Podcast Links:
News and Notes:
Shepherd: “I don’t think anyone anticipated any major news in terms of expansion today. But what strikes me is that you are now seeing more and more people expressing their opinion that they feel that the Big 12 needs to go to 12.”
Shepherd: “Aren’t you surprised that there aren’t more P5 conferences pressuring the Big 12 to regulate that conference championship game?”
Criddle: “Bowlsby said that he doesn’t think that they are at a disadvantage because they don’t have a CCG.”
Shepherd: “I compare the Big 12 to my two youngest kids. I will tell them to do something and they will wait until the last possible second even tho they need to do it. Maybe with the Big 12 we just need to count to 3.”
How We See It:
Shepherd: “It’s something that I see as somewhat unnecessary, and I don’t mean that in a negative way, but he didn’t need to do this but it’s clear it’s something he feels strong about and decided to let it be known.”
Shepherd: “He probably came into BYU thinking that he’d be more involved and he didn’t have to go out of his way to thank coaches and I think it speaks a lot to how these players think about BYU and how they feel embraced.”
Criddle: “I think the Bronco naysayers will say that he brainwashed him so they could play.”
Criddle: “What is the catalyst behind this? Why would he do this? I think it’s because BYU had a big impact with him.”
Criddle: “He says that as he looks back at his senior year of football, he couldn’t be more proud to play at BYU.”
Shepherd: “He’s everything that’s not supposed to exist at BYU.”
Criddle: “Right, you’re supposed to get the white, gritty, walk-ons to BYU.”
Shepherd: “Harvey said that he believes Coach Mendenhall is one of the greatest coaches in the country because of the standards he holds his players to and the victories for the football team which are year round.”
Shepherd: “This letter is an unbelievable recruiting tool. He’s non-LDS, African-American and had a great experience.”
Criddle: “BYU has done a great job in opening Texas by beating the marquee program in the state, Margin Hooks opening doors, and Coach Holliday pitching to recruits. I guarantee that Harvey Jackson will make a difference here.”
Criddle: “He pointed out that BYU is no ordinary place and he had a great experience.”
Jimmy Rex Real Estate Top 3 Stories:
Criddle: “The number one property is in Herriman, it is bank owned and $311,000.”
Criddle: “The number one story is the storyline of Simi Fehoko.”
Criddle: “You almost want to ask how on earth BYU loses another recruit to Stanford. There was Dallas Lloyd, Brandon Fanaika, Gabe Reid, and now Simi Fehoko.”
Criddle: “Stanford has come into the state of Utah and gotten these high character players who have great academics.”
Shepherd: “You get the perception that these liberal-type schools that are blocking BYU from joining a conference, but these kids don’t feel like they are any less viewed at Stanford.”
Criddle: “All these guys started landing in Stanford when Lance Andersen arrived there.”
Criddle: “Property number two is in Stansbury Park for $201,000 on a third acre and was built in 1996.”
Criddle: “The second biggest story is the Big 12 comments.”
Shepherd: “I think it’s going to happen sooner or later where the Big 12 will be left out of an upper tier bowl and will have to expand.”
Criddle: “The number three property is a fixer-upper in Provo. It would be a great house to flip.”
Criddle: “How do you formulate your weightlifting groups for S&C?”
Criddle: “The reason I ask, Tejan Koroma and Taysom Hill are lifting together and it looks like it’s similar weight.”
Shepherd: “I think you want your center and your QB hanging out together.”
Shepherd: “Taysom is a freak athlete. To be able to do what he does coming off of injuries is incredible.”
Cougar Insider Report:
Criddle: “I got a message from Dustin Smith who trained Dallas Lloyd and it sounds like a lot of these kids feel like there is a strong LDS culture at Stanford.”
Criddle: “Look at the list of kids: Dallas Lloyd, Brandon Fanaika, Dalton Schultz, Sean Barton, Gabe Reid, and now Simi Fehoko.”
Shepherd: “When you can put on your resume that you went to Stanford. But if Stanford wasn’t a winning program I don’t think this would matter.”
Criddle: “Since 2003 Stanford is averaging between 3 and 4 kids getting drafted into the NFL every year.”
Sean Walker Interview:
Walker: “It looked to me like a completely different offseason program than anything I had ever seen at BYU.”
Walker: “Jay did a really good job what he did with the players, but now it looks like Frank is making this more of a second season for the football players in the way that he trains and conditions them.”
Walker: “The players are excited to get in and run and even just stretch. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in a college football program.”
Shepherd: “I sat down and talked to him and he said that there shouldn’t be this many soft tissue injuries with a football team.”
Shepherd: “One thing that I like is that everyone is doing position specific work outs. This is very scientific and it’s all monitored.”
Walker: “Even in those individual position groups, Frank will pull guys aside and modify their workouts further.”
Walker: “I appreciate Harvey’s letter because he’s not your typical BYU student and it’s good to see that he’s had a good experience.”
Walker: “BYU isn’t going to go somewhere just to go somewhere, they have a deal with ESPN and they can wait and see moves to happen.”
Walker: “I think they’ll have a seat when it starts to realign.”
Walker: “My favorite part about interning with KSL was going and picking up Arby’s for BYU legend, Jason Shepherd.”
5:30 Segment:
Criddle: “It was good to see Tyler play really well and I feel like a lot of his success came when he was running the point.”
Shepherd: “If there’s anyone I would want my kids to be like it would be Tyler Haws. I find it hard that a guy who was consistently in the top 5 for scoring and broke Jimmer’s record doesn’t have a spot in the NBA.”
Shepherd: “He got a lot of his points by playing off the ball and coming off screens but he was successful with the ball in his hands.”
Criddle: “All it will take is him applying that incredible work ethic to somewhere besides shooting.”
Criddle: “I feel like he really improved his stroke and it was a lot more crisp and quick.”
Shepherd: “Yeah I really do feel like it was improved and I’m excited for his future in the league.”
Harvey Jackson Interview:
Jackson: “Life’s been really good. I feel like I did good at Pro Day and got a shot at the NFL and I’m open to all possibilities in my future.”
Jackson: “I studied Construction Management and Engineering at Nebraska and minored in Business.”
Jackson: “I’ve tried to get on the team a lot. I would love to be at the BYU-Nebraska game and I’ll do what I can to be there.”
Jackson: “I think it’s going to be a great match up with two great teams with a great tradition.”
Jackson: “I know that some of those Nebraska guys are pretty talented and working hard, but I know what Bronco Mendenhall can do when he’s in charge.”
Jackson: “That game day experience is crazy. I have chills just thinking about it. The stadium is completely full during warm ups.”
Jackson: “The fans at Nebraska are great and are polite to those who visit the stadium, both the fans and the players.”
Jackson: “I chose Nebraska because it was the right choice. It was a great opportunity for me both on the football field and in the classroom.”
Jackson: “I think the two biggest differences between Coach Mendenhall and Coach Pelini were their defensive schemes. But what is similar is their high standards and expectations.”
Jackson: “At first, I didn’t think that it was a big deal to write that letter. But I have had times where I just sit down a lot and think about the great time I had at BYU and wanted to show some appreciation to Coach Mendenhall for everything he did for the team.”
Jackson: “What was special about BYU was that I was able to focus on BYU and put academics to the side.”
Jackson: “There are great people at BYU and in the Provo area and I felt embraced like I belonged.”
Jackson: “There wasn’t any jealousy between players. I came in and it felt like a brother.”
Jackson: “My mindset was different between the time I was 18 and 22. I wish I would’ve been that open minded back then, but I’m not sure what might’ve happened, I’m just grateful for the opportunity to have come to BYU.”
Jackson: “Coach Mendenhall is one of my great friends out there. I was able to know his family and he opened up to me.”
Jackson: “Heck, I even rode Coach Mendenhall’s horses one time.”
Jackson: “Coach Mendenhall didn’t pressure me to come here. He let me look around and ask questions and I had a great experience and called him back.”
Jackson: “When you have a great guy who is your coach, you will do anything for him and that’s why I feel we finished strong last year.”
Jackson: “We didn’t expect Taysom to go down, it’s not something you practice for but he told us it was our time to make a decision on how the season would go.”
Jackson: “I felt that no one really pointed fingers at each other and we kept working hard and the coaches helped us make an adjustment.”
Jackson: “Things got really bad after we lost 2-3 games but he was still able to get full control of the team and finish strong.”
Shepherd: “As someone who gets to see Taysom behind the scenes, how good of a QB and how good of a teammate is he.”
Jackson: “Not only is he a good teammate and player, but he’s a good person and he’s someone that you want to be like and you look up to.”
Jackson: “Taysom has complete control over that team and has influence with the players and I think it will make a difference.”
Jackson: “I think the struggle was with attention to detail. If you do what you’re supposed to do, everything works good.”
Jackson: “I can’t point fingers at why things went bad but I think it may have been a communication error which can be fixed.”
Jackson: “The secondary for this year is hungry. I know most of those guys and they’re out there grinding and working hard.”
Jackson: “Those guys are athletic and they will take over once they get comfortable.”
Jackson: “Bronson has the ability to do anything he wants to do. He works hard and I expect him to have a big season.”
Jackson: “Coach Mendenhall and Coach Howell did a great job communicating with everyone about what the plan was.”
Jackson: “There’s no better atmosphere than a college football game. It’s like the first time you have freedom but then you learn responsibility.”
Jackson: “I definitely don’t miss doing the homework.”
6:30 Segment:
Criddle: “You said it Jason, Harvey probably wouldn’t come to BYU when he was 18 unless he had another Harvey Jackson chirping in his ear.”
Criddle: “I look for key words when interviewing former players and he said that there was no jealousy and it was a brotherhood and that stuck out to me. I played at two different JC’s and there were so many clique’s but thinks were different at BYU.”
Shepherd: “There are kids who dream of going to a school and they come to BYU but it seems that more and more kids grow up close to BYU and know what it’s like so they want to experience something else.”
Shepherd: “If I was a football players and was blessed to be recruited by BYU I would tell everyone to stop because BYU was the place for me.”
Criddle: “I think that winning cures all. If BYU and Utah are winning more games then these guys are going to stay here.”
Shepherd: “You don’t just go after guys that are in your region anymore.”
Shepherd: “This is a fertile recruiting ground for not just football but now basketball and that’s why you see guys like Frank Jackson getting recruited by Duke.”
