Welcome to the prep football player's world of college recruiting, where a big fish in the small pond becomes just one of many other fish in the ocean.
Oh, sure, the state of Utah is providing some "catches" for major-college programs, with national letter-of-intent signing day next Wednesday. But those players who don't quite measure up to strict size and speed standards find themselves "tossed back in the water," with the local junior colleges serving as hatcheries.So how's the fishing this year in the state? Based on initial contact with the state's prep football coaches, two players have announced they'll play collegiately outside the state, while a half-dozen others have so far reported verbal commitments to BYU, Utah and Utah State.
In a nutshell, here's recruiting in the state of Utah: BYU gets more and more picky each year as it makes inroads in recruiting nationwide; the coaching change at Utah is resulting in lost continuity this year, with a new staff not necessarily showing the same interest in players contacted by former Ute coaches; and Utah State is trying to find that sought-after mix of junior-college and freshman recruits while trying to convince local players that the Aggie program is on a par with BYU and Utah.
Out-of-state recruits
Two of Utah's top prep players have elected to take their talents to collegiate programs outside of Utah - Highland lineman Ross McQuivey has announced he'll sign with Stanford, while Woods Cross running back Kitt Rawlings has verbally committed to Kansas State.
After receiving preseason all-American mention last summer, McQuivey started the fall with a knee injury that cost him half the season. Despite McQuivey having something less than the season that he and others had anticipated, Stanford anxiously sought the services of the 6-foot-5, 249-pounder as a projected defensive lineman, with Arizona State and Arizona receiving more than the nominal interest that McQuivey gave BYU and Utah.
Rawlings, who rushed for nearly 2,200 yards and a state-best 423-yard single-game performance, returns to Kansas, where he had lived prior to high school. The 6-foot, 175-pounder who averaged 10 yards every time he rushed, received or returned the ball and scored 29 TDs, was not recruited much by in-state schools. The Wildcats, however, won him to their side by an attention-laden visit.
BYU
Two Utah players - Clearfield's Brock Spencer and Manti's Tyler Bolli - have made verbal commitments to sign with the Cougars next week. Spencer, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound 4A all-state quarterback-kicker who passed for 2,654 yards in two seasons, selected BYU over Southern Cal, Arizona, Arizona State, Utah State, Weber State and Memphis State.
A 2A all-state receiver-return specialist for the Templars, Bolli scored a dozen TDs while averaging 19 yards a catch and 22.8 yards a return. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound speedster also is the defending 2A hurdles champion.
Utah
Taylorsville's Lance Scott, a 6-foot-5, 243-pound center who has verbally committed to the University of Utah, was the first prep recruit brought into the fold of new Ute Coach Ron McBride. Currently, Scott is the only in-state player who has announced intentions to attend Utah.
Utah State
Bingham's Jason Burge and Box Elder's Kevin Welch have committed to Utah State. Burge, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound guard-linebacker with 4A all-state honors, had three interceptions and five fumble recoveries during his senior season. Welch, the 3A all-stater who measures in at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, was a double-threat running back with 753 yards rushing and 829 yards receiving while picking off seven interceptions as a defensive back.
Still deciding
Logan's Blair Hodson, a 6-2, 190-pound QB who led the Grizzlies to a second straight 3A state title, is said to be leaning towards either BYU or Yale. Hodson, who passed for 2,827 yards, 34 TDs and a 57-percent completion rate as a first-year starting QB last year, wants to play baseball as well. That desire eliminates Utah State, which had pushed hard to add the local player . . .
West Jordan's Travis Hall, another of the state's top two-way lineman recruits, has narrowed his choices to BYU and Washington State, with also-rans including Utah, Utah State and Weber State . . . Provo's Bill Saluone, a 6-0, 190-pound RB-return specialist with 1,000 yards rushing, is considering BYU and Hawaii . . .
Granger's Craig VanWoerkom, a 6-0, 185-pound QB-DB-kicker, is looking at Utah State, SUSC and the Ivy League trio of Harvard, Princeton and Columbia. The Ivy League's Dartmouth is a possibility for Jordan's Art Hunter, a 5-11, 170-pound WR-DB, while Beetdigger teammate Cory Collins, a 6-3, 205-pound QB-LB, has Ivy alternatives a well as an offer from Weber . . .
Olympus lineman Larry Harmer has turned down offers from Utah and Utah State to instead play for BYU . . . Air Force Acadmey, which recruits year-round for obvious reasons, remains a possibility for local players such as Highland's James Adamson, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound RB-LB; and Box Elder's Jeff Puttnam, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound linebacker . . .
Bonneville's Jantz Afuvai, the 6-foot-1, 240-pound 4A all-state linebacker, has attracted attention from BYU, Boise State and Weber State as well as interest from Utah and Utat State, while Laker teammate Bryan Frasier, a 6-4, 240-pound DE, is still getting contact from Weber State and Boise State . . .
Weber State / SUSC / JCs
So, what role do Weber State College, Southern Utah State College and the local junior colleges - Dixie College, Snow College and Ricks College - play in the state's college recruiting? While making pitches for the top players, Weber State and SUSC also become dinner-table dogs of sorts, watching and waiting for the leftovers - hence, some of their best recruiting comes in the day or two following signing day, when the domino effect has left certain prepsters without a Division I scholarship.
The junior colleges, all with recently earned national respect, have become a more attractive alternative for players who are just a step off the major-college pace. The JCs provide players with a couple of years of maturation and playing time rather than frustration and pine time, allowing the top individuals another chance to link up with a major college for their final two years of elibigility.
That could be the scenario for players like Logan receiver Richie Geertsen, who caught 78 passes for 1,700 yards and 23 TDs. After early interest from BYU, Utah State, Air Force and Oregon State, there's a good chance he might end up at Ricks College.
While some players trickle down through the sorry-no-scholarship-available filter, the JCs are actively involved in winning over players from the start. For example, Dixie College has brought in championship-team players for a second year, following last year's Alta lot with the likes of LeRoy Vea, Brian Veazie, Jeremy Castro, Jason Duckworth, Chris Castro and Danny Martin from the 1989 Kearns title team.