Coveted Local Recruit Kash Dillon Talks BYU Visit

Dillon came away impressed by his recent BYU visit

Last week, BYU kicked of Spring camp in preparation for the 2023 season. Spring practice is important time for any college football program to install scheme, establish the depth chart, and develop players. It's also an important time for recruiting. High school prospects are permitted to unofficially visit schools in March. BYU is no different. The Cougars have hosted a handful of recruits on campus since the start of Spring football. Earlier this week, BYU hosted coveted recruit and local standout Kash Dillon. We caught up with Kash to recap his unofficial visit.

New Defensive Staff Making an Early Impression

Kash Dillon, an edge prospect who preps at Corner Canyon, has been in contact with BYU for a long time. He received a BYU offer back in 2021 from Coach Hadley. Since then, Dillon has received competing offers from the likes of Arizona State, Oregon State, Vanderbilt, and Washington State to go along with in-state offers from BYU and Utah.

While Dillon has seen his recruiting profile take off in the last 18 months, BYU has turned over its defensive staff. After last season, BYU hired Weber State head coach Jay Hill as its new defensive coordinator. In the few months since they were hired, Jay Hill and defensive ends coach Kelly Poppinga have made an impression on Kash. "Coach Poppinga reaches out to me several times a week," Dillon said on his relationship with Coach Kelly Poppinga. "It’s been great getting to know him through this process. His football IQ is amazing! I can tell he’s an intense guy, but I look forward to maybe playing for a guy that will push me to be my best."

Dillon has also been in touch with Coach Hill.  "I have spoken with Coach Hill a handful of times. I can tell he’s into holding everyone to a high standard of accountability, and I know from practice that he’s trying to create a culture where the veterans hold everyone accountable too. They both tell me they want to play fast and aggressive. The culture they’re creating is exciting!"

With so many schools to choose from, Dillon is beginning to narrow down his options. On what is most important to him in his recruitment, he said, "First, I want to feel like the coaches really want me to play there. Coach Poppinga and Coach Hill have told me they want me at BYU, but I really felt like they did while I was there." Kash is also looking closely at BYU's new scheme, since scheme fit is an important factor in his recruitment. "Scheme fit would be second," Dillon said on what matters most to him. "Last year I played in a 3-4 defense and I didn’t feel like I could influence the game as much because I was double teamed almost the entire game."

Under BYU's prior defensive staff, the defensive line was often tasked with taking on double teams in three-man fronts. That left Dillon feeling like BYU's previous scheme wouldn't have been the best fit. "Because of that, I wasn’t really considering BYU as an option," Dillon said. "This new staff has me excited and I’m really looking forward to how the scheme will look this fall."

Dillon has been to BYU's campus several times for visits and Summer camps, but this visit was different from the rest. "This visit was different because I’m starting to narrow down my offers to those I really feel will be a good fit for me," Dillon said. "I liked how Coach Poppinga ran his position meetings. I enjoyed watching him coach his guys and how he and Coach Jorgensen worked together with the defensive ends, focusing on the details. I liked the energy, intensity, and flow of practice. There was very little down time...It was the first time I could picture myself playing [at BYU]."

Next Steps in His Recruitment

Dillon will be back on BYU's campus in a few weeks for the Spring game. On what he is hoping to see at the Spring game, Dillon said, "I want to see the new defense in action so I can better understand how they’re going to use me and the strengths I bring to the table."

As far as where BYU stands in his recruitment, this week's visit has put BYU firmly in the mix. "BYU is one of my top 3-4 schools and I’m not sure there are any current offers or potential offers that would change that."

Kash Dillon the Prospect

It doesn't take long to see why Kash Dillon has become one of the most coveted in-state prospects in the class of 2024. He has ideal length at 6'5 and his athletic frame has the room to add good weight. He has a quick first step off the line of scrimmage and he uses his hands efficiently to create space and get to the quarterback. He also lines up at tight end where he is a weapon in the passing game. You can check out his junior highlights below.

As BYU implements a new defensive scheme and prepares for the Big 12, it will need to recruit more defensive ends that can disrupt the quarterback. Dillon fits that mold. He is one of the most important recruits on BYU's board in the 2024 class.

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