Even if BYU and Utah may not be playing each other every year on the football field, they will be battling each year off the field with LDS and in-state recruits. Who is winning this battle?
An analysis of recruiting data shows that BYU and Utah signed 80 recruits over the last 10 years, where they had both offered the recruit a scholarship. So, there are about 8 head-to-head recruiting battles on average each year.
Utah holds the head-to-head recruiting edge 55% to 45%, and has held the lead every year since 2008. It is not likely a coincidence that Utah also holds the head-to-head record on the field since 2008, winning 4 of the last 5 games.
Breaking down the battles by star ratings:
- 4 star (8 kids): BYU has signed 63%
- 3 star (47 kids): Utah has signed 58%
- 2 star (23 kids): BYU has signed 52%
Breaking down the battle by in-state vs. out-of-state:
- In-state (43 kids): Utah has signed 63%
- Out-of-state (37 kids): BYU has signed 54%
It is clear that Utah has the edge in in-state recruiting, but top-rated LDS recruits are still trending toward BYU.
If this trend continues, it bodes well for Utah and puts pressure on BYU to land more out of state recruits.
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Nice charts. As a Cougar fan since transferring to BYU in '73, I always hope the team lands great players. If a good LDS player is happy at the U or some other school, good for them! What I really care about is how they represent themselves on and off the field. Win or lose, the sun comes up the next day. Those who live or die by a scoreboard need to get a life! I hope all of the teams in the state do well and I will be at the stadium, win or lose. It's a great way to spend an afternoon or evening watching young folks do what I can only dream of.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a truly objective way to measure an incoming athlete. The Star rankings maybe one component, but the heart of a ball player is not factored, the commitment to succeed for four years is not there, and the end result of what each individual has accomplished at the conclusion of his four years, which for me is the most significant factor, is certainly not there. Dennis Pitta became the all time pass catching leader in the Y's history...he had no stars. Cody Hoffman, who may break Pitta's record this year was a two star. I don't know, the star ranking alone is highly questionable? In fact, I just heard yesterday that for a 5 star ranked ballplayer coming into college, only 1 in 4 actually achieve this ranking at the college level. Lots of question marks?
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