414605312
His top 3 was Utah, Cal, Washington St. Could Bronco had flipped him? Maybe--but he hadn't.



Wayne Kirby had decommitted from BYU and was only going to visit Utah this weekend--but the new staff convinced him to split time between Utah and BYU.



http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865646151/BYU-football-Caden-Haws-gets-a-second-chance-with-BYUs-new-coaching-staff.html?pg=all" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Caden Haws had his offer pulled by the old staff. Mike Empey and Sitaki re-offered and secured him.



Bronco would have kept Taulapapa, Torre, and Hicks--so they wouldn't have had those scholarships to offer.



Etc, etc.



I'm not saying Kalani and his new staff are all-world Mr. Wonderful everything--but I think the new staff is working their butts off to fill what they feel are needs and land the best players they can in a short timeframe. Minimizing their work doesn't make Bronco look better. I don't worry about Bronco anymore. He is busy chasing things for Virginia like he should be.



Just my 2 cents.

You have to be absolutely ignorant to think that Kalani Sitake and the new staff has not lead to a significant uptick in recruiting in a very (very) short time at BYU.



By contrast, you don't see the same buzz at Virginia (for example), where they are actually leaking quite a number of decommits instead of adding on more commits.

scott715 wrote:
Well in a short period of time, he has gotten our class to perhaps our best class ever and possibly a top 50 ranking. Looking forward to what he can do next year.

:skeptic:



Current 2016 class ranked #49 if all our commits actually sign.



Beyond the "chickens-before-Jake-Heaps-or-Ben-Olsen-hatch" argument, even the recruiting services don't peg this the best class ever as it's behind 2000 (#44), 2002 (#37), 2007 (#43), 2008 (#43), and 2010 (#30)--behind three Bronco Mendenhall classes and two Gary Crowton classes.



It's in the same class as 2004 (#50) and 2009 (#51).



For reference, the rankings for other BYU recruiting classes since they tracked these things are as follows:

2015 = 64

2014 = 66

2013 = 65

2012 = 72

2011 = 68

2006 = 64

2005 = 57

2003 = 61



Bronco's recruiting did drop off, but I'm going to hold off on calling Sitake a miracle worker yet--the biggest factor in the 2016 class ranking so far is Troy Warner, not Kalani. The jury is still out on this...Crowton was a top #40 class recruiter, but it never showed on the field under Crowton.

Brayden Green wrote:
By contrast, you don't see the same buzz at Virginia (for example), where they are actually leaking quite a number of decommits instead of adding on more commits.

Do you follow the UVA message boards where you might find that buzz? UVA is in the running for two 4-star recruits and two 5-star recruits whose OV weekend was cancelled with the blizzard. The decommits have been at the urging of the Mendenhall staff to make room for the more talented guys they are running at. UVA fans are excited for this recruiting class.



They're #56 with their biggest targets yet to visit campus.

snoscythe wrote:

By contrast, you don't see the same buzz at Virginia (for example), where they are actually leaking quite a number of decommits instead of adding on more commits.

Do you follow the UVA message boards where you might find that buzz? UVA is in the running for two 4-star recruits and two 5-star recruits whose OV weekend was cancelled with the blizzard. The decommits have been at the urging of the Mendenhall staff to make room for the more talented guys they are running at. UVA fans are excited for this recruiting class.



They're #56 with their biggest targets yet to visit campus.

I've googled it. I don't spend much time there. I am saying that these aren't Bronco and staff inspired commits, where he is flipping someone over. Which was the precedent set up in the OP for "excitement."

There hasn't been anything to get too excited about yet. I would have liked to have a 5 star guy or a few 4 star guys that weren't already planning on, or very close to coming under Bronco get landed this year, but I think it took too long for the staff to get finished (still waiting).



Next year I expect the class will be significantly better than this years, or I'll be disappointed.

i think the ND TE transfer is diff a direct result of Kalani not sure if Bronco grabs him. Who really knows I guess

BYUBALLIN wrote:
i think the ND TE transfer is diff a direct result of Kalani not sure if Bronco grabs him. Who really knows I guess

Hard to get too excited about a TE with no production and multiple concussions. I hope he tears it up though.

scott715 wrote:
Well in a short period of time, he has gotten our class to perhaps our best class ever and possibly a top 50 ranking. Looking forward to what he can do next year.

