Jump on the tot train! BYU’s Richie Saunders rises to tater tot royalty en route to Sweet 16

Some athletes shine under pressure, but BYU’s Richie Saunders thrives in the deep fryer.

The tenacious forward, instrumental in BYU’s Sweet 16 run, is related to the inventor of tater tots. Saunders has leveraged this family connection with a lucrative endorsement deal, featuring in ads and offering free tots whenever BYU wins in the NCAA Tournament.

BYU is hungry for more.

“When all you eat is tater tots,” Saunders said, “it definitely makes it easier.”

The crispy treat has earned a spot on the school lunch menu at BYU.

BYU head coach Kevin Young was surprised it took so long for tots to appear on the menu. Saunders has teamed up with the frozen food brand Ore-Ida, rebranded as Ore-Richie during BYU’s tournament run, making him one of the most popular potato spokespeople since Napoleon Dynamite. The Cougars can’t get enough of the crunchy snack, from those who grew up pairing them with burgers and hot dogs, to newcomers discovering them for the first time.

“It was good. It’s potato, I guess,” said Russian-born five-star recruit Egor Demin. “I found out it’s potato. I always thought it was something sweet.”

BYU is the talk of the town during March Madness, reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time since Jimmer Fredette led them there in 2011. The Cougars haven’t made it to a regional final since 1981 and could secure a spot with a win over second-seeded Alabama Thursday at the Prudential Center in New Jersey.

Saunders’ ties to tater tots — his great-grandfather, F. “Nephi” Griggs, founded Ore-Ida — have become an unexpected highlight in a tournament with few major upsets. While the tater tot phenomenon is a fun side story for the Big 12’s Most Improved Player, Saunders quickly points out that basketball is what’s keeping BYU in the hunt.

BYU plays with speed, focusing on 3-point shooting, ranking 23rd in the nation for attempts, and attacking the basket, which has helped place them 10th in KenPom’s offensive efficiency rankings.

“I think the reason we’re here is to play basketball,” Saunders said. “You win in basketball, good things happen off the court.”

This good fortune has proven to be no small potatoes for Saunders.

Ore-Ida not only renamed the brand in his honor, but the company is also offering free tots nationwide during the duration of BYU’s Sweet 16 game. If the Cougars win their first national championship, with 80-1 odds from BetMGM Sportsbook, Ore-Ida will release a special limited-edition product: “Richie’s Tater Shots,” inspired by his jump shot.

“It’s been a super-fun partnership,” Saunders said. “It’s been random, but awesome. They’ve been so good.”

Saunders’ tater tot connection gained momentum during the Big 12 Tournament, and the story followed him to Denver, where BYU triumphed over VCU and third-seeded Wisconsin. Averaging 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the tournament, Saunders didn’t just focus on the game plan; he took on the potato pitch as well.

“I think Ore-Ida did a great job by jumping on the bandwagon quickly,” he said. “They flew a team to Denver when we were there. A lot of it is on them if they want to capitalize like I feel they have. Tater tots have been sold out in Utah County all week.”

While some coaches might worry about distractions, Young encouraged his players to embrace the new opportunities in the NIL world.

“Balancing all that has been interesting, especially during a time like this where your focus needs to be so high,” Saunders said. “Usually, I like to separate myself. I’ll worry about NIL after the season. (Young) has helped me, teaching me that as a professional, you have to handle these things during the season.”

The tot craze is just beginning at BYU: Whether they win or lose against Alabama, the Cougars will add top recruit AJ Dybantsa next season, who recently signed an NIL deal with BYU worth between $5 million and $7 million.

Not everyone is on board with the spud craze: Three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt, a Wisconsin alum, announced on social media that he was “boycotting tater tots for the next 48 hours” after BYU defeated the Badgers.

That’s good news for Utah and all the BYU spec-taters. More tots for everyone else!

“It’s kind of funny to have tater tots as the whole team’s thing now,” BYU guard Trevin Knell said. “Every time we go to team meals, we joke about where the tater tots are. But shout-out to Richie and his great-grandpa, honestly.”