Spoke Friday to El Camino (Calif.) Community College coach John Featherstone - great guy, by the way - about his star defensive end Simi (SEE-me) Kuli (KOO-lee).
Kuli decided to take his fifth visit, after all. As of Friday, he was either in or headed to Arizona, where several El Camino alums currently play. It’s the same story at Oregon State, another of the schools Simi is considering besides Kansas State.
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Kuli is rated as the No. 1 junior college prospect in the country. He was named Mission Conference co-defensive player of the year. According to Featherstone, who has implored the defensive end to make a decision as soon as possible, a decision could be forthcoming Tuesday, once Kuli returns from Arizona and sits down with his parents for consultation.
“We know K-State is going after players to fill where they have holes and needs,” Featherstone said. “… But a big part of this is familiarity. A lot of times, this is the first time these guys are leaving home.”
Featherstone also said Bo Pelini has tried to get Nebraska back involved. Kuli originally committed to the Corn, but after Bill Callahan was dismissed, he re-opened his recruitment. But when Kuli took an official to LSU on Oct. 5, Pelini was the defensive coordinator and the two apparently got along well. The new NU coach has been in touch and Featherstone said “there is still a slim chance” Kuli could end up there.
The coach also said Kuli had a great time on his official visit last weekend to Manhattan, his fourth such trip. He was hosted by Moses Manu, an El Camino alum who “has enjoyed the experience,” according to Featherstone.
Two of Kuli’s El Camino teammates, defensive end Josh Berard and defensive lineman John Finau, are headed to K-State. Here’s what Featherstone had to say about them:
“Josh isn’t a big guy (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) but he has a good motor. He turned down Colorado to go to K-State. And Finau is a tough nut inside.”
19 Comments
Well, I just cancelled my Rivals subscription because it looks like you have everything covered. :love:
Nice work.
hey jmart any chance you get a wild hair up you’re arse and report some good news regarding the football program?
every once in a while there is some you know.
GOCATS!!
LOL cocomonkey, which football program do you follow?
Jmart– Random Oregon State fan here, and I have to say that this is just about the best recruiting blog entry that I’ve read in a while.
Any chance that you would want to move to Portland, Oregon and replace Paul Buker (the Beavers’ beat writer) at the Oregonian?? He’s lazy and atrocious–and we’d LOVE to have someone who would do something like *gasp* call the coach of a player that we’re recruiting to get the scoop on him. Maybe you would even put a stop to his inexplicable obsession with writing about the ducks in his blog and in articles?
We’re here for you when you need us!
Watch it CV3, Jmart is ours and you cannot have him. He will be here for a while. And when i say a while, I mean 1 year tops. Then he will head back to the NE to give us the scoop on Tom Brady’s toe and if Bill Belichick wears boxers, briefs or goes commando. So take your Pachulia stank back to Portland with the rest of the hippies. You can have your crafted beer, non corporate coffee houses, and politics that make sense. We’ll keep drinkin Foldgers, beer that looks and tastes like piss, and our politics based on religion.
Jed Bush ‘12
Kuli will end up at Oregon State. Just my gut feeling.
My money is on AZ. Then OSU. Then probably NU. Then someone else. Then us.
You may want to do a little fact checking. Kuli committed after Callahan was let go and said he was committing to the program not the coach. He made his commit to TO. Numerous reasons have been rumored for his re-opening of the process but the firing of Callahan is not one of them.
I stand corrected on the timing of Kuli’s commit (http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=10178179) but not his reason for re-opening his decision process. Per Kuli himself the impending coaching change didn’t impact his decision and his coach said he wasn’t going to decommit because he committed more the the school than the coach.
Husker fans are dumb
Husker fans are “dumb”, Steve? When I attended college in Manhattan, Kansas (both at KSU and Manhattan Christian College) I was taught to support what I said and admit when I was wrong. I have done both. Whoever ends up with Kuli will have a player with good skills. There is a lot up in the air about why he decided to re-open his recruiting process after what he and his coach said before the change.
Dumb
I’ll check back on you Steve when you learn some new words.
Why would anyone choose to play at KSU when they could play for Oregon State.
kuli is wish washy and young.hopefully hawaii offers so he will get away from all of us.
steve dave if you add a (huh huh) to your post you will be butthead and beaverfan is add the (he-he) so you can be beavis.
EDIT:JUST ADD
i was go’n thru the comments and i must say this is the first page i’ve post’d on where the comments aren’t as mean as others…lol…yes FEATHERSTONE is right…it’s the