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Inside Cougar Report: More mission mishash |
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Dick Harmon | Monday, December 9, 2002, 12:26 pm
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The predicament of recruiting mission-bound LDS athletes continues to impact recruiting for Gary Crowton.
The issues are many and well-documented on this site. As we continue to track down information on the Victor Filipe, Brock Stratton situations, the lack of scholarships for this year is an issue today with one OL recruit.
Joe Critchfield, who was just named first team All-American by JC Gridwire, just returned from a recruiting trip to La Tech. He has also tripped to UNLV where the Rebels brought out the red carpet. A RM who is 6-4, 300 and has about 10 percent body fat, has been told by BYU recruiters that they want him but there is no mid-year scholarship available in January due to returning missionaries.
Critchfield has been asked to pay his own way for a semester, go through spring drills, and then this fall he could have a scholarship.
In the meantime, UNLV will fly down John Robison to have lunch with Critchfield on Tuesday to try and shore up a commit. UNLV is telling Critchfield they want him to anchor their offensive line and he will be a starter next year no questions asked or answered.
As documented on this site for more than a year, one of BYU's strengths -- the RMs -- is becoming a very, very tough knot for Crowton to untie, get a grip on and use. Funny thing is, Critchfield's first choice is BYU, but like Aaron Boone who went to Kentucky as a WR out of Snow College, there was no room at the end due to missionary commits. It's a tough one. If you promise a guy a scholarship and he goes on a mission, you honor that commit and it ends up costing.
That's why the switching of RMs as to college choices right now can be both a bane and a blessing for Crowton. On one hand you want them back and are ready to see development. On the other hand, if they go back on their commit to attend BYU you almost say "Thank You," now we can get on with developing players who can play right now, i.e. Critchfield.
This Critchfield issue is under the scope the next few days because he needs to decide on if he should go with the red carpet or the patio green cover. |
