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Show DAILY Thursday, February 8, 2007 HERALD B3 BYU FOOTBALL RECRUITING A closer look at BYU's 2007 football recruits Braden Brown DAILY HERALD Austen Jorgensen Biographies for each of the 24 recruits who signed with BYU on Salt Lake City, UT (Highland Wednesday: HS) I Notes: Under the direction of head coach Brodie Benson, Famika Anae helped lead the Rams to the 4A 260 OL state championship game ... A Salt Lake Tribune 4A Provo, UT(TimpviewHS) selection as a senior Notes: Son of BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae ... ... earned honors by the Deseret Morning helped lead Timpview HS to the 2006 4A state championship title News ... totaled 279 yards receiv... played for former BYU standing and six touchdowns ... also out Louis Wong at Timpview recruited by Oregon, UCLA, HS ... high school teammate of USC, Utah State, Washington BYU signees Houston Reynolds and Washington State. and cousin Ethan Manumaleuna ... plans to serve an LDS Church J DiLuigi mission before attending BYU 5-- 9 188 RB ... also recruited by UNLV, Colorado, Texas Tech and Hawaii. Canyon Country, CA (Canyon HS) I Notes: Under the direction David Angilau of head coach Harry Welch, 2 255 DL helped lead Canyon HS to the California State Championship Longmont, CO (Niwot HS) letterwin-ne- r r I Notes: A with a victory over De La for head coach Ron Tesone Salle ... named the CIF Division at Niwot HS ... a Longmont Daily I State Championship MVP Times-Cal- l a Defensive after racking up 138 yards on 21 carries ... named to several Player of the Year as a junior ... Rocky Mountain News 3A teams high school Defensive Player of the Year as ... named the Old SpiceRed a junior ... a Rocky Mountain Zone California Player of the News first team Year ... rushed for 2,159 yards defensive lineman as a junior ... on 266 carries as a senior ... led 3A with 15 sacks as a junior averaged 154.2 yards per game ... also recruited by Colorado, ... scored 34 touchdowns on the Colorado State, New Mexico and season ... had 29 receptions for 390 yards and four todchdown Wyoming. receptions ... ran for a season-hig- h 282 yards in the Cougars' Beck Tyler 49-3- 2 win over Chaminade ... 205 LB ran for over 200 yards three different times during the seaMurrieta, CA (Vista Mur-riet- a son ... also recruited by ColoHS) Notes: Helped lead Vista rado, Colorado State, Oregon, record ... Murrieta to an Oregon State and Washington Southwestern League DefenState. sive MVP ... recorded 75 solo tackles on the season and 16 asScotty Ebert sisted takedowns ... averaged 8.3 6-- 0185WR tackles per game as a senior ... totaled 13 sacks for a combined Sandy, UT (Jordan HS) loss of 104 yards ... averaged 12 I Notes: Under the direction sacks per game ... also recruited of Alex Jacobson, helped lead Jordan HS to an 3 record as by Arizona, Nebraska, Oregon, Portland State, UCLA and Utah. a senior before losing in the quarterfinals ... a Salt Lake Tri6-- 5 first-tea- All-Stat- e All-Sta- first-tea- J. 6-- 27-1- 3 two-yea- 3-- All-Sta- 6-- 1 11-- 1 8-- bune Brannon Brooks 5A second-tea- All-Sta- selection ... credited with 45 receptions for 730 yards and five touchdowns ... also recruited by Utah, Utah State and Weber State. 175 DB Elk Grove, CA (Elk Grove 0 HS) I Notes: Under the direction of head coach David Hoskins, 220 TE 6-- 4 Honolulu, HI (Kamehameha HS) I Notes: Under the direction of head coach Kanani Souza, helped lead the Warriors to an 3 record as a senior ... a Honolulu selection ... also recruited by Boise State, Oregon and Nevada. 8-- n All-Sta- last heard him speak publicly. Out of the grind of the year, and the stresses that Continued from Bl time accompany the straightforward man could han- period, you don't always get dle the slippery slope of what the MendenhaD that shows up it takes to get talent. Walk-od in situations like a success stories can only take luncheoa He is still quite the speaker. you so far. Some really talented kids In this setting he can joke with need to be given promises. They others, and easily pokes fun at need egos stroked. himself while talking about his Memo to those types of high team, its direction and the deschoolers considering BYU: If