Football: Three-star BYU commit is wavering on eve of visit
One of the cornerstones of BYU's 2008 football recruiting class is wavering in his commitment on the eve of his official campus visit to Provo.
"Call my commitment [to BYU] a soft verbal," Shiloah Te'o of Kahuku High in Hawaii told me this afternoon, just hours before he was to board an airplane bound for Salt Lake City. "Right now, my options are open."
Certainly, that's not what BYU coaches or fans want to hear at this point of the recruiting game from the three-star recruit (Scout.com) who committed directly to BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall in June.
At least 20 recruits are visiting BYU this weekend, but Te'o is supposed to be one of the 17 who are in the bag heading into the Feb. 6 signing day.
"I'm not sure about anything right now," he said. "I'll have to see how the trip goes."
It was apparent that Te'o, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety, was wavering when news surfaced last month that he had taken an official visit to UNLV. He confirmed that visit on Thursday, and also mentioned that he is "going to try next week" to tag along with other Kahuku stars who are making a visit to Utah.
He said for certain that four-star lineman Benji Kemoeatu is visiting Utah next week. He thinks that teammates Anthony Siilata, a tight end, and Paipai Falemalu, a defensive end, are also visiting, but isn't entirely sure.
Te'o said that recently Arizona State has started calling him frequently, and he wants to see who Hawaii names as its next head coach before crossing the Warriors off his list.
Part of the reason he is questioning his commitment to BYU, he said, is because he wants to play safety in college. He said BYU wants him to play linebacker at the next level.
"I've been between 195 and 200 pounds for quite some time," he said. "I don't know if I can get much [heavier]."
He said Utah and the Ute coach recruiting him, Kalani Sitake, has said he can play safety for them.
"Position is my main concern," he said.
Schools see Te'o as valuable for several reasons, the least of which is the fact that his cousin, Manti Te'o, is one of the top juniors in the country. The school that lands Shiloah will have a good shot at Manti, who played for Punahou High last fall and reportedly has offers from BYU, USC, Notre Dame, Tennessee and others.
Supposedly, USC coach Pete Carroll has made it known to Manti Te'o that he will hold a scholarship for the star if Te'o chooses to go an LDS Church mission, departing from his traditional stance regarding missionary service.
"Manti likes BYU a lot, but it looks like he's going to have a chance to go anywhere he wants in the country," Shiloah Te'o said.
"Call my commitment [to BYU] a soft verbal," Shiloah Te'o of Kahuku High in Hawaii told me this afternoon, just hours before he was to board an airplane bound for Salt Lake City. "Right now, my options are open."
Certainly, that's not what BYU coaches or fans want to hear at this point of the recruiting game from the three-star recruit (Scout.com) who committed directly to BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall in June.
At least 20 recruits are visiting BYU this weekend, but Te'o is supposed to be one of the 17 who are in the bag heading into the Feb. 6 signing day.
"I'm not sure about anything right now," he said. "I'll have to see how the trip goes."
It was apparent that Te'o, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety, was wavering when news surfaced last month that he had taken an official visit to UNLV. He confirmed that visit on Thursday, and also mentioned that he is "going to try next week" to tag along with other Kahuku stars who are making a visit to Utah.
He said for certain that four-star lineman Benji Kemoeatu is visiting Utah next week. He thinks that teammates Anthony Siilata, a tight end, and Paipai Falemalu, a defensive end, are also visiting, but isn't entirely sure.
Te'o said that recently Arizona State has started calling him frequently, and he wants to see who Hawaii names as its next head coach before crossing the Warriors off his list.
Part of the reason he is questioning his commitment to BYU, he said, is because he wants to play safety in college. He said BYU wants him to play linebacker at the next level.
"I've been between 195 and 200 pounds for quite some time," he said. "I don't know if I can get much [heavier]."
He said Utah and the Ute coach recruiting him, Kalani Sitake, has said he can play safety for them.
"Position is my main concern," he said.
Schools see Te'o as valuable for several reasons, the least of which is the fact that his cousin, Manti Te'o, is one of the top juniors in the country. The school that lands Shiloah will have a good shot at Manti, who played for Punahou High last fall and reportedly has offers from BYU, USC, Notre Dame, Tennessee and others.
Supposedly, USC coach Pete Carroll has made it known to Manti Te'o that he will hold a scholarship for the star if Te'o chooses to go an LDS Church mission, departing from his traditional stance regarding missionary service.
"Manti likes BYU a lot, but it looks like he's going to have a chance to go anywhere he wants in the country," Shiloah Te'o said.
2 Comments:
FYI, Manti Te'o does not go to Kahuku like his cousin. He is enrolled in a private school (Punahou) on the opposite side of the island (in Honolulu.)
Thanks. I'll make the correction.
Jay
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