BYU's Bingham Pipeline

The BYU coaching staff has built a solid recruiting pipeline to one of the top high school football programs in the country.

Bingham High in South Jordan, Utah is the heavy favorite to take home the state football title once again this year.

The Miners are the defending 5-A state champions and face Jordan in the state semifinals on Thursday after dispatching Northridge last week 53-14 in the quarterfinals.

They are currently on a 22-game winning streak.

Led by head coach Dave Peck, Bingham has risen to national prominence this year, ranking No. 4 in the country in USA Today’s Super Prep Top 25.

Peck’s team is currently ranked three spots behind No. 1 Euless Trinity from Euless, Texas, and notably one spot ahead of long-time powerhouse De La Salle in Concord, California.

Bingham took on Euless Trinity early last season in the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium, two days after BYU shocked Oklahoma in the same house. Bingham suffered a rare 42-21 defeat against the top program in the state of Texas.

That was the last time Bingham lost a game.

“We played under Texas state rules in that game,” Peck explains. “In Texas they let you cut block and here in Utah we don’t allow that. We played pretty well on offense, but we had a hard time with their cut blocks on defense.

“There is no doubt in my mind that if we played that same team here at home and they played us under our rules, there would have been a different result.”

One of the reasons for the Miners success and high national ranking is that Peck may have as many as 16 seniors this season who will be playing Division-1 football next year at either FBS or FCS programs. He has multiple underclassmen who are being recruited as well.

Seven players have already verbally committed to FBS schools, with four of those headed to BYU next season. Another player, running back Harvey Langi, has yet to make a verbal commitment and is considered the premier player in the state.

“I don’t know if there will be a group of guys like this ever assembled again in the state of Utah,” says Peck. The Miners are so talented and deep that his players rarely play both ways.

Considered the top defensive player on what many think is the best high school defense in the country, linebacker Manoa Pikula is one of those athletes committed to BYU.

Peck says that Manoa has played both inside and outside linebacker this year in the Miner’s 3-4 defense. As a sophomore the 6-1, 230 Pikula played a great deal at fullback, and Peck says the the BYU coaches have talked to him about perhaps playing fullback when he gets to Provo.

Peck says that Bingham’s leader in defensive points has been as heavy as 240 pounds, but he has slimmed down some this year. “I’ll tell you what, he will come and hit you,” Peck exclaims of Pikula.

Another player headed to Provo is lineman Kensi Tausinga. The 6'1", 280 pound Tausinga is a terrific athlete that is primarily playing offensive guard this year for the Miners, but looks to be slated for nose tackle at BYU. He’s the type of player that can demand double teams from an opposing offensive line.

Kensi is one of those rare Miners who gets to play some on both sides of the ball. In fact he made headlines while playing defense in last Saturday’s game against Northridge when he intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown, then followed that up with a fumble recovery for a TD.

Tausinga is an All-American wrestler and the defending 5-A state heavyweight champion, he also plays on the famed Highland rugby team.

“He’s just a good, quality kid that comes from a good family,” says Peck. “He’s a fun kid who has never been in trouble. In fact, when I have any issues with the team I can call on Kensi and he takes care of it for me.”

In addition to Pikula and Tausinga, Bingham will be sending two defensive ends to play in Bronco Mendenhall’s 3-4 defense. Baker Pritchard and Moses Kaumatule are impressive bookends on the Miner defensive line.

“I can’t image there being a better defensive line anywhere in the country,” says Peck of his defensive front that also includes Utah commit Seni Fauonuku.

BYU fans will be familiar with the name Pritchard. Baker’s older brother Iona also played at Bingham and was part of the 2008 BYU recruiting class and is currently serving a mission.

At 6'3", 250 pounds, the younger Pritchard is bigger than his older brother and is a good enough athlete that he played outside linebacker last season. “He’s a very athletic, strong and physical kid,” says Peck. The coach also says that he is not sure if Baker will follow in his brother’s footsteps to serve a mission.

Peck says that 6'2", 245 pound defensive end Moses Kaumatule has been the best player among his group of outstanding defensive lineman. “Moses is just having a spectacular year. He is second on the team in defensive points. He’s got a great motor, good speed and plays really smart. He’s athletic enough to play outside linebacker.”

The four fresh Miners will join several other Bingham products who are already part of the BYU program, including Jordan Pendleton, Austin Holt, Tuni Kanuch, Remington Peck, Justin Sorensen and the aforementioned Iona Pritchard.