The football-recruiting period is a time of uncertainty until the letter of intent is signed, but one thing has been certain for a couple of weeks: Clark Evans will be a member of the 2012 Hawaii football team.
That’s because Evans, who made an oral commitment to the Warriors in early January, has been enrolled at UH the past couple of weeks.
There should be minimal drama today, the first day recruits can put their commitments in writing during the monthlong signing period.
The Warriors have oral commitments from 20 prospects. Six of them — Evans, linebacker Lance Williams, offensive lineman Ben Clarke, and quarterbacks Justin Alo, Ikaika Woolsey and Taylor Graham — already are full-time UH students.
Williams, Clarke, Alo and Woolsey are grayshirts who originally signed scholarship agreements last year.
Graham transferred from Ohio State, and must redshirt in 2012 in accordance with NCAA rules. Graham’s father, Kent Graham, was a former quarterback for the New York Giants.
Evans was a junior college All-American tight end at Cerritos (Calif.) College. Norm Chow, who was hired as UH head coach in December, is implementing a pro-set offense that will incorporate a tight end, a position the Warriors have not used in a game since 1998.
Evans’ rapid commitment reflected the no-pause recruiting effort of Chow’s staff. Evans completed his UH recruiting visit on Jan. 15, committed that afternoon, returned to his California home that night, and was back at the airport the next morning for the return flight to Hawaii.
The Warriors recruited two more tight ends — Harold Moleni, who returned from a two-year mission in October, and Ethan Watanabe, a player with island roots who was raised in San Antonio.
The Warriors also aggressively recruited Hawaii. Kamehameha offensive lineman Kiha Sai, who had received a grayshirt offer from Utah, and Kahuku linebacker Benny Fonua, the state’s defensive player of the year, made early pledges to the Warriors.
This past Sunday, Punahou running back Steven Lakalaka and Kamehameha safety Taylor Taliulu de-committed from promises to Pac-12 schools to pledge to UH. Tuesday afternoon, Lakalaka reaffirmed his intention to play for the Warriors.
"I’m 100 percent committed," Lakalaka said.
There were unconfirmed reports that Taliulu had changed his mind again Tuesday and planned to recommit to Washington State.
The shifts are the nature of recruiting. It was that way for lineman Dejon Allen, who de-committed from Arizona State to accept UH’s offer.
"I’m going to be a Warrior," Allen said Tuesday night. "It’s because of Norm Chow and the program he has going. It’s because of the state of Hawaii; the people and because it’s so beautiful."
Allen said he will sign this morning, fax a copy to UH, then "fake-sign" at a luncheon at his school.
Sai said he has picked out a shirt and tie for this morning’s signing ceremony.
"The last time I wore a tie was when I went to Saint Louis (School, in the eighth grade)," Sai said. "It’s been a while."
Moleni said he will sign his letter at 7 a.m. Mountain time, which is 4 a.m. in Honolulu. He then will fax a copy to UH. The NCAA regards a faxed copy as a binding agreement.
He said no ceremony is planned.
"Maybe I should tell my family so I can get some free cake and ice cream," Moleni said.
"I’m excited," said John Ursua, a quarterback/receiver from Cedar High in Utah. "It’s going to be good to be a Warrior."
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII FOOTBALL RECRUITS
Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Last School |
Dejon Allen |
OL/DL |
6-3 |
265 |
Dominguez (Calif.) High |
*Justin Alo |
QB |
6-2 |
185 |
Carson (Calif.) High |
*Ben Clarke |
OL |
6-4 |
270 |
Chatfield High (Calif.) |
Clark Evans |
TE |
6-4 |
250 |
Cerritos (Calif.) College |
Ronald Fields |
DB |
6-2 |
190 |
College of San Mateo (Calif.) |
Benneton Fonua |
LB |
6-1 |
220 |
Kahuku High |
Jerrol Garcia-Williams |
LB |
6-2 |
215 |
Palo Verde High (Las Vegas) |
**Taylor Graham |
QB |
6-4 |
230 |
Ohio State |
Leo Koloamatangi |
OL/DL |
6-5 |
260 |
Sacred Heart Prep (Calif.) |
Steven Lakalaka |
RB |
5-10 |
200 |
Punahou School |
Gus Lavaka |
OL/DL |
6-4 |
300 |
Kearns (Utah) High |
Mike Milovale |
OT |
6-4 |
310 |
Hartnell College (Calif.) |
Harold Moleni |
TE |
6-3 |
235 |
Hunter High (Utah) |
Anthony Pierce |
CB |
5-9 |
170 |
Mission Viejo (Calif.) High |
Kiha Sai |
OT |
6-4 |
315 |
Kamehameha |
Taylor Taliulu |
S |
6-0 |
185 |
Kamehameha |
John Ursua |
QB/SB |
5-10 |
180 |
Cedar (Utah) High |
Ethan Watanabe |
TE |
6-3 |
255 |
Brennan High (San Antonio) |
*Lance Williams |
LB |
6-2 |
220 |
Farrington |
*Ikaika Woolsey |
QB |
6-1 |
205 |
Salesian Pride High (Calif.) |
* — 2011 grayshirt. ** — transfer
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