tractors it used to have. MendenhaU's still honest, and praise is a must, even before his charisma demands attentioa you've done anything as a CouYou might even wonder gar, look elsewhere. what the concern about him Recruiting coordinator Paul Tidwell said there have been ever was. What kid wouldn't other kids who could've played want to play for him? Of course, recruiting isn't that at BYU. But they were forgotten at some point because it simple. This class likely wont be a was obvious their personalities drastic except ioa Some wiD wouldn't fit. Like he has with thrive beyond aD expecations, various other parts of the proothers wiD fade away, because gram, MendenhaD has delegatof burnout, attitude or perhaps ed recruiting to his assistants. heaven forbid MendenhaD He expects them to do the leg and his competent staff missed work, all of the research, and a mark somewhere. make sure the athlete knows It 'U take years to sort it aD what BYU is about before inhim. thanks to missions and inout, volving Tidwell understood where juries and other acts of nurture was coming from, asking about and nature. The funny thing about how MendenhaD balances reWednesday was seeing Mencruiting, which can be alternatedenhaD even pat his own back. ly rewarding and degrading to He lauded that the Cougars won any sane adult. the "I think what you're finding recruiting battle here is that he wants guys who and landed aD nine players they can play at this level and have sought. He stood firmly behind his mantra' to recruit earlier the accolades," he sakL "But they don't have to have a sense than most teams that aren't of entitlement because of their USC, Florida or Texas. Praise for his school's work accomplishments. He expects the assistants to do their jobs at was nothing that didn't occur at every other school holding a finding the talent. similar party. . "(Mendenhall) is very good The complex MendenhaD at the final sel He's got a great continues to evolve. He is a sense of humor. He can relate work in progress. But so far, his to all kinds of people I think what's important with him is apparent willingness to adapt, he can judge character. He also to hold true to himself while also wants the athlete who wants us st iD growing into the more abstract parts of his role, may be as bad as we want him.'' the best signs yet. ' It was pointed out at this Without them, the great proKmcheon that the legendary win against Utah was 74 days gram MendenhaD yearns for could never be realized. ago. By my own math, the Las Vegas Bowl win was 48 days ago as MendenhaD spoke of the I Jason Franchuk can be reached at prospects for his third season. It had been since then when fpxtnchuWheraldextru.com. I day-tola- y hype-fiDe- 1 i Ryan Kessman &0190WR San Jacinto, CA (San Jacinto HS) I Notes: An receiver as a junior ... recorded 43 receptions for 848 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Tigers ... helped lead San Jacinto to the CIF Division 1 1 semifinals ... averaged 38 yards on punt returns and 46 yards on kickoff returns ... carried the ball 102 times for 1,134 yards as a senior, averaging 11.2 yards per carry ... credited with 15 rushing touchdowns ... averaged 94.5 yards per game ... credited with 16 receptions for 188 yards and one touchdown in 2006 ... listed among the top 100 recruits in California ... also recruited by Arizona State, Hawaii, Miami (Fla.), Oregon, Texas Tech and UCLA. for head coach Andy Troxel produced a school record four games with five touchdown completions ... also recruited by Arizona State, Nebraska, Oregon, Oregon State, USC, Washington, Washington State and Utah. 25-- 9 6-- 6 225 TE Upland, CA (Upland HS) I Notes: Plans to serve an LDS Church mission before enrolling at BYU ... credited with 19 receptions for 373 yards, averaging 19.6 yards per reception ... had four touchdowns during his senior season ... had a season-hig151 yards receiving in Upland's 3 win over daremont ... defensively, credited with 36 tackles, including 21 solos and 15 assisted takedowns ... averaged 4.0 tackles per game ... an performer ... also recruited by Colorado, Oregon and UCLA. h 40-2- Eathyn Manumaleuna 6-- 2 175S 6-- 1 Kahuku,Hl(KahukuHS) I Notes: A team captain ... helped lead Kahuku