Jasen Ah You Sets Out To Highlight Strengths Of BYU Football On Recruiting Trail

PROVO, Utah – Days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down everything in the sports world, Jasen Ah You was promoted by Kalani Sitake to lead BYU Football’s recruiting operation.

On Monday, his role as BYU’s Executive of Recruiting and Player Personnel was made official.

Jasen Ah You spoke with the media just moments ago. Great insight to his vision for recruiting efforts at #BYU. Ah You said everyone in the program is recruiting right now amid the COVID-19 pandemic. @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) May 11, 2020

Prior to earning this role, Ah You served as BYU’s NFL Liasion by coordinating the school’s Pro Day and also having open lines of communication in pro football. Now high school football becomes Ah You’s top responsibility and he believes BYU has a lot to offer on the recruiting trail.

“My vision is not to reinvent the wheel, but to remind players, future recruits and parents what BYU has to offer,” Ah You said during a 40-minute Zoom call with the media. “If in their checklist of things that they are looking for in a university and to play football or what have you, if being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and being a part of that culture is anywhere in the top five or six characteristics then we’ve got a shot, and we’re going to swing for that.

Took some time but now it’s official. Jasen Ah You is now #BYU’s Executive Coordinator of Recruiting and Jack Damuni is Executive of On-Campus recruiting. #BYUFootball @kslsports https://t.co/ESmX5AOPrS?

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) May 11, 2020

“I feel that there no better place to achieve all of your goals, all of them, then at BYU. My job is not only to make sure they see that, but that they feel it.”

Ah You’s hire comes at a time where BYU has ended up with recruiting classes ranked in the 70s of the team rankings according to 247Sports. Some of the lowest-ranked classes since 247Sports started ranking recruiting classes dating back to 2000.

Back in 2017, BYU pulled in the 66th ranked class and that group featured Jasen Ah You’s son, Chaz Ah You. A former four-star recruit who had offers from everyone in the country. That experience with his son paired with stops at Snow College and the University of Utah have given Ah You perspective to what top recruits might be looking for in picking a school.

Heralded recruits taking notice

The state of Utah’s top recruit in the class of 2021 in Kingsley Suamatia, a four-star offensive tackle from Orem High School has already seen a difference in the way BYU recruits with Ah You leading the charge.

“With Jasen Ah You heading the recruiting, I’m feeling the love for sure,” Suamataia said to 247Sports’ Cougar Sports Insider. “Of course, other schools have been on me early, but BYU hasn’t really shown as much interest in me. But recently, BYU coaches and mail have finally come on. It’s been a little bit of everything, but what’s really different is that I’ve felt more comfortable. It has all felt more sincere.”

Honor Code’s role in recruiting at BYU

Whenever you discuss recruiting and prominent athletes though, a concern brought up is the honor code. Ah You finds the honor code to be a positive in the way BYU recruits.

“For me personally, I love the honor code,” Ah You said. “I love how it’s run, and I think they’ve made some great changes under Kevin Utt.

“That’s what makes us different. No one else has it like us. We can’t be afraid of it. I think we need to be at the forefront of it; where else can you go with 85 returned missionaries on your team? I think that gravitates to moms and dads, and they should see us as an extension of them. They should feel safe coming here.”

Social Media will have a big presence in BYU’s recruiting efforts

Jasen Ah You discussed in his 40-minute meeting with the media the importance of social media. Ah You wants 11 or 13 impressions per day if possible. He thanked BYU’s creative team for embracing his vision of social media. Despite not being a big user of Twitter, Ah You admits that young athletes interact on the media and consume content from that platform. He wants BYU to be more interactive on that medium.

Social media will be an important piece to #BYU’s recruiting efforts under Ah You. Wants to have more impressions on social media. Ah You thanked #BYU’s creative team that included @BroberDave and @Kiywii for helping with execution.#BYUFootball @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) May 11, 2020

Ah You is proud to be at BYU

To promote BYU on the recruiting trail, it helps to have knowledge of the program and a passion for it. Ah You has that in spades as he was delivered by the team doctor as a baby. His father, Charles Ah You played at BYU along with his brothers Matt and C.J. BYU runs in Ah You’s blood.

Ah You will look to utilize that passion and unique experiences to deliver results the Cougars haven’t seen on the recruiting trail in a handful of years.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.