Not our best class ever. Back in the days when we'd have 15-25 guys in the NFL at any given time we used to recruit much better. But it is better than what we've had the last several years. BYU's classes used to routinely rank in the 20s and 30s at the end of the Lavell era until around the beginning of Bronco. Crowton could always recruit. He just was terrible with turning that into wins. But he put a lot of guys into the NFL from losing temss. This year's class one just got upgraded to #39 on 24/7 Sports, which is 15-20 spots higher than what we've been doing the last 6-8 years.

Glass half full here. He sits out a year may help big time. Second we all know ND has junky helmets compared to the power of BYU helmets. Just sayin lol

Bronco fans downplaying what Sitake is doing is just plain weird. I get it that there was a fight between the pro and anti Bronco camps for a while. Sitake had nothing to do with that. Let's move on and just be BYU fans.

BYUBALLIN wrote:
i think the ND TE transfer is diff a direct result of Kalani not sure if Bronco grabs him. Who really knows I guess

...the kid with 0 career catches over two years and 20 games-played who may never be medically cleared to play football again? He may very well be the next Chris Badger for us....a kid who never cracked the two-deep at ND, got banged up and buried on the depth chart, and came to BYU to contribute on special teams.



This is my issue with the Kalani commits so far--outside of Handsome, once you dig deeper many seem to be damaged goods or extra-green.



I think there is a feedback loop effect with Sitake--everyone has talked about what a great recruiter he is, so people think every recruit that commits is a diamond-in-the-rough that Sitake has found because, hey, they say he's a great recruiter, and because he's finding all these diamonds-in-the-rough he must be a great recruiter.



I'm not saying he isn't a great recruiter, but I don't know that he is yet either. None of these commits so far have said to me, "KS is as advertised"--I don't think we'll know that for another couple of recruiting classes. I'm just trying to look at these commits objectively outside of the "KS is a great recruiter so these MUST be great recruits" fever that's gripped the boards recently. I'm curmudgeonly, not a hater--I can be persuaded.

snoscythe wrote:

i think the ND TE transfer is diff a direct result of Kalani not sure if Bronco grabs him. Who really knows I guess

...the kid with 0 career catches over two years and 20 games-played who may never be medically cleared to play football again? He may very well be the next Chris Badger for us....a kid who never cracked the two-deep at ND, got banged up and buried on the depth chart, and came to BYU to contribute on special teams.



This is my issue with the Kalani commits so far--outside of Handsome, once you dig deeper many seem to be damaged goods or extra-green.

Maybe the rumor is wrong, but supposedly Brian Kelly tried to convince him to stay.

snoscythe wrote:

i think the ND TE transfer is diff a direct result of Kalani not sure if Bronco grabs him. Who really knows I guess

...the kid with 0 career catches over two years and 20 games-played who may never be medically cleared to play football again? He may very well be the next Chris Badger for us....a kid who never cracked the two-deep at ND, got banged up and buried on the depth chart, and came to BYU to contribute on special teams.



This is my issue with the Kalani commits so far--outside of Handsome, once you dig deeper many seem to be damaged goods or extra-green.

Handsome was already pretty much coming to the Y before KS was hired, but he did retain him once he came aboard, so that is good.

Jackson Kaufusi wasn't coming before Kalani was hired. Seems like a good get considering his top choices were all P12 schools. I think there may be a couple more who will flip to us after the big visits this weekend.

snoscythe wrote:

i think the ND TE transfer is diff a direct result of Kalani not sure if Bronco grabs him. Who really knows I guess

...the kid with 0 career catches over two years and 20 games-played who may never be medically cleared to play football again? He may very well be the next Chris Badger for us....a kid who never cracked the two-deep at ND, got banged up and buried on the depth chart, and came to BYU to contribute on special teams.

...

I'm just trying to look at these commits objectively outside of the "KS is a great recruiter so these MUST be great recruits" fever that's gripped the boards recently.

Is that objective? Where does the "ever be medically cleared to play again" question come from? Yes, he had concussion issues in both seasons he played--but in 2015 he played in 10 of 13 games and started in 3 including their bowl game against Ohio State January 1. He missed games 4, 5, and 7.



This is what I view as a more objective take (info summarized):

http://www.ndinsider.com/football/notre-dame-in-position-to-absorb-tyler-luatua-s-potential/article_9401968a-c3a3-11e5-83d8-3b12b6e69407.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



But it does strongly hint at the significant evolution that must take place in order for the blocking-proficient sophomore to become an all-around tight end.



As for what he leaves behind, junior Durham Smythe ... missed 10 games with what was believed to be a season-ending MCL tear in his right knee and a shoulder injury.



Freshman Alizé Jones ... and redshirt freshman Nic Weishar ... were catch-first, block-second tight ends, whose playing time figures to increase as they improve their blocking.



Bringing back potential sixth-year grad senior Chase Hounshell (1 reception, 6 yards) is a possibility, given the converted defensive lineman’s strong blocking skills in just his first year at the position.



As a group these guys combined for 20 combined receptions. The only touchdown from the five-man tight end group this season came on a fake field goal.





Based on those comments from the TE group at ND, he was apparently the most proficient blocker who hadn't blown out his knee. It sounds like he does need to work on the receiving skills but was a 4-star recruit just 2 years ago. No, he isn't going to single-handedly save BYU's offense--but at the same time the "might never play again" schtick feels like it is on the other branch of the hyperbole.

hawkwing wrote:
Handsome was already pretty much coming to the Y before KS was hired, but he did retain him once he came aboard, so that is good.

That doesn't sound accurate:

This was prior to his visit to BYU: http://www.oregonlive.com/recruiting/index.ssf/2015/11/handsome_tanielu_4-star_jc_dt_1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He was verbally committed to Utah and was deciding between Utah and Oregon State (Sitake was his recruiter).



http://www.oregonlive.com/recruiting/index.ssf/2015/12/handsome_tanielu_4-star_jc_dt_2.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The 6-foot-2, 305-pound defensive lineman, out of Snow College (Ephraim, Utah), had planned to announce his college decision last week during the first day of the junior college early signing period, but waited to find out the future of the head coaching position at BYU.



When that opening was filled by Sitake, Tanielu's primary connection at Oregon State, it appeared likely he would sign with the Cougars.

EDIT: On second thought I do remember people believed he was flipping to BYU but then waited to see who the HC was before announcing.

Fido wrote:

BYUBALLIN wrote:
i think the ND TE transfer is diff a direct result of Kalani not sure if Bronco grabs him. Who really knows I guess

...the kid with 0 career catches over two years and 20 games-played who may never be medically cleared to play football again? He may very well be the next Chris Badger for us....a kid who never cracked the two-deep at ND, got banged up and buried on the depth chart, and came to BYU to contribute on special teams.

...

I'm just trying to look at these commits objectively outside of the "KS is a great recruiter so these MUST be great recruits" fever that's gripped the boards recently.

Is that objective? Where does the "ever be medically cleared to play again" question come from? Yes, he had concussion issues in both seasons he played--but in 2015 he played in 10 of 13 games and started in 3 including their bowl game against Ohio State January 1. He missed games 4, 5, and 7.

I'll answer a bit more respectfully than you responded to me. True, he played in the remaining games, but was never the same:

Luatua totaled only 18 snaps over the final three games, eight versus Boston College, six at Stanford and four versus Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.



Luatua had a strong blocking game against Georgia Tech in week 3 (36 snaps) — when he replaced the injured Smythe — but a concussion, which has been a recurring problem in his career, sidelined him the next two games versus UMass and Clemson. He never was quite the same thereafter.

https://notredame.n.rivals.com/news/report-tyler-luatua-transferring" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



The medical clearance issue was raised by Ben Criddle on the radio, saying Luatua took a blow to the head again during the bowl game, and after the game ND wasn't sure he would pass protocol in the future to return.