HS to a second straight state championship ... Honolulu Advertiser selection ... was selected as an OIA performer ... recorded four interceptions as a senior ... plans to serve an LDS Church mission before enrolling at BYU ... also recruited by Arizona, Boise State, New Mexico State, Washington and Utah All-Sta- all-st- 269 OL 6-- 2 All-Sta- 195 S South Jordan, UT (Bingham 4-- HS)- - 5-- G Marcus Mathews 200 WR 6-- 5-- All-Sta- 38-1- 2 Pittman 5- - 9 175 DB Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Rancho Cucamonga HS) Notes: Started at defensive back for head coach Nick Baiz ... totaled 58 tackles as a senior, including 35 solos ... credited with 1.5 sacks and two interceptions ... credited with 96 tackles as a junior ... also recruited by Colorado State, Oregon, San Diego State, UTEP, Washington State and Utah Houston Reynolds 6- - 2 295 OL Provo, UT (Timpview HS) I Notes: A Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News Jason Munns first team selection ... a 225 QB Daily Herald Elite 11 r starter selection ... a Kennewick, WA (Southridge at Timpview HS ... plans to HS) Notes: Produced a 60.7 serve an LDS Church mission before enrolling at BYU ... high completion percentage as a senior ... completed school teammate of BYU signees 18 attempts with a league-hig- h Eathyn Manumaleuna and Famitouchdowns ... produced a league ka Anae ... son of BYU assistant best 140.8 efficiency rating ... head coach Lance Reynolds ... credited with 2, 178 yards passing brother Lance played at BYU ... as a junior ... had 32 touchdown brothers Dallas and Matt are current members of the BYU roster completions and was the Big Nine of the year ... had ... also recruited by Arizona 2,297 yards passing as a sophoState, Iowa, Oregoa Stanford more ... tallied a career record of Utah and Washington State. 4-- All-Sta- 6-- 5 6-- 5 315 OL I Notes: A Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News first team selection .., honearned second-teaors as a junior ... clocked at 4.51 in the dash ... credited with over 1,300 yards ... totaled eight touchdowns on the season ... defensively, credited with three interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown ... plans to play one season before leaving on an LDS Church mission ... also recruited by Arizona State, Oregoa Utah and Utah State. 5-- Steven Thomas 11 180S Chino Hills, CA (Chino Hills HS) I Notes: Under the direction of head coach Terry Roche, helped lead Chino Hills to an overall record, including a 1 mark in league play ... credited with 31 receptions for 498 yards and four touchdowns as a senior ... totaled 49 tackles on the season, including 25 solo and 24 assisted takedowns ... averaged 4.5 tackles per game ... averaged 15.2 yards on nine punt returns ... had 12 kick returns for an average of 45.67 yards ... returned two kickoffs for touchdowns ... also recruited by Utah 4-- Manaaki Vaitai 6- - 3 299 OL Euless,TX (Trinity HS) t Notes: A Dallas Morning selec News first team tion ... credited with 264 knockstarter for downs ... a two-yehead coach Steve Lineweaveran District ... a unanimous offensive lineman ... named a Fort Worth Super Teams first team selection ... earned MaxPreps second-teahonors ... received the Ray Verkerk Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award ... an Eagle Scout ... also recruited by Baylor, Colorado State, Houstoa Oklahoma State, Texas Tech Texas A&M and All-Sta- first-tea- e TCU. four-yea- Ari- Church mission in Russia ... will enroll at BYU with three years of eligibility ... anchored an offensive line that produced 3,550 yards of total offense, including 325 yards rushing on the season ... a 2006 States Football League second-teaselection ... a Junior Col... lege BYU ForkHS) 8--3 I Notes: A three-yea- r starter ... Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Most ValuMorning News able Player ... named the best overall athlete in the state by the Deseret Morning News ... credited with 40 receptions for 699 yards and 11 touchdowns ... on defense, tallied 89 tackles, five interceptions and eight pass deflections ... also recruited by Utah Oregoa Beaverton, OR (Southridge HS) second-teaI Notes: An 3 245 DL selection ... credited with South Jordan, UT (Bingham over 50 receptions as a senior and scored seven touchdowns HS) Notes: A Salt Lake Tribune had 47 receptions for 690 yards and Deseret Morning News and seven touchdowns as a selection ... junior ... named one of the top 10 players in the state by The credited with 72 tackles on the season, including seven sacks ... Oregonian ... plans to serve and averaged 5.1 tackles per game ... LDS Church mission ... also rehad a season-hig- h nine tackles in cruited by California, Oklahoma the Miners' win over CopState, Oregon, Oregon State, per Hills ... listed as one of the top Washington, Washington State players in the state of Utah ... also and Utah. recruited by UNLV and Utah. Levi Mack &4 200WR Spanish Fork, UT (Spanish 5- - Star Lotulelei first-tea- Gary Nagy Jordan Pendleton Provo, UT (Timpview HS) I Notes: A Salt Lake Tribune selection ... a Daily Herald Elite 11 selection ... ranked second on the roster with five sacks, four hurries and three forced fumbles ... helped lead Timpview HS to the 2006 4A state championship title ... high school teammate of BYU signees Houston Reynolds and cousin Famika Anae ... nephew of BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae ... also recruited by first-tea- Jordan Smith ... Devin Mahina 6-- 4 zona JC) I Notes: Served an LDS Kaneakua Friel 11-- 2 n 6-- 3 Thatcher, AZ (Eastern helped lead the Thundering record on the Herd to an season ... had 120 carries for 1,028 yards, averaging 79.1 yards per game ... had five receptions for 52 yards ... credited with 27 tackles and six assists ... scored 12 touchdowns on the season, including 10 rushing touchdowns ... also recruited by Alabama, Boston College, Fresno State and Oregoa Franchuk 210 LB Mt. Pleasant, UT (North Sanpete HS) I Notes: Graduated from North Sanpete HS in December ... currently enrolled at BYU ... an selection as a academic senior ... an second team selection as a junior ... led the state with 14 sacks, 12 tackles for a loss and 1 15 total tackles ... did not play during his senior season after breaking his leg during spring football ... also recruited by Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Boise State, Georgia Tech, Arizona State, Utah, Illinois, California and Notre Dame. also recruited by Arizona State, Nebraska, Oregon State, Texas, Texas Tech and Utah State. Recruits Continued from Bl offensive players and 10 wiD be assigned to the defensive side of the baD. MendenhaD also said he felt the Cougars won the state of Utah in recruiting, signing all nine players he and his coaches targeted. "Six of the nine played in state championship games," Mendenhall said "I like the idea of recruiting winners." Five of the 24 recruits Timpview Unemen Houston Reynolds and Fairuka Anae, Upland (Calif.) tight end Devin Mahina, Grossmont Junior College linebacker Aveni Leung-Wa- i and Beaverton (Ore.) wide receiver wiD serve Marcus Mathews r LDS missions before entering the BYU program. One of the headliners of the Class of 2007 is Canyon (Calif.) running back J.J. DiLuigi, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards as a senior and led his team to an upset of the nation's No. 1 team, De La Salle, in the California state championship game. MendenhaD gave assistant coach Barry Lamb credit for discovering DiLuigi, who is not a member of the LDS church. "We see a young man like JJ. two-yea- 1 with great character and we feel he's a great fit," MendenhaD said BYU also puDed in the Utah Class 5A Player of the Year in Bingham's Jordan Pendleton, a athlete who wiD play in the defensive backfield. "I feel good about meeting the needs we have," MendenhaD said "We have great balance in this class and that wiD help us build the program for the future." multi-talente- (WR), Matt Bauman (LB), Dennis Pitta (TE) and RJ. Willing (OL). Linebacker Austen Jorgensen graduated early from North Sanpete (Mt. Pleasant) and has joined the offseason workouts. One recruit who also graduated early is San Jacinto (Calif.) wide receiver Ryan Kessman, but he's has been denied early entry because the NCAA his transcripts after a vast improvement he made in his grades whUe doing e course work. The appeals process is underway by Kessman and his family. Defensive lineman Star Lotulelei, another Bingham recruit, has yet to qualify for BYU and may not join the team in the faD. Mangum Mauga, a defensive linemen from Grossmont Junior College, did not sign a letter of intent on Wednesday, though he's been committed to BYU since last June He is expected to complete his associates course work and be in the BYU program as transfer in January a mid-yeof 2008. on-lin- Familiar face: Back in 2002, Timpview defensive lineman Brian Soi was tearing up opposing offenses and was named the Daily Herald Player of the Year. He signed a letter of intent with BYU but faDed to qualify academically. His long and winding road of an athletic career has taken him to a prep school on the Eastern seaboard to Utah State and to Utah Valley State, where he is currently attempting to complete his associates degree. If Soi (63 293 Jr.) accomplishes that task, his intent wiD be to enroD at BYU fall semester and play for the Cougars. I Personnel news: MendenhaD said eight recently returned missionaries joined the program during winter semester, including former starters Austin Collie I Quarterback U: BYU signed just one quarterback in the Class of 2007: Jason Munns (6--5 225) of Kennewick, Wash But two other quarterbacks, both from the junior coDege ranks, have joined Aveni Leung Wai 220 LB Aiea, HI (Grossmont JC) ConferI Notes: ence first team linebacker ... helped lead the Griffins to the California junior college state championship as a freshman ... plans to serve an LDS Church mission before enrolling at BYU Confer... a first team ence selectioa 6-- 1 the BYU program as walk-onFormer Timpview quarterback Cade Cooper (Snow CoDege) and Glendale Community CoDege standout Brenden Gaskins are with the team during offseason workouts. Munns, Cooper and Gaskins along with redshirt wiD freshman Sam Doman compete with sophomore Max Hall for the starting quarterback spot in 2007. I Check your calendar: BYU's 2007 schedule won't be finished for a whUe, but the dates of the four games are confirmed. The Cougars wtfl open the 2007 season by hosting Arizona at LaVeD Edwards Stadium on Sept. 1. BYU wiD make road trips to UCLA (Sept. 8) and Tulsa (Sept. 15) on consecutive weeks. The fourth game wUl be Oct. 20 against Division Eastern Washing-to- a I Up next: BYU begins spring practice on March 19 and the Blue and White Game to end spring baD is scheduled for April 14. I Daily Herald Sports Editor Darnell Dickson can be reached at 5 or by at ddicksonheraidextra.com 344-255- Wolverines fall victim to long ball against Wildcats BYUUVSC ROUNDUP OAHY HIRALD Utah Valley Tucson, Ariz. State fell victim to the long ball oft Wednesday as Arizona's Brad Glenn had a career night with three home runs while teammate Bin Rhinehart hit two homers of his own in a win over the Wolverines. The Wildcats (50) hit six . home runs on the day in winning their 10th straight game dating back to 2006. UVSC (0-got runs batted in from EU Slesk and Josh Hinckley but had just three hits through eight innings 13-- 2 before a four-hi- t ninth, Arizona gained an early lead in the bottom of the first on a solo home run from Rhinehart. Two batters later, Glenn drove home two with his first home run of 2007. I BYU men's tennis cams sweep: After a loss that came down to the wire on Tuesday at Washington, the BYU men's tennis team rebounded with two wins in a doubleheader versus the University of Portland and the University of Oregon Wednesday, improving the Cougars' record to 54 on the season. The Cougars defeated Portland then held off Oregon for a victory. cons sit at the bottom with an conference record. 0-- 9 I BYU baseball I BYU women's basketball hosts kicks off season: Three games at Huntsville, Texas, wiD provide the season opener for BYU baseball as it plays Sam Houston State, starting today. Air Force: The BYU women's basket baD team opens the sec- I BYU Softball opens season 5-- 4-- 3 ond half of Mountain West Conference play today, hosting Air Force in a 7 p.m. contest. The Cougars ( 16-come into the game on top of the MWC standings, while the Fal- 7-- St George: The in BYU women's softbaU team opens the 2007 season with the Red Desert Classic in St. George this weekend. The Cougars' first opponent wiD be Idaho State, at 2 p.m. today. |