BYU was the first program to offer a scholarship to Ryder Lyons, and this weekend the Cougars will get the last chance to win him over.
The long recruiting trail for the five-star quarterback from Folsom, California, ends in Provo, just ahead of his highly anticipated decision announcement next Tuesday.
All the heavyweights have made their pitches, and recruiting gurus contend that BYU and Oregon are the last two still in the fight.
Looking at the tale of the tape between the combatants, the Ducks hail as new members of the Big Ten, they went 13-1 and reached the semifinals of the College Football Playoff last season and Nike’s Phil Knight is their key financial backer.
BYU is still settling into the Big 12. The Cougars went 11-2 last year and routed No. 23 Colorado in the Alamo Bowl, 36-14. BYU has proven competitive in the NIL game and Lyons plans to serve a mission for the church that sponsors the school.
In head-to-head meetings on the field, each team has won three games. However, in recent recruiting battles, the Cougars have picked off Oregon like a bunch of sitting ducks.
Kingsley Suamataia, a five-star offensive lineman from Orem, initially chose the Ducks before transferring to BYU in 2022, where he earned first team All-Big 12 honors and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Harrisson Taggart, a four-star linebacker from Draper, signed with Oregon before transferring to BYU, where he finished second on the team in tackles last season (69).
McKay Madsen, a four-star running back from Clovis, California, announced on NBC during the Navy All-American Bowl last Dec. 11 that he was choosing BYU over Oregon. Madsen will be on campus in 2027 following his church mission to Argentina.
Brock Harris, a four-star tight end from St. George, chose BYU over Oregon and a handful of other programs. He will join the Cougars in 2028 after serving his church mission.
Alai Kalaniuvalu, a four-star offensive lineman from Las Vegas, flipped his commitment from Oregon to BYU in May and will join the Cougars this fall.
Even head coach Kalani Sitake reportedly turned down an offer from the Ducks prior to reaching a contract extension to remain at BYU in 2021.
That’s a lot of losing for a proud Oregon program that wins most of the time, and for BYU, it’s a lot of winning for a team marinating in momentum.
Even without Lyons, the Cougars’ 2026 recruiting class is ranked the highest in program history. Lyons is part of a large contingent of top players, including his potential tight end Harris, on their official visits to Provo. Harris is BYU’s highest-rated recruit since 2006.
Lyons would be the first five-star quarterback to sign with the Cougars since Jake Heaps in 2009.
A dual-threat, Lyons threw for 3,011 yards and 46 touchdowns with just six interceptions during his junior season at Folsom High. He also rushed for 14 touchdowns.
Where Lyons chooses to play is up to him, and as far as that choice is concerned, this weekend is as big as it gets. Oregon made its best pitch last season. Now it’s BYU’s turn. The Ducks have seen this movie before, and they are hoping for a happier ending.
To the Cougars’ advantage, Sitake is a closer. It’s what he does. He was the first of more than 40 Division I coaches to offer Lyons in 2021, and he will be the last one to see him before the quarterback calls his shot.
Advantage BYU.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com