Dramaville: Bronco Pulling Scholarship for Trip to South Bend

by Layton on Jan 29, 2010 2:28 PM PST Comment 18 comments

You wouldn't think after so many wins over the last four years, the recruiting class that has followed Jake Heaps to Provo and a future that looks spectacularly bright that Bronco would be so paranoid. Well, there's word from scout.com that BYU will pull their scholarship offer to Kona Schwenke if he decides to visit Notre Dame this weekend for a recruiting trip. Hmmm...

Schwenke confirmed to Bronco that he is 100 percent committed to the Cougars, and would not change his mind, but would take the trip to to only visit some friends on the team. But, it looks like Bronco doesn't want to believe him. Kona and his family will be flying to South Bend, and it looks like he'll now be deciding to play for either the Irish or Washington Huskies.

I'd recommend reading the entire story at the link above. It's beyond entertaining.

My problem is this: you're recruiting this superb talent, who is committed to playing for you, and even though he is still a recruit you aren't going to allow him to fly to South Bend--interesting. I wonder if this is the reason Drew Phillips decided to not fly to Cincinnatti and South Bend this weekend as well.

Poll

Should Bronco revoke the scholarship offer to Kona Schwenke?

Yes

55 votes

No

62 votes

117 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

interesting

Mountain West Connection

by Jeremy Mauss on Jan 29, 2010 3:00 PM PST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

bronco

Is acting odd and is going to lose this player. Or if he does go to BYU he wont be there for his entire eligibilitu

Mountain West Connection

by Jeremy Mauss on Jan 29, 2010 3:07 PM PST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

I agree with Bronco

I know this may not be the popular response here but hear me out. In the article Bronco said that "if Kona didn’t stay true to his commit by going to Notre Dame, then he couldn’t possibly expect him to stay true to the honor code and other things at BYU." If Kona is 100% committed to BYU why is he still taking visits this late in the game? Because they are offering him an expense paid trip to visit family and friends. Seems to me that whether he is lying to BYU or Notre Dame he is attempting to deceive someone, and that does not bode well for his ability to keep the honor code.

by markmclean21 on Jan 29, 2010 3:32 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

That's a valid point...

But then why are they offering scholarships to anybody, knowing full well that each one of those recruits will be visiting other schools? This is the first time that Bronco has done this, and actually, how many recruits have given a verbal to the Cougars and still visited other schools without their scholarship offers being taken away. It seems incredibly harsh considering Kona is STILL A RECRUIT.

Vanquish the Foe, a BYU Cougars blog at SB Nation

by Layton on Jan 29, 2010 3:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Also, even if he really is 100% committed to BYU

there’s still something a bit sketchy to me about using Notre Dame simply for a free trip if he’s not even slightly interested. So either he’s lying and he is actually considering Notre Dame (even just a little bit) or he’s not and, to me, doing something ethically a little shady. Either option could be seen as someone you don’t want on your team, especially considering the Honor Code.

by holly96 on Jan 29, 2010 7:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Notre Dame

Is probably doing what other schools do at this time. Top school loses recruit so they try to cherry pick the best from the non-BCS. Threatening to pull his scholarship seem to be a fear tactic and may back fire in Bronco’s face.

Mountain West Connection

by Jeremy Mauss on Jan 29, 2010 9:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree about Notre Dame.

But even if BYU loses the recruit, I’m not sure I would consider it backfiring in Bronco’s face, because I’m sure that’s what he expects. It probably turns into a situation where BYU wasn’t the best choice for the kid anyway.

by holly96 on Jan 30, 2010 3:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Are there any others?

You can’t lump this situation together with any other recruit. It is very different.

1. He was not recruited earlier by Notre Dame, so this is a new school that just offered him a scholarship and this is 1 week before he can sign.
2. He specifically told Bronco that he was using Notre Dame to get a trip out there to visit family and friends.

No other recruit is in this same situation. Obviously recruits are free to visit other schools after having committed to BYU, but in this case it is pretty clear that he is not being up front with the coaches or telling the truth. I don’t know, Bronco has been an unbelievable coach and I tend to trust that he knows what is best for the team and the school.

by markmclean21 on Jan 29, 2010 4:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Also...

If Kona had really been committed to playing for BYU and wanted to be a part of the program he would have canceled his trip as soon as he found out that the scholarship would be pulled. Just the fact that he still went on the trip shows that he wasn’t that serious about playing at BYU in the first place.

by markmclean21 on Jan 29, 2010 4:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't argue with your points about Bronco

he certainly is an unbelievable coach. But, he may be jumping the gun on this IF things really are as the Schwenkes are saying…

Vanquish the Foe, a BYU Cougars blog at SB Nation

by Layton on Jan 29, 2010 4:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If things really are as the Schwenkes are saying...

It seems to me that’s the crux of the matter. We obviously don’t know all the details of the interactions between everyone, but it sounds to me like there’s something about the situation that Bronco doesn’t trust.

by holly96 on Jan 29, 2010 7:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And, one more thing

Let’s say Kona really isn’t committed to BYU as he says he is. So what? At least give him the chance to commit. Taking away that opportunity from him makes little sense if Bronco’s afraid he will decommit.

Vanquish the Foe, a BYU Cougars blog at SB Nation

by Layton on Jan 29, 2010 4:38 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

agreed

Mountain West Connection

by Jeremy Mauss on Jan 29, 2010 9:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Kona visiting friends from South Bend -- YEAH RRRIGHTTTTTTT!

Bronco is justified in pulling the scholarship from this liar. Kona’s like the guy who’s engaged to be married, yet finds that “playing the field” doesn’t stop with the commitment, and always holds out for something better to come along.

Good riddance. Enjoy the frigid winters, island-boy!

Thank you, Omar Minaya! Thank you, Mets (Vaughn, GMJ) AGAIN!

by PieceOfAase on Jan 30, 2010 11:27 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

He prayed about it

and God told him to go to BYU. I’d pull his scholarship too. If God is telling him where to go I no longer need to try and entice him with a scholarship.

by Couga on Jan 30, 2010 11:32 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

If he had half a brain

he’d know he won’t get any playing time at ND, he’s no 4 or 5 star recruit. Kelly is going to turn that program around which means this Schwenke kid will be a good practice squad player.

Also, I haven’t heard anything from ND saying they aren’t happy he’s just using it to visit buddies. Why would they waste time on a kid who’s “committed” and is openly saying he’s just visiting friends. If I were Kelly and that were true I’d cancel the plane tickets. Again, no word from S. Bend leads me to believe this kid is going out for a true recruiting trip.

Last I checked, people from Hawaii don’t go and visit friends in S Bend in the middle of a frigid winter! This Dad is teaching his kid absolutely nothing about being a responsible adult. Own up to the situation bruda!

by vaughnzipper on Jan 30, 2010 1:08 PM PST reply actions 0 recs