Yenga Re-commits

[Mexmustang]

He was quoted by Rivals as having received an offer and planned to commit to them during his visit. I am not sure what "page" you are looking at. but it is not updated.

[Mitch McConnell]

His personal page on Rivals. Guess that's the rivals guy who talked to him didn't update it. I don't have a premium deal.

On his offer, did he tell the guy that he has a verbal offer or written offer? There's kind of a difference. They can verbally offer somebody and back off and claim they decided not to. The letter makes it a little concrete, especially this late in the game.

Just pointing that out...

I'm not going to get too amped up over one kid or another.

[Mexmustang]

It is not the offers that have bothered us, but rather his disingenuous comments about SMU, his last concerns his commitment to his family, church, choir etc. as to why he "re" chose SMU. Yet, not even a week later he states he is going on a visit to Arizona, that he received an offer from them and will probably commit on his visit. Note he has never even been there! Last I saw it was a fairly good distance and an expensive airfare between his home and Arizona.

This is the second time he has committed and then changed his offer with us. Given his comments last week about reconsidering us because of our location, etc. this kid simply has never, ever considered us anything but his last option. He is a good, not great high school player. Until Arizona showed up he really had no other option, neither Baylor nor OSU offered. I am sure our coaching staff had hoped he would blossum, like his brother did. But, given his attitude toward us, I don't see that that would ever be a possibility at SMU.

Pretty interesting about a "written" offer. He may have only a verbal that may never matterialize, meanwhile I would bet we burned his offer from us. I hope he does find a chair when the music stops, but I would bet the SMU train has left the station.

[Stallion]

again there are a bunch of people that should not follow recruiting-because it hurts their pride when high school boys turn them down. Unfortunately most of them are now on Rivals and Scout. Let me ask one question. What's really the difference between Yenga and the 99% of the Top 100 Players in Texas (who could go to BCS) who have chosen not to go to SMU over the years. This year we got 3-last year zero. Get over it. Players want to play in the BCS. Hate to break it to you but very few players over the years dreamed of going to SMU-it breaks that little dream of yours but its true. TCU built a program off players just like Yenga who struggled with going BCS or TCU. The best non-BCS classes are built off recruits who were not offered by that BCS school they really wanted to go to. Probably 3/4th of SMU's Texas recruits would sign with UT if offered. Unless you want to recruit players that nobody wants like in the good ole days then you need to get used to it. Now continue with the breast thumping about dear old SMU.

[RGV Pony]

I was wondering when we'd have the old Stallion back.

[Mitch McConnell]

again there are a bunch of people that should not follow recruiting-because it hurts their pride when high school boys turn them down. Unfortunately most of them are now on Rivals and Scout. Let me ask one question. What's really the difference between Yenga and the 99% of the Top 100 Players in Texas (who could go to BCS) who have chosen not to go to SMU over the years. This year we got 3-last year zero. Get over it. Players want to play in the BCS. Hate to break it to you but very few players over the years dreamed of going to SMU-it breaks that little dream of yours but its true. TCU built a program off players just like Yenga who struggled with going BCS or TCU. The best non-BCS classes are built off recruits who were not offered by that BCS school they really wanted to go to. Probably 3/4th of SMU's Texas recruits would sign with UT if offered. Unless you want to recruit players that nobody wants like in the good ole days then you need to get used to it. Now continue with the breast thumping about dear old SMU.

Exactly. But in this case, Yenga is acting a little pathetic or desperate about it. But he's 17. And some kids at that age handle that stuff well. Others don't.

If he signs, great. If he heads West, good for him. Wasn't AZ's qb kinda the same way? The Austin Westlake kid. Didn't he flip to AZ late in the process?

[Stallion]

I'll agree that he made a mistake in publicly stating what about 10 of our kids on the Commitment list have done. We've had a bunch still looking around-flirting with BCS teams

[smudubs]

The issues is not that the kid wants to look at other schools but the fact that he has shown he really does not want to be here. SMU should not waste time on kids who have proven they don't want to here. Johnny, if you don't want to be at SMU then just keep your mouth shut. We would have been fine, wished you well, and probably would have rooted for you. I, for one, am over him now.

[EastStang]

The public part of it is what is upsetting. I'm sure that some of our recruits would jump at a BCS offer, others wouldn't. The fact is the NFL scouts go to all games. That's how the UAB QB ended up with the Vikings and got to play a couple of games. Or the 1-AA players like Walter Peyton and Darrell Green who end up in the Hall of Fame. So, if this kid is better than those we've got further down on the list, then we should not dump him, but merely watch our backs.

[StallionsModelT]

Thank God we have thick-skinned people like Stallion to follow recruiting for us! I have absolutely no problem with a kid looking around and making the best decision for his future. However, going public and saying how much he has soul searched and found out where he really belongs and less than a week late basically tells SMU to f*ck off after doing it TWICE, then that is not a kid we want in the program. His word means nothing. Good luck getting buried on the depth chart out there in the desert getting a useless education when you could have been an immediate contributor here and get a world class education. I guess Arizona will find out just want Benedict Yenga is really made of. I don't want him here. Period. No need to drag this out any longer. Good luck to the kid, but the way he handled these past few weeks says a lot about his character.

[PoconoPony]

This is a young kid acting like a young kid. He may see SMU differently than other recruits because of the insights he gets from his brother who has wisely has tried not to influence his decision. He has seen the old SMU and the SMU in transition and may not feel secure in where he fits into the process. Remember, we have a solid commit name Moreland coming in who in Yenga's mind may bury him on the bench plus knowing that he must wait 2 years behind Reid and JG. Familarity with the program may be the problem. Obviously, he does not have that insight and familiarity with AZ and it may easier for him naively buy some AZ coache's spin without fully understanding the BCS talent level kids already at or coming into the AZ program. I think he would be a solid addition to SMU and hope he does get his head squared away and chooses SMU; however, it is a dangerous game he is playing and even SMU may turn him loose if another commit at his position verbals and we are filled out.

[Wuba]

Good luck to the kid, but the way he handled these past few weeks says a lot about his character.

The same could be said about a lot of people posting on this thread. As Stallion and others have said, these are 17-18 year old kids, there is no reason to get so upset about them acting their age.

[Stallion]

BTW as I said when Alonzo Highsmith was looking at SMU, the boat is almost full and I don't see Yenga as a solid commitment-if SMU finds someone better I have no problem moving on. Recruiting is a two-way street

[SoCal_Pony]

I think its fair to question JJ on clock management and field decisions, but on recruiting matters i would say leave it to JJ. He is not gonna let a kid yank him around. No need to trash kids here.

Best Yenga Post

[stc9]

What are the rules regarding recruiting? If we give a written scholarship offer we are committed? We must give that player a scholarship? Can the written offer be withdrawn? I know that a verbal offer can be withdrawn... People on this post are clamoring to withdraw his offer, but can the school actually do that even if they wanted to?

Does anyone know for sure?