What's happening to high school and junior college recruiting in the wake of the transfer portal and NIL in college sports is a travesty.
So says a former Dixie Junior College star who played with Heisman winner Ty Detmer at BYU and sent a son, Jaren Hall, to the NFL via BYU .
Kalin Hall is taking his love for coaching young men from Maple Mountain High to Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, where Badgers head coach Zac Erekson will deploy him as director of football operations and running backs coach.
Hall has been an energetic, beloved high school coach at Maple Mountain High and had a community rally behind him this past year when he was released, rehired, and then declined to return.
Hall hates what modern major college sports has done to kids.
"Shame on the NCAA for doing what they did. Shame on athletic directors around the country for collectively making the financial decisions they've made," said Hall, decrying the reduction of roster spots, dismissing walk-on programs, and robbing high school players of opportunities to play and prove themselves.
Hall was referring to changes to scholarship caps in college sports, which are laid out in the landmark House settlement. Although the settlement has not yet been approved, many schools have already adjusted their programs to fit its conditions, including by making cuts.
"It's not only the transfer portal that's hurt, but the 105 because within that, those additional 20 kids, those who would have been preferred walk-ons, do not have a chance to mature because schools are no longer handcuffed," said Hall.
Of course, what started all of this were the lawsuits by athletes to get paid when schools used them to produce truckloads of money through ticket sales and TV contracts.
It's today's college sports and it's been force-fed to everyone.
Hall said today's climate has put college coaches in a hopeless position. They have to win now. Should they put their job on the line and risk it all for a kid you can develop over time by signing a high school player, or do they make a more informed choice and take a transfer from the portal?
"I feel so bad for the high school kids," Hall said.
Earlier this spring he spoke to University of Utah running back coach Mark Atuaia about a prospect. He told Hall the kid was someone they'd normally have taken a shot on at the P4 level and brought him in as a preferred walk-on. Then, in a year or two, he'd have become a player. "But we can't do that anymore. We don't have the time," the coach told Hall.
Now Hall will see the same challenges for kids at Snow, a national juco football powerhouse.
He's excited to teach and help young men, just like he did at Maple Mountain. His real job, however, is working with former BYU tight end Gabe Reid at PureEnviro Management as vice president. The company manages issues with government departments in Utah, nationally, and does work in the South Pacific.
Erekson has tried to get Hall to work with him at Snow for years.
"Zac is like my little brother," said Hall. "I've known Zac since he was 7 years old and we've been close family friends for years."
Hall said his boss, Reid, told him he should go to Ephraim and give his time — it isn't a financial decision at all — but one of love.
"He said to go and share some of my ancient wisdom."
"I've spent a lot of time working with kids at BYU, Utah and Utah State, a lot of local kids, but this will be a little different. As a former JC kid myself, playing more than 30 years ago at Dixie, I understand the dynamics.
"But millennials are different today and young people are different. I was there at Snow for spring ball and it was fun. I'm the older guy out there, there is only one other guy that is older than me, the defensive coordinator, working with Zac."
Hall said Snow expects to play high-quality football again this coming season.
What about his son Jaren, who was drafted out of BYU by the Vikings before going to Seattle ?
Well, he just turned down an offer from the Jacksonville Jaguars , said the father.
"He's just waiting for the right opportunity. Very few guys turn down opportunities, but he turned one down last week. He didn't want to go to Jacksonville. He just didn't think it was right for him. He was inspired religiously that it wasn't the right move. So he's a better man than I am, because I would have been in Florida."
Hall praised Jaren for his maturity and faith in looking for an inspired move in his next landing.
"He's a better dude that I am. As a dad, I had to back up and tell him that he was my idol and I'm sorry for trying to influence him to take the Jacksonville job when he was prompted spiritually to wait for something else in his life."
Former BYU running back Kalin Hall works with the Payson High School football team during a practice at the high school Friday, August 16, 2002. | Jason Olson, Deseret News
