Cougs may not be done with 2010 recruiting class

Provo » The BYU Cougars picked up their 23rd and 24th commitments from members of the high school football class of 2010 recently, and now have more commitments than any program in the country, according to Scout.com.

But coach Bronco Mendenhall and recruiting coordinator Paul Tidwell said they aren't quite finished, even though the focus now is clearly on fall camp and preparations for the 2009 season.

"If you went strictly on the numbers we have to offer, and those being full [it would seem recruiting is finished]," Mendenhall said. "We always oversign because of young men that change their minds regarding [LDS Church] missions [and if] there are any academic risks, et cetera. So we will most likely recruit two, maybe three more. But most likely two."

Coaches cannot comment on or divulge which recruits they are still targeting, but there are still several high school rising seniors out there who have scholarship offers from BYU.

Most notably, the Cougars are pursuing California running back Joshua Quezada (La Habra H.S.), California cornerback Josh Shaw (Palmdale H.S.) and Alta linebacker Toloa'i Ho-Ching . Shaw is a definite long-shot though, with Ohio State looming as the leader for his services.

Pleasant Grove lineman Sefa Tanoa'i , Brighton defensive tackle Ricky Heimuli and Pleasant Grove defensive end Joe

Kruger also have offers from BYU, although Heimuli doesn't have the Cougars among his favorites and Kruger has committed to Utah.

"We are still trying to get two or three more key recruits that we would not pass up on," Tidwell said. "There are ways to work things out with numbers and so we are not finished. But we are in pretty good shape right now with our 2010 class as far as commitments."

The biggest prize of the class, of course, is five-star quarterback Jake Heaps of Skyline High in Issaquah, Wash.

Heaps, who has attended the last four BYU practices and plans on attending Saturday's scrimmage (10 a.m.) at LaVell Edwards Stadium before returning home to begin two-a-days with his high school team, said via telephone Friday that he has reached out and is continuing to reach out to several players the Cougars are recruiting.

"This place is highly capable of being truly great, and I am letting guys all over the country know that," he said. "I am hoping a few more guys decide to don Cougar blue, because this is already a special class."

Said Tidwell: "It is a very good class. But if we get a couple more guys that we are after, it will be a great class. We don't want to settle for a good one. We want a great one."

Tidwell said the Cougars aren't looking to fill a specific position. Rather, "it is more of a specific player, and so that is what we are looking for, is a couple of specific players."

 

Scrimmage today

Saturday's 10 a.m. scrimmage at the stadium will be the "longest and most substantial scrimmage" of fall camp, Mendenhall said, with the idea that it is far enough away from the opener that players who get hurt will have the time to recover.

He said there aren't any particular objectives "other than to play football and assess where we are: strengths, weaknesses, make some key personnel decisions, especially regarding depth. There are not many starting battles that haven't defined themselves."

 

Briefly

The Cougars' long list of injured players grew Friday with the announcement that offensive guard Jason Speredon has a shoulder strain. However, Brandon Bradley (sore knee) returned to practice for the first time in four days. ... New punter Riley Stephenson , the Pine View High product, boomed some punts in front of the crowds at the open practice Friday, and Mendenhall said from what he has seen so far, Stephenson "could be great." ... Former coach LaVell Edwards spoke to the newcomers on Thursday night at the stadium and also watched Friday morning's practice with his wife, Patti .

drew@sltrib.com