G isn’t going to SDSU or any other MWC team. He is tranfering to Washington State. He will remain a Cougar, but with a few less wins. G’s family has been in contact with the WSU coaching staff and G feels like it will be a good transition for him personally.

G has struggled academically, but not much more than any other freshmen player. He said, “it will be a better fit for me.” G knows some players on the WSU football team who played at rival high schools and I am sure they have been influencial in helping him make up his mind.

To say the trasition for a non-LDS, African-American players who came from outside the state is easy; isn’t paying attention. No matter what G or any other player that came from similar backgrounds says it’s hard and it would take some getting used to. G gave it a year and it didn’t develop the way he thought it would, so in December he will be on the first thing smoking out of Provo.

Personally I wish him the best and hope he achieves the personal success that he envisioned when he came to BYU. He is a good player that will be missed.

Guys transfer for lots of different reasons, but all the reasons boil down to the same problem, playing time. When you come to a school you expect to be playing. Yeah there are other players and personalities, but you always think your better then the person in front of you. Recruits now a days want a quick fix. They expect to come in and play right away. BYU has recruited well enough in the past couple of years where young players can know come in learn the system and prepare their bodies so they will be ready when their cleats hit the grass at LES.

A word to the next wave of recruits. Your time will come…..be patient. You have a lot to learn, contribute on special teams and if you get an opportunity early in your career, take advantage of it. It might be the last chance you get to play before your a JR.

He has narrowed his list down to 5 school: BYU, USC, UCLA and Stanford.  Let’s all look at each school, what they have to offer and let’s come to a sensible decision. 

1. UCLA- Norm Chow has a huge connection to Punahou and also shares the same LDS beliefs.  Yet he is a defensive player and won’t be around Chow.  He’ll be spending the majority of his time in defensive meeting with Mr. Walker and company.  UCLA is a school with a bright future.  They have good coaches in place and could potentially be very successful in the next 2-3 years.  Does he want to struggle through some hard sessions and tough losses before he finally plays for a team that can produce enough wins to again be in the hunt for a Pac-10 victory?  At UCLA he’ll get plenty of playing time, and could work himself into the starting line-up as a freshman.  His future could be bright at UCLA…
2. USC- I think this would be the worst place for him to go.  They are constantly getting the blue chip linebacker gem each year. That means there will be very stiff competition and if he’s injured or struggles for even one season, that maybe the only shot he gets. Great players don’t like riding the pine. If you’re a rising star, and want to come into a big school, and make an immediate impact, then this would not be the place to try it. Pete will shake your hand and know your name today and then its off to Texas or New Jersey to find the player that will take your position. Yet, they win so many gosh darn titles, and they are always going to the BCS games and those are the games young up and coming stars want to play in. The wins and stars on the sideline can be very enticing, but when push come to shove, it should come down to playing time. What kind of depth do they currently have, and will Te’o be able to contribute right away?  It would also be prudent to think about the “serving a mission” problem.  By the time you get back from your mission Pete will have had two top 5 recruiting classes come in.  After two years away from the game it could be hard not to get caught up in the mix.
3. Stanford- This is also a very intelligent choice. They have a great academic institution and when he graduates, he can very well punch his ticket wherever he wants. The football program is another story. They are consistently towards the bottom of the conference looking up towards the top. They do have a coach with a successful football past, but I have a feeling he is using the Stanford job as a spring board to another BCS program. He will take a few years build Stanford into a “success” and then he will hit the skids for wherever. A head coaching change means a whole new staff, new systems, new philosophies, everything will change. This change could be right in the middle of Te’o’s college career, which could be tough to overcome. 
4. Notre Dame- This is also a great program with more tradition than any college football team in the country. Their fans are great, the school is great, it is many kids’ dream to play for the Fighting Irish. Yet, just like USC, they have been among the top recruiting classes the past few years. This means they will constantly be chasing the next best thing.  Their team is currently going through some growing pains and they are gaining experience.  Anyone that has seen them play knows they are not very good.  Their coaching staff in under a lot of pressure to win and that means if Te’o doesn’t produce as a player, he’s out.  It is also far away from family and friends, the people who have been his support system throughout his life.  Indiana’s cool (to see once) but there certainly are better places in the world to matriculate. 
5. BYU- Obviously, this one is close to my heart.  They have a great academic repuation that’s gaining more and more national prominence, they are sponsored by the LDS church, and they  are a team that’s won its last 13 games.  The linebacking core is young and doesn’t have a lot of depth.  The middle linebacker spot at BYU is the position that the defense is designed around and that player is expected to lead the team in tackles and sacks. (Cameron Jensen/Kelly Poppinga)  BYU is showing that from year to year, they will be a nationally recognized team and they’re doing better on NFL draft day.  Te’o already has family on the team and won’t have any adjustment to living or hanging out with people with conflicting beliefs and values.  BYU’s team will be returning a lot of players next year and they will again have BCS potential.  With BYU, there will be less surprises, the coaches will be honest and upfront about his future.  It is a very intriguing choice.

In all honesty, there isn’t a bad choice among the bunch.  They are all strong academically and athletically.  It should come down to where he feels most comfortable, both with the coaching staff and the players he’ll be around 24-7 for four or five years.  No matter where he goes there will be great people that will want him to succeed.  From what people are saying about this kid, he has a very bright future.  There are positives and negatives to any one of these schools.  I just hope he makes the best choice for his future, whether that be in the NFL or behind a desk.  It would be disappointing to see BYU lose out, but remember there are always blue skies.  Good luck, Manti, and enjoy it, it is a very exciting year of your life.  Once you sign your name you become somewhat faceless again.  It’s back to being a freshmen, shaved head, pranks and jokes (you got to love the college experience).

Final tip: I would say your best two choices are BYU and UCLA.  Enjoy your official visits to each of the 5 campuses, you will learn a lot about each team.

One thing that I found very interesting was that he talked about BYU’s peculiar recruiting process and how he prefers to recruit players with a solid character, not just 4 and 5 star recruits.  Then he mentioned that he prefers working with BYU players and probably wouldn’t like working with some of the more talented 4 and 5 star recruits at the larger, more accomplished universities.

He also mentioned how BYU’s players are involved with church callings, wives (or the pursuit thereof), and the rigors of being a student at BYU.  It was a very positive interview and great exposure for our program.  I particularly love that Coach is Coach no matter who he’s talking to.  He says the same stuff in team meetings, interviews, and firesides.  He doesn’t change his opinions when addressing different audiences.  It is really refreshing.

Coach talked about how the Washington call was the right call according to how the rule reads in the handbook, and if he thought otherwise he would stated his opinion as such.  He also talked about the efficiency of BYU’s practice schedule.  Our staff lends itself to follow the motto of perfect practice for a shorter period of time, rather than just beating on each other for hours and hours during the week.  The Cougs just get into the work hard and fast, then pack it up and go home.  They maximize their time on the field by practicing with a specific goal and purpose in mind, not just simply to  be on the field because they have to be.

It was a great interview and if you didn’t hear it, download it here:

10.  ”The snow is beautiful, ain’t it?  And the best part is that it last nine months.”

9.  ”Don’t tell anyone, but we can pull a few strings and get you an Elk tag.  SSSSHHHH.”

8.  ”If you passed grade school you’re guaranteed at least a 2.5 G.P.A.”

7.  ”Movie stars love Wyoming – have you ever seen Brokeback Mountain?”

6.  ”Brown and gold is a little outdated, that’s why we are changing our colors to flannel.”

5.  ”Let’s face it, if you’re taking an official visit to Wyoming there aren’t too many other schools knocking on your door.”  (we gotcha)

4.  ”You will not have to deal with distractions like ‘beautiful women’ or ‘hot babes.’”

3.  ”We are sponsored by Miller.”

2.  ”We promise to get you out of Wyoming 6 TIMES A YEAR!”

1.  ”Joe Glenn is the classiest cowboy in Laramie.”

For starters I want to talk about what athletic means.  An athletic person is not simply a player that can jump high, run fast, and lift a lot of weights – otherwise everyone who went to the combine would get picked up. An athlete is an individual that can excel in numerous athletic disciplines.  He possesses coordination and the ability to learn quickly in order to perform to an exceptional level.  When I think of athletes I think of guys that can pick up a tennis racket, a ping-pong paddle, kick a soccer ball, shoot a basketball, or swim in a pool, and still be competitive.  An athlete isn’t a a kid that has all the “natural measurables” to fill out a football jersey.  Its an ability; not a look. I would like to know whose dads are paying this guy to be their trainer.  He is his own worst critic.  He begins by saying he was a walk-on at UCLA, but only lasted a short time. Then he tells us that he works with a lot of the BYU players but they just aren’t the caliber player that the major programs are looking for.  So when did BYU become a mediocre football program and when is it good for a personal trainer to say, sorry I can’t help you build your body into something that a “major” college would consider “athletic”?  That’s his job! I wonder how long he will last. I felt like I was taking crazy pills listening to this guy say that Harvey is big, has great feet and plays extremely hard, but doesn’t have the look of a major running back.  I guess this trainer thinks that Harvey is too fat, too slow, and too weak to play for UCLA.  I would put BYU’s top players against any in the country.  Put us up on any lift they wanted and the BYU player would not only compete but excel.  Whether they were squatting, benching, cleaning, jumping, or running our players would match-up and be competitive.  Would they look as good? Probably not.  They might have a little extra maturity around the middle, but when it comes time to push the weight our players perform.  They have to because the are required to every day they are in the weight room and on the field.  I would love to see any UCLA player do the workouts that Coach Omer puts our guys through.

Football is more than size and strength.  Football consists mostly of what is between your ears and what is pounding in your chest.  Their prized 4 and 5 star recruits would last through the core lifts but when Coach Omer started picking up the tempo of the workout, those guys would be wondering where their stars went as walk-on after walk-on would pass them up.  Our coaching staff takes pride in making those prized recruits rethink their decisions.  BYU wants players just like this trainer describes.  BYU wants good football players, not players that just look or act the part, but can play the part.  A Cougar is a player that can understand his role and fulfill his role to the best of his ability.

If you want to know what the Pac-10 players think of our guys just ask them.  I would start with the UCLA corner – Verner.  I believe he would have a good idea of what kind of “athleticism” our players have.  That is, if he can still talk after the beating he took at the hands of Austin.  You could also ask UCLA’s safeties how athletic BYU’s tight ends were, except you’ll have to wait until they pick themselves up off the ground.  You could ask their defensive lineman how good BYU’s offensive linemen were.  Oh wait, UCLA already answered that question, “…four of the five BYU offensive linemen will play in the NFL.” But what do the actual UCLA starters know about athleticism – let’s ask a walk-on that didn’t last at UCLA!

How is it a negative thing that BYU gets the most out of their players?  Coach Omer should be hailed as one of the best weight coaches in the country.  He takes these 1 or 2-star players and molds them into a someone that can perform against any 4 or 5-star player and win 12 games in a row.  This guy says that his training business is thriving because of Coach Omers ineffective lifting regiment.  The way I see it is that the player that is going to this guy isn’t applying himself in a manner that will bring results and is instead looking for an easier way to get a certain look.  I would think that Coach Omer’s credentials speak for themselves.  This guys has, what, 4 years of experience? Coach Omer has over 30.  That’s a no brainier, Bub.  Coach Omer is in the business of producing football players, not beach bodies.

Let me tell you about potential.  A player’s potential can only be reached with the right scheme, coaching, and hard work.  UCLA may have a lot of talent but unless they change their habits, they will never reach their potential.  Being a 4 or 5-star recruit just sets some guys up for failure because they lack the intelligence and desire to work through the hard times.  UCLA fans will really see what kind of recruits they’ve got when they play their next games.  And if you don’t think that Mr. Neuheisel or Mr. Chow wouldn’t give their left arm to have a handful of BYU players on their team, you’re crazy.

As far as turning heads at a combine is concerned, you might be right.  Yet, BYU players that have gone to the combine have done very well in the measurables, and all of those players received try outs from NFL teams.  I guarantee if it came down to a UCLA player with the proper dimensions and a BYU player with intelligence and work ethic, the NFL coach will choose the BYU player 10 out of 10 times.  Why invest in something that will give up at the first sign of difficulty?  Because it looks good?  I’m not buying that crap.  UCLA can have all of their 4 and 5-star recruits that come into their program, show a flash or two and then fizzle out because they lack the intelligence to stay eligible or lack the discipline to work day in and day out so they can make plays on the field.  A BYU player understands that he is not entitled to anything, all the way down to the newest pair of Nike cleats.

The guy that wrote this drivel is a joke and I want to back up what I am saying so I am going to talk to Coach Omer today to get some statistical data, because it is impressive.  Check back after lunch and hopefully I will have it by then.  The scout.com thread is funny, and as you read on more and more people start to see through this guy’s crap. His ideas are as old and erroneous as Mr. Burn’s love for phrenology.

Have I mentioned that I hate the Pac-10? (See the post below)

The text is somewhat of a dialogue. You’ll have to read all of stoptothink’s responses.  The guy needs some smelling salt.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=12&f=1738&t=2997214

It is no secret that college football has become a “big boys club” with the BCS schools leading the way with millions of dollars.  Schools are beefing up their facilities, locker rooms, and stadiums in order to lure recruits to their institutions.  Schools are also investing a lot in coaches with the hopes that their teams can produce enough wins to grab the attention of the sought after recruits.

If you think this game is just about the records your wrong, this game could have very prosperous recruiting implications.  California has been a hot bed for college sports teams.  They have some of the best high school programs in the country.  Colleges like BYU and UCLA are trying very hard to attract the attention of high school recruits, a win for one of these schools could be fruitful next February when recruits choose which school they will attend.  Coach Neuheisal was quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune as he talked about recruiting LDS kids,

“I know that BYU is going to recruit very aggressively, especially for these LDS [Church] kids, and we have a number of great, successful LDS kids here,” he said, noting the faith of injured quarterback Ben Olson and freshman quarterback Kevin Prince.
“So we feel like we’ve got a great place for kids of the Mormon faith to come and not only get a lot out of the college experience, but continue to practice their faith.”

BYU is attempting to attract the best LDS players from around the country.  The Cougars aren’t just promoting their on-field success, but they are also appealing to the LDS players by running a program that focuses on their spirituality and character.  These “other” aspects of the BYU program are something that should be appealing to LDS high school players and parents.  Coach Mendenhall has become more than just a coach.  He has taken the role of mentor and spiritual leader in the efforts of trying to produce not only great players, but quality men.

Yet, now a days BYU isn’t the only school looking to offer the LDS players scholorships.  UCLA is not affraid of recruiting LDS players that may or may not go on missions.  A win against this UCLA team really could help some California athletes decided that BYU is a place where they could come to not only win, but have the chance to play in a new year bowl and the NFL.  Look at all the players from California on our team, lots of them have high school teammates that play on UCLA’s team.  This game will not only show case the Cali Cougars individual talents, but it will give them some cred when they go home.  Winning this game could be a way for BYU to appeal to the perspective Cali players.  A BYU win will not only preserve the quest for perfection, it could help raise an eye brow of a few coveted players from the player rich state of California, which will help BYU close the gap between the BCS “big boys” and the, “good for a mountain west” team (man I hate the versus announcers!).