Welcome to Memoirs from the Mount, a weekly adventure through the twisting catacombs of my consciousness. From the solitary peak of Mount Fuji to the cascading slopes of Mount Timpanogos, I'm sending a telegram of my perspective on current events surrounding BYU athletics.
I write a lot about BYU sports. A lot. And along with most published articles on this site, it's my responsibility to promote and cultivate an audience for these works via the wriggling snake pit of social media. So believe me when I tell you that I've heard it all.
Some critiques are informative, encouraging, and helpful. Writing upwards of five articles per day, some poorly worded or ill-informed content is bound to slip through the cracks, so I'm grateful for those who are able to catch my mistakes and allow me to quickly correct them.
But social media isn't just for the supporters of BYU athletics; enemies of Cosmo lurk in the shadows and fester in the comments section. And as the Cougars have grown increasingly successful in recent seasons -- specifically in the eye-grabbing events, football and men's basketball -- the objections of the adversary populate my notifications. (1) Nine times out of 10, said objections boil down to one echoed position: BYU only enjoys recruiting success thanks to their pocketbook. In other words, the Cougars are taking advantage of the NIL era's "Pay to Win" window.
I'd argue that most evidence points to the contrary. That these excuses surface because the alternative is too frightening to accept.
If money isn't the reason BYU athletics are enjoying unprecedented success, it means that the University of Utah may have fallen into a competitive deficit from which they may never recover. "Little Brother" is all grown up, and he's starting to outshine his rival now that the pair stand on the same level.
BYU athletics is built on a foundation stronger than dollar bills
I'm not going to push the "God's University" angle, nor the ideals that the University simply boasts a higher calling than that of their in-state rivals -- that would be disingenuous. I want to specifically address the accusations of BYU's recruiting tactics being cash-driven.
In an interview with USA Today, head coach Kalani Sitake shared his approach to recruiting some of the elite prospects that have joined the Cougars in recent years -- LDS or otherwise.
“I want to be more about transformation than transactional,” Sitake explained. “There's different ways of compensation. And if the only way that motivates a player is the bank account, then it's not going to work here. We're not really focused on money. Although, we have an opportunity to pay the players, and we do. We won't be the top bidder [in a bidding war]. That will never happen."
And indeed, the highest-bidder approach has likewise been misrepresented by external voices when it comes to the rapidly-rising quality of recruits in Kevin Young's basketball program.
The former Phoenix Suns assistant coach has been outspoken about the NBA experience he brings to Provo, and how he has constructed BYU basketball to emulate a professional facility as much as possible. After securing a 5-star freshman recruit in every season of his tenure with the Cougars -- Egor Demin, AJ Dybantsa, and Bruce Branch III, none of whom held any affiliation to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prior to their arrival at BYU -- it would be easy to blame BYU hoops' meteoric rise on the deep pockets of alumni and other boosters.
Yet AJ Dybantsa, the number-one recruit in the 2025 class and eventual number-one pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, has been adamant that his decision to commit to BYU had nothing to do with NIL considerations. Dybantsa never knew how much money was on the table from his numerous college suitors because his father, Ace, handled his teenage son's finances and encouraged AJ to make a decision strictly based on basketball and his development.
His choice was BYU. The rest is history.
Bruce Branch III has been an open book about how his official visit to campus confirmed that he'd be committing to BYU within the first hour. He felt at home and has repeated how he believes his time at the university can make him a better person.
"I would say, on my visit, the first thing I really noticed -- well, I will say the mountains, it's beautiful out there -- just the people out there. So respectful, so kind, so caring of one another. You know, I love it out there."
"With my choice in going to BYU, one of it was just the people, you know. The environment. It's going to make me a better person."
"The basketball is going to be there, but for me, from what my mom taught me when I was younger, be the best person you can be ... that's what I'm most excited about."
The reality is that NIL and booster influence have gotten BYU through the door, but it's the culture, coaching, and emphasis on personal growth that has lifted the athletic department to the position it finds itself today.
If BYU football would be nothing without money, why did Penn State go all-in to lure Kalani Sitake out of Provo? I believe that Sitake has established something in Provo that money alone cannot buy. 4-star defensive end Jeremiah Williams saw it on his official visit; BYU football is built on a foundation of love and brotherhood unlike anywhere else he's seen.
"The players would say 'I love you, Coach' after meetings and stuff like that," Williams recalled during an appearance on Mitch Harper's Cougar Tracks Podcast. "That means something."
Williams chose BYU over offers from Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Texas, Texas Tech, Notre Dame, and more -- the biggest names in college football. And what stood out the most was the culture that had been nourished within BYU.
So forgive me when I roll my eyes at the "Pay to Win" crowd picketing in the comment section. The evidence suggests BYU is built on much more than greenbacks.
Calvin Barrett is the Site Expert at Lawless Republic. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan. He graduated from Utah Valley University and has covered college and professional sports since 2024.
(1) - This article about 5-star prospect DeMarcus Henry drew accusations of "Pay to Win" practices from Utah fans on social media.
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