Bronco says conference affiliation has no impact on BYU recruiting

LAS VEGAS — Bronco Mendenhall said BYU’s conference affiliation, or lack of said affiliation such as with the Pac-10 or Big 12 isn’t an issue for prospects looking at BYU.

Asked Tuesday if he thought rival Utah’s move to the Pac-10 would impact his recruiting at BYU against Utah, Mendenhall said emphatically it would not.

“I don’t think it will be effected one bit. They may say it it will be effected a ton but I don’t think we will lose a single player who wants BYU to any other team in the country,” he said.

“There have been some people who have been recruited nationwide but a kid who wants the BYU experience can only get it at BYU. There is no other place that is as unique, as specific and as special as Brigham Young University for all the reasons that make it special.

“We will not lose a single player that wants that experience that will go elsewhere because they come here for that specific reason.”

Mendenhall said in his six years at BYU, he has never had a single recruit bring up conference affiliation. “Not once, not a single time.”

Since Utah has been added to the Pac-10?

“Not once,” he said.

“We just don’t go after every other player. That doesn’t mean I haven’t made mistakes. But we are after a very specific player that other teams around the country may not want. That would include teams in our own league.”