BYU's Approach to Recruiting

After reading Brandon Gurney's latest article in Des News:



http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705374116/BYU-football-Cougars-look-to-broaden-recruiting-pool.html?pg=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



One can't help but notice how the new ESPN/Independence exposure the Y will get about its standards, quality of life, academics, etc. is going to be a real attractive scenario for those athletes with high standards.



Some of the quotes from the article:



“We don’t just want the best LDS athletes, we want the best athletes that have the same standards that we have here at BYU. Period,” said BYU assistant coach Joe DuPaix. “Our job is to bring in the best possible talent out there.”



“Young men that come here represent their families, themselves, but they also represent what the university stands for and that’s not taken lightly,” said BYU coach Paul Tidwell. “When we recruit, that is explained very thoroughly, several times to our recruits, so they’re very aware of what they’ve gotten themselves into before they sign with BYU. Our goal is to make sure they cannot just survive BYU. We don’t want that. We want kids that can thrive here in every aspect of their lives, not just in football.”



Jamaal Willimas Fontana, CA RB recruit whose coach is former BYU DB Tony Crutchfield,



“Everyone was just so incredibly nice,” Jamaal said. “That was the first thing that struck me about the place. Everyone is smiling, wanting to get to know you. It was a great feeling, it was just a real positive feeling from the moment we got there.”



“A big thing for me was being able to meet with and talk to other non-LDS athletes that were already at BYU,” said Jamaal. “I watched a video that featured Joshua Quezada, and I loved it. I met with ‘Juice’ (Quezada), and he let me know of how much he loved being at BYU and how it was a great fit for him, even though he’s not LDS.”



“BYU is a lot different than other schools, but I like that a lot about them,” he said. “The honor code is a great thing, and is something that will help me focus on the things that are most important. I don’t know if I’ll get the same feeling or a better feeling at the other schools I visit. BYU just feels real safe to me. It’s a clean place, that doesn’t have a lot of trouble and temptations, and that’s what I want.”



Love the positive impression some of the new non-LDS recruits are receiving - it will pay dividends in the future.

That's a great point, especially because some of the non-lds athletes with high standards don't really know much about BYU and are only directed here because one of their High School coaches has a connections. Like with Jamaal.



It makes me think that, in the past, we've missed out on some great talent that would've loved to play at a place like BYU, but they didn't know where to look. Greater exposure will help make sure that doesn't happen.