But with Weber State playing a home game on a late-September weekend, most of the WSU coaching staff made its way north to see Weber High take on Syracuse.

Elmore just so happened to catch nine passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns — scores going for 77, 60 and 30 yards — while adding seven tackles on defense.

“They were all like, ‘after we watched that game it was kind of a no-brainer,'” Elmore said about how WSU coaches evaluated him.

The 6-foot-1 athlete, currently slated to play safety, will follow his two soccer-playing sisters to Weber State after completing plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Rick Bowmer, Associated Press

“It’s a great feeling knowing all the work and my dreams have finally come true,” Elmore said.

Elmore is one of 16 players, including seven Utahns, to sign with Weber State football Wednesday for the class of 2025’s regular signing period. He joins fellow Weber High alum Sione Moa and Syracuse defensive lineman Hoyt Pula as northern Utahns to add their names to WSU’s roster.

“With (all) the schools in the state, it is a challenge but for us to be successful, we have to win those in-state battles to get those local kids and keep local kids here so we can … have their families be part of this thing,” WSU head coach Mickey Mental said about recruiting in Utah.

After time at Utah State and BYU, Moa will spend his last college season at Weber State — standing to give a major boost to WSU’s linebackers along with Boston College transfer Sione Hala.

Moa chose Weber over UNLV and Appalachian State. (His brother Aisea, also a BYU transfer, headed to Michigan State after both visited WSU together).

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

Moa said WSU linebackers coach Matty Ah You was the first to contact him after entering his name into the transfer portal. He said there was nothing wrong at BYU, “no bad blood,” but that he’s excited to make an impact and step into a defense he already knows.

“I wasn’t really chasing the biggest school,” Moa said. “I was looking for a bigger role … and maximize my film and get all the reps I could.”

Moa missed six weeks with an ankle injury last season and rotated in and out of reps before and after being sidelined. He and Hala messaged each other this winter about the possibility of teaming up at WSU; Hala and Aisea Moa have stayed in touch since playing at the Polynesian Bowl together.

“I feel like my talents at Weber — I’ve got to earn the starting job and earn all the reps I can and show what I couldn’t show all the way at BYU, all the traits I have,” Sione Moa said.

Moa and Hala both enrolled at WSU in January.

Greg M. Cooper, Associated Press

“I’m excited to be home back in Ogden and play for coach Mental and coach Ah You,” Moa said.

Pula joins offensive lineman Ty Hunter, who signed in December’s early period, as additions from Syracuse High School.

“Hoyt is a phenomenal football player and person. His personality is fun and infectious. He is a kid who has just scratched the surface of his potential on the football field,” said Syracuse head coach Mitch Tulane in a statement sent to the Standard-Examiner. “Weber State is going to be thrilled with the athlete they are getting and will find out quickly that he can help them win football games at several different positions.”

After Moa and Hala, chief among Weber State’s group of transfers are two quarterbacks: UTSA’s Jackson Gilkey and Cash McCollum of North Texas. Neither took snaps at their previous homes but came highly rated out of high school.

Those two join junior Dijon Jennings and true freshman Kingston Tisdell (who signed early) in Weber’s quarterbacks group, along with Lone Peak High alum Easton Comer, who has returned from missionary service.

“Really excited to just let those guys play this spring and see where the chips fall,” Mental said. “But I know I like where their heads are at and they’re working tremendously hard to be a leader and a quarterback.”

Those five will vie to replace Richie Muñoz; he started 17 games at WSU and has committed to transfer to FCS program Incarnate Word.

In December’s early period, WSU signed five players: quarterback Tisdell; offensive linemen Hunter, Alijah Bray and Brandon Meza; and defensive end Chevy Robinson.

Below is a rundown of Wednesday’s signees for the regular period, including Mental’s comments on each.

Additionally, former Northridge High player and Utah Tech transfer defensive back Mason Obray is committed to Weber State as a walk-on. Southern Utah defensive lineman Breken Bowen, of Heber City, announced his commitment as did Lone Peak High’s Jayden Mayberry; both are presumed to be walk-ons.

INCOMING TRANSFERS

Reggie Frischknecht, WR: The 6-foot-4 receiver from Manti played one season at Snow College, catching 38 passes for 740 yards and 14 touchdowns. As a high school senior, he caught 94 passes for 1,360 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Mental on Frischknecht: “Really excited about his frame and his ability to stretch the field vertically, but also have good size underneath.”

Jackson Gilkey, QB: The 6-foot-2 thrower has three seasons of eligibility left after two years at UTSA. He was a two-time district MVP at Ennis High (Texas) and threw for 5,725 yards and 51 touchdowns, second in his high school’s history only to the prolific Graham Harrell.

Mental: “Recruited him out of high school. Really cerebral quarterback … everything you want at quarterback, I think he provides. Really excited to have him on board.”

Sione Hala, LB: The 6-foot-1 Los Angeles native has two seasons left after three at Boston College; he enrolled at WSU in January. A converted safety, Hala totaled 37 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in 21 appearances at BC. He was a four-star prospect out of high school.

Mental: “Fits all our benchmarks (for) linebackers — can run, is violent to the football, loves football and is excited to get back closer to home so his family can be part of the games.”

Joshua Hardy, DE: Hardy is a 6-foot-4 lineman who, after being rated a three-star player out of Maryland, spent two seasons at Boston College and one at North Carolina A&T without recording any stats. He appears to have one season of eligibility left.

Mental: “A kid I’ve known about for quite some time on the East Coast. … Really good blend of size and speed on the edge … trying to put pieces in that position that can make an impact next year.”

Thien Hoang, K: The 5-foot-7 place kicker has two seasons left to play after two at Division III Lewis & Clark College. He was 19 of 23 on field goals at L&C, with a long of 45, and 15 of 16 inside 40 yards while going 39 of 39 on PATs.

Mental: “Very decorated kicker at the D-3 level. Great mentality, puts the ball through the uprights and has a great personality and great work ethic.”

Justin Lutz, LS: The long snapper from Lawrence, Kansas, spent one season at Iowa Western Community College.

Mental: “Iowa Western played in the national championship in the JC ranks, and he fills a need after the departure of Grant Sands, who has been with us for quite some years.”

QB Cash McCollum: At 6-foot-4, McCollum has four seasons left after redshirting one at North Texas. Of his 8,691 passing yards and 112 touchdowns with one 4A state title at China Springs High (Texas), he tossed 3,154 yards and 47 touchdowns in his senior season alone.

Mental: “Got in late, also recruited him out of high school. … Went to North Texas, was in a quarterback battle for that second string, didn’t get much playing time as a true freshman. Love his height, love his makeup.”

Sione Moa, LB: The 6-foot-1 backer appeared in 10 games in one season at USU and 15 games over two seasons at BYU, totaling 26 tackles and one sack.

Mental: “Really good, impactful (middle) linebacker. Good size, good speed, has the ability to be physical within the core of the box. Really excited about adding him right now.”

FRESHMEN SIGNEES

Dave Brinton, LB: A 6-foot-2 linebacker from Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah), Brinton had 97 tackles, including 14 for loss with five sacks, as a high school senior.

Mental: “Was very productive at Corner Canyon two years ago, is coming off his mission. Really excited to add him.”

Davonta Morgan Collins, CB: The 6-foot-2 defender comes from Madison High in Dallas, Texas.

Mental: “Really good length, really good athleticism, plays basketball as well. Really rangy kid, great ball instincts, takes really good angles to the football.”

Oscar Dominguez, K: A 5-foot-11 place kicker from South Summit (Utah), Dominguez went 17 of 17 on field goals with a long of 44 in his last two seasons of high school ball.

Mental: “Did a heck of a job at South Summit with all their kicking responsibilities. Love the power in his leg and his accuracy.”

Ian Elmore, S: Elmore totaled 1,077 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 18.9 yards per reception as a 6-foot-1 senior at Weber High School. Defensively, he totaled 45 tackles and one interception.

Mental: “Really productive football player, played both safety and wide receiver at a high level under former player Mo Cannon. Really excited about him, his future is really bright, really good instincts and good communicator on the field.”

Zion Finau, DT: Finau was chosen as the Utah player of the year by MaxPreps and the 6A player of the year by the Deseret News. The 6-foot-2 Finau played offensive and defensive line, totaling 18 tackles and one sack as a senior, while also rushing the ball 14 times for 57 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Mental: “A do-it-all guy. … Really brings tenacity, physicality that we’re accustomed to here at Weber.”

Jack Pidgeon, TE: Pidgeon is a 6-foot-4 tight end out of Bellevue, Washington. No stats were available.

Mental: “Fills a big-time need for us as an attached tight end. Showed a great ability to add value in the run game … and be a weapon on the perimeter as a receiver.”

Hoyt Pula, DL: In 11 games as a senior, the 6-foot-2 Pula totaled 74 tackles, including 12 for loss with six sacks, and blocked two field goals at Syracuse High School.

Mental: “D-end, D-tackle, I think that will be determined when he comes back from his mission … but really explosive player, got after the quarterback quite a bit, made an impact in the run game. Violent penetrator of the gap to disrupt the run.”

Kelton Wafer, WR: A 6-foot receiver from McKinney, Texas, Wafer was the top receiver for a balanced pass attack at Frisco Emerson High, totaling 609 yards on 33 receptions (18.5 ypr) with seven touchdowns as a senior. He totaled 1,310 yards and 17 touchdowns, with two kickoff return TDs, in two seasons. His brother played football at Houston and he’s cousins with former NBA player Von Wafer.

Mental: “Really good ability in the return game. … Was a mainstay for a newer program that caught fire here the last two years winning down in Texas. His upside, he’s only 17 years old and will keep growing.”