That much was evident on Thursday as USC owner Bob Jones, several of the coaches he has already hired and his attorney went before the UHSAA's Board of Trustees in their ongoing quest for membership. Jones, a real estate developer, was confronted by Cottonwood football coach Cecil Thomas and Cottonwood principal Garett Muse.
In a heated exchange that briefly threatened to turn ugly, the Cottonwood representatives said that Jones falsely accused them of major improprieties when he told the Trustees in November that he once purchased a home for the family of Colts linebacker Lynn Katoa (the state's most-recruited player), among other violations of the UHSAA's bylaws regarding undue influence and recruiting.
"We're here to clear up false accusations," said Thomas, who noted that Jones was never a coach at Cottonwood. Rather, he was a coach in the Little League program that feeds Cottonwood.
Thomas, who recently concluded his first year as Cottonwood's head coach, also said Jones' claim that Jones purchased the home so the Katoas could live in Cottonwood's boundaries "is definitely incorrect" and that it was only a rental property.
When asked who paid the rent by UHSAA executive director Evan Excell, Jones responded: "I did."
Later, Jones said, "I was asked by [Cottonwood assistant football coach] Scott Cate to purchase a home for Monte Katoa, and I did."
That's roughly the same thing Jones said in November (when Cottonwood officials were not present), along with an admission that he offered Murray High $1 million last spring if it would let him be its football coach.
In the riveting scene played out in front of the 22 trustees who will ultimately decide whether Jones' school that he says will eventually number 2,500 students on a 4,000-acre "college-like" campus in Herriman is granted membership, Jones verbally sparred with Muse as well, denying the principal's assertion that he asked to be Cottonwood's sophomore football coach and was rebuffed.
More allegations of inappropriate conduct ensued, with Muse mentioning he was "displeased with the whole atmosphere" when Jones allegedly acknowledged to him that he paid a Cottonwood basketball coach $100,000 in some sort of business agreement.
The exchanges with the Cottonwood representatives followed another presentation by Jones, basketball coach Marc Jackson (the former Ute), football coach Larry Wilson and attorney Kevin Swenson that outlined what the campus to be built on land that was once in Bluffdale but is now in Herriman will include.
"It's pretty cool. It's really, really cool," Jones said, while stressing again that academics will be the priority, not athletics. "It's the most fun [on a project] that I've had in several years."
Jackson said a tuition waiver plan similar to what Sandy private school Waterford employs is being put in place, and Wilson said he has investigated any and all accusations of recruiting and the like to ensure that USC is complying with UHSAA rules and regulations.
After a break, the Trustees voted to table the membership request until they meet again on April 3. They want to see a copy of the construction contract that Jones said he has with Jacobsen Construction, as well as the legal position of the municipalities involved.
Also, they asked USC officials to bring a copy of the agreement they have with Granite School District officials to lease Granite High facilities while the campus is being built in Herriman.
Finally, the Trustees said Jones "must cooperate fully" in a potential disciplinary hearing if they choose to bring Cottonwood officials in again for possible disciplinary action.
Also Thursday, the trustees granted associate membership to Liahona Prep, a private school in Pleasant Grove, and placed it in 1A's Region 18. Liahona will participate in boys' and girls' soccer, cross country, track, drama and music.
They also accepted Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy, a charter school in Lindon, and placed it in the same classification and region. Maeser will compete in boys' soccer, cross country and track.
