For those worried about nepotism (I’m not), here is how BYU’s roster looks:
Cooper Ainge - Father and brother played for BYU
Nate Austin - I don’t know of any relatives that played for BYU
Jamal Aytes - No known relatives who played
Elijah Bryant - No known relatives who played
Cory Calvert - No known relatives who played
Jordan Chatman - Son of Jeff Chatman former BYU player
Kyle Collingsworth - Brother of former player Chris, Wife ran track at BYU
Kyle Davis - No known relatives who played
Nick Emery - Brother played for BYU
Chase Fischer - No known relatives who played
Alan Hamson - Sister and mother played for women’s team
Jakob Hartsock - Brother Noah played for BYU. Two sister in laws played volleyball for BYU
Corbin Kaufusi - Father played for BYU football. Father BYU football assistant coach, Brother plays football for BYU and former basketball player for BYU
Zac Seljaas - Sister played for BYU
Braiden Shaw - Father played for BYU JV
Jake Toolson - Nephew of Danny Ainge
All this information is available on the BYU website
So a total of 10 players have former BYU connections and 6 do not.
I personally don’t see nepotism here. I think it is only nepotism if you either recruit connected players while ignoring equivalent unconnected players who want to come or if you recruit connected players that aren’t qualified to play at BYU. Since it doesn’t appear that either one of these have happened, I don’t see an issue.
As to whether or not BYU recruits too many Utah County players. Do you think for a second that if Syracuse University had a #1 ranked high school team in Onondaga County, New York that they wouldn’t tap it for every quality player that they could get to come to Syracuse? Once again, I don’t see a problem.
As long as we win does it really matter? We try to recruit 4 and 5 star athletes that can fit in well enough with our requirements. It’s up to the recruits to decide. It isn’t somehow our fault they don’t come to BYU.
Nepotism can also be connected with lazy recruiting. The pool of talent, regardless of whether the kids played for some fantastic high school team, is not that large in Utah county, let alone the state itself. The University of Utah, which is arguably having more success than BYU right now, extends recruiting WAY beyond their borders, as less than 1/3 of the players are from Utah. They bring in juco transfers, foreign players and players from outside the bubble. It seems to be working well.
One of the bigger issues I see happening is that this problem is affecting many of the players that have been brought in from the “outside”. Bartley is a great example… Nielsen is another. If you aren’t a Utah guy or a relative, etc. then you have a high likelihood of not fitting into Rose’s “system”. Along those lines I will go so far as to suggest that one of the reasons Jimmer isn’t making it in the nba is directly related to how he fit in so well at BYU, as ultimately it seems to have harmed more than helped.
Some of you will understand what I am saying, but most will only deny, criticize or toss the notion aside without further discussion. To those of you who do, I say you have been bubbleized as well.
As long as we win what? a game? because right now that is about all you have. BYU isn’t winning leagues or ncaa tourney games much lately. How do you know BYU tries to recruit 4 and 5 star athletes? That is an assumption… and it is up to recruits to decide. How have things worked out for recruits outside the state of Utah? With the exception of Jimmer (who’s future is uncertain) is there an outside player you can point to? One who has had success? Is it Bartley or Nielsen? Nope…
Lastly, I would like you to rethink your comment that it isn’t somehow our fault they don’t come to BYU. Based on the current roster and past success of particular players, would you want to come to BYU? Are Bartley, Nielsen or others happy with their decisions? I’m trying to stimulate some honest open discussion and that isn’t easy with “bubble” believers.
Jim has learned a new word, “bubble”
Okay Mr. Bubble, now it’s BYU’s fault for everything that goes wrong in the world. BYU causes people to under-succeed. I suppose if Haws would have gone to Kentucky he would have been picked in the first round.
It’s pretty easy to understand that we recruit as many 4 and 5 stars as we can. It’s really up to them to decide to play at BYU and live up to the honor code. Kids whose parents played at BYU obviously want to come to BYU too, unless your name is Eric M.
29-1 is reasonable for this 2-3 star team
You are talking from some place other than your mouth… try spending a little time thinking about what I am saying because it is relevant. We can continue to have the same old superficial discussions about the preseason hype and unrealized expectations, etc. or we can talk about things that might improve the situation. I think things are looking up, we will see.
You don’t understand the bubble. How long has it been since you visited Utah or Salt Lake Valley? the early 80’s when you were in college?
I’ve tried this before… and it usually goes nowhere.
There are some things we can agree on. Just not comments that the reason we don’t get the Jabari Parkers is somehow BYU’s fault. Like the school is guilty of upholding high moral standards. And that is why they don’t come. The sole decision is the kids.
I think you may be oversimplifying it… like somehow the reason a kid doesn’t go to BYU is because of the moral standards. That may be one reason for one kid. In my opinion that is one thing that contributes to the bubble effect. Is the high moral standard a good thing? Absolutely! I just get the feeling that frequently there are players who are not “welcomed” as much as some other players… players who just don’t seem to fit in or are not given legitimate opportunities… players who might contribute significantly but just never seem to… and i think many of the reasons why it happens is because of what might be a relatively closed and isolated group of haves and have nots… in the “bubble world”.
Once again there are some who will understand what I am saying, but most will not, or they will deny it or toss it aside, etc. I don’t think you understand.
These days, athletes move around all the time like Carlino. We have Fischer, Davis and others. Players want to play especially if they are good. But to blame BYU because they have to live by the rules is ridiculous.
Too much bubble bazooka joe
