This article was first published in the Cougar Insiders newsletter . Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each week.
While Wednesday's Signing Day has been diluted due to the high volume of signings during the early signing window in December, there are still many ways to gauge the Cougars' football recruiting success.
Part of understanding how BYU is doing is noting that the Cougars benefited from many early commitments this past year, which is part of a larger view of recruiting momentum.
Here's how CougarSportsInsider.com editor Jeff Hansen, part of the 247Sports.com network, put it for me on Monday:
"BYU didn't get the 11-win bump that a lot of fans were expecting, but there are a couple of reasons for that. The vast majority of the recruiting class was committed before the season started. Summer official visits have pushed commitments earlier and earlier. Most of the 2026 recruiting class will likely commit before this season starts. So, theoretically, BYU should see the 11-win bump over the summer.
"But that doesn't mean BYU didn't see success as a result of their successful season. Austin Pay might not have committed without BYU's success this season. McKay Madsen might not have committed. Siosiua Vete might not have flipped from Stanford . BYU's season resulted in some great recruiting wins, but there just weren't many wins to be had given how many players were already off the board.
"The transfer portal all happened since the season started and BYU has had a ton of success there. That is probably a better indicator of what the next few months will look like for BYU. "
As for any recruiting rankings in the Big 12, BYU's emphasis was different than the league's top recruiters, TCU, Baylor and Texas Tech. Rather than go after a lot of transfer portal and high school stars, BYU's focus was on the retention of players like Chase Roberts, Isaiah Glasker and others. BYU ranked No. 10 and Utah No. 6 in league recruiting rankings, but their emphasis differed from others.
In your opinion, did BYU get a bump in recruiting following an 11-2 season in 2024?
Jay Drew:It is probably too early to say definitively that BYU got a recruiting bump after going 11-2 in 2024. That's because most of the recruits the Cougars signed in mid-December during the early signing period had committed to Kalani Sitake and his staff before the season even began.
The 2026 signing class will really tell the tale, in my opinion, as prospects from that class start making commitments this spring and summer.
That said, it appears that BYU is getting in more doors than before, which is what offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick said in a radio interview last week. Also, a couple of highly regarded prospects who made late decisions, such as linebacker McKay Madsen of Clovis, California, have chosen BYU. That probably would not have happened if BYU had not righted itself after the 2023 season.
Another example is Hunter Clegg, the American Fork pass-rushing ace who picked Utah before his church mission. Clegg has said that one of the reasons why he flipped to BYU upon his return was because of the Cougars' success in 2024.
Dick Harmon:I do think there is a "transitive" bump BYU experienced during recruiting in 2024 that is impacting 2025. This is displayed in the signing of Clegg and former Ute stars defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa and tight end Carson Ryan. We saw this in the December signing of Michigan transfer offensive tackle Andrew Gentry and Texas defensive end Tausili Akana. I think we will hear of other transfer portal additions in the coming months. This is also illustrated in the McKay Madsen addition, a possible RB and LB two-way player in the future.
The 11-0 season has given momentum to Kalani Sitake's staff with two top blue-chip Latter-day Saint players. They are QB Ryder Lyons, who is listed as one of the top two quarterbacks in the country as well as the top-ranked athlete in California, and St. George tight end Brock Harris. Both of these players may not have moved closer in their interest in BYU had the Cougars not been ranked as high as No. 6, won 11 games this past season, and become a challenger for a Big 12 title.
Anyone who has covered recruiting in the past decade knows that some top Latter-day Saint recruits have found more attractive decisions in P5 programs and are enamored with brand names like Oregon , Washington, UCLA and USC . During BYU's losing streak to Utah, it was used against them in recruiting — winning matters. Also, BYU appeared to be lacking in some resources in Provo. Those concerns are smaller barriers today because of BYU's NIL approach, additional staffing, more resources, 11 wins in 2024 and rankings. These moves have made a difference in how Sitake and Company are received.
BYU's win over UCF on the road in Orlando was the fourth-straight win for Kevin Young's team and elevated the Cougars to contend for an NCAA Tournament berth. Here is some of our coverage of this important development:
BYU is finding some rhythm in win streak ( Jay Drew )
Has Kevin Young found his secret sauce? ( Dick Harmon )
Is BYU ahead of schedule compared with Mark Pope? ( Jay Drew )
BYU grinds out much-needed road win at UCF ( Jay Drew )
In track and field, several Cougars posted personal bests at a meet in Boston.
In the NFL, former BYU lineman and graduate assistant coach Andy Reid is front and center in the lead up to the Super Bowl on Sunday. In this clip, Reid told reporters the Book of Mormon was at the top of his reading list.
In this piece, Dave McCann examines the issue of BYU and Utah getting back to a late-season Thanksgiving date in the future as the Big 12 announces the league's schedule this week here. As it stands, the Cougs and Utes will play Oct. 18, 2025 in Provo. BYU's first Big 12 game will be an Alamo Bowl rematch with Colorado in Boulder.
Big 12 announces BYU league schedule ( KSLsports)
Dybantsa continues to post big games ( KSLsports )
Ranking top plays of 2024 season ( Deseret News )
Comments from Deseret News readers:
Is Mawot Mag the go-to guy the Cougars have been searching for? He sure did look good in this game. He was really into it throughout, playing with high energy and confidence. Congratulations to the BYU team, hopefully they continue to hit free throws and play with fewer turnovers going forward. Go BYU!
— EPoint
This talk of Demin and Catchings being lottery picks is puzzling. They aren't ready, and need to stay at least one more year, Demin maybe, as a 6-9 ball handler, but he doesn't shoot well enough. Catchings will be very good, but he needs to grow into his body, add some muscle, as does Demin.
— Montgomeryruss
Feb. 5 | 7 p.m. | Women's basketball | UCF | @ Provo
Feb. 6 | 11:30 a.m. | Men's tennis | Wagner College | @ Staten Island, New York
Feb. 6 | 7 p.m.| Women's softball | UC San Diego | @ La Jolla, California
Feb. 8 | 4 p.m. | Men's basketball | Cincinnati | @ Cincinnati, Ohio
Feb. 8 | 6 p.m. | Women's basketball | Baylor | @ Waco, Texas
