The biggest thing for me is the different level of enjoyment of the game. To me it really seemed that the players really loved being out there and playing the game. They really loved being able to play football. – Recent Utah State signee and former BYU DB Dallin Leavitt
Editor's note: This is the first of three stories chronicling recruiting visits to BYU, Utah and Utah State.
Over Dallin Leavitt’s two seasons at BYU, he noticed something — a lot of people were married.
“It’s kind of tough to be a single young adult and be in a place where there are so many married people,” Leavitt said. “I think that created a weird vibe for me, at least.”
That “weird vibe” played a part in the former Cougar defensive back searching for a new place to play. In early December Leavitt informed BYU coaches his desire to transfer and a couple weeks later he was in Logan for a visit to Utah State. The trip was strictly for business.
“I think especially with high school kids, kids just want to go on recruiting trips just for fun,” Leavitt said. “I wanted to have a good time up there and see what it’s like, but the truth is when I was up to Utah State it wasn’t for fun, and it wasn’t for anything like that, it was a business trip.”
Leavitt didn’t take the trip alone. His father, Jared, a former BYU linebacker, accompanied his son, and it was Jared that Utah State coach Matt Wells got to first.
When the Leavitts got to campus, Wells took Jared into his office to talk, while Dallin went to a defensive meeting with Utah State defensive coordinator Todd Orlando. There Dallin saw how the team breaks down game plans and how the Aggies go along with their day-to-day activities.
From there it was on to the practice field, where Dallin was reunited with his father, who was now enthusiastic about the Utah State head coach.
“The way that he spoke about Coach Wells really, really stood out to me,” Dallin said. “My dad is a man of character and he can really understand how people are and of they’re genuine or not. When my dad told me all the great things about Coach Wells and the way he was, and the way my dad felt after talking to him, that was the first impression I’ve really ever had of Coach Wells, and to have my dad, someone that I trust like that, say so many great things is a huge blessing and an eye-opener to have that happen.”
Another eye-opener? What the younger Leavitt witnessed on the Aggie practice field.
Leavitt was on the sidelines for two practice days and he described the energy at practice as “phenomenal.” The players were loose, music was playing and most importantly to Leavitt everyone was having fun.
“I think a lot of the time with Division 1 football, people forget to enjoy the game,” Leavitt said. “I think that’s something that Coach Wells and the rest of the staff does a great job of — keeping the fun of the game.”
Leavitt kept a keen eye on Orlando’s interaction with his players and how his players responded to his coaching. He liked what he saw.
“The respect (the players) have for him and the love and the appreciation is really telling of how much Orlando really loves and respects his players,” Leavitt said. “I think (the coaches) do a really good job of showing they want players there and they make you feel wanted and make you feel excited to be there and they are excited that you are there as well.”
Leavitt said he saw a nice balance between focus and fun during the practices, something he felt was unique to Logan.
When asked about the differences between BYU and Utah State, Leavitt responded, “The biggest thing for me is the different level of enjoyment of the game. To me it really seemed that the players really loved being out there and playing the game. They really loved being able to play football.
“Maybe it was just because I was looking from the outside and in, and don’t get me wrong I loved playing at BYU and I had tons of fun, and great memories with a lot of my teammates there, but I think it comes down to how loose it was at Utah State. There was a balance of focus instead of over-the-top seriousness all the time, which you can get at a lot of programs around the country.”
It wasn’t just the football part of Utah State that Leavitt liked about his trip. Leavitt grew up in a city, but said he preferred the small-town feel Logan provided.
“The truth is people say that Provo is a college town, but at the end of the day I really don’t feel that it is,” he said. “Being in Logan it was all kids, and people that were close to my age. I got a good feel for Logan, and the atmosphere of Logan being a college town was really nice. I really enjoyed having more of a small-town feel. It’s kind of homey and comforting in a lot of ways. I had a blast, I thought it was great.”
Leavitt knew Utah State tight end Wyatt Houston from their high school days playing in Oregon, and Houston took Leavitt around with the team. They went bowling, to Buffalo Wild Wings, and Houston made sure that Leavitt got the feel of what Logan could provide for the young man.
But for the BYU transfer, the trip was not about fun, it was about finding the correct place for him. And the education he would be getting played a major role.
Leavitt said he wants to go into business and was impressed with Utah State's business school, but more so he was impressed with the way Wells, and his coaches, handle the schooling of the Aggie players.
Leavitt mentioned how Utah State has graduated 100 percent of its seniors over the last six years and that was an environment he wanted to be a part of.
Another thing Utah State has going for it is the recent run of players drafted into the NFL. Since 2011, the Aggies have had five defensive players get drafted, including Seattle Seahawks star linebacker Bobby Wagner. Leavitt said he is going to college for the education first, but that he has a goal of playing at the next level and Utah State’s success of getting players to the next level factored into his decision.
Just days after his trip to Logan, Leavitt announced he was transferring to Utah State. So, did the trip to Logan determine his decision?
“Yes and no, I had an idea, I wanted to look there because I wanted to stay in the state of Utah. But I think when I went up there I fell in love with it,” Leavitt said. “It’s kind of weird, everybody has this crazy Aggie pride, and everyone is super involved and I feel that when people are involved and buy into what’s going on, then they love it, so that was something I really appreciated and felt when I was up there.”