Dec. 8, 2000

By DICK HARMON
The Daily Herald

PROVO, Utah - Gary Crowton must pass his first written test as BYU's football coach or he can't face or speak to 10 junior college recruits who are making their official visit on campus this weekend.

Coming straight out of the NFL, it's been several years since Crowton has been certified to recruit Division I NCAA athletes.

So, under the supervision of senior associate athletic director Pete Witbeck, BYU's compliance officer, Crowton underwent a crash course in the thick NCAA Manual and by-laws on Thursday.

"We'll take as long as necessary," said Witbeck.

Crowton was expected to work on the testing Thursday and finish today.

"We will administer a coaches practice recruiting test of 40 multiple choice, and true and false questions."

He'll be drilled on all aspects of Division I recruiting, something he's done before while at Louisiana Tech.

Crowton was not worried about failing the test.

"I have passed it every time I've taken it," he said Thursday. "I've taken it every time it's come out except last year, but I haven't had much time to study it (this year)."

The questions involve eligibility definitions and application procedures, NCAA freshman academic requirements, transfer regulations, financial aid definitions and terms and conditions of awarding institutional financial aid.

Every coach at BYU takes this test each spring in an annual process that permits them to recruit Division I athletes.

Once Crowton is prepped, the actual test will be administered by someone outside of BYU's athletic department, the faculty representative Kevin Worthen. That test, which lasts an hour and 20 minutes, could be completed today.

"He can't fail more than eight questions," said Witbeck. "If he does, he can't repeat the test for another month.

"It's my guess he'll probably miss three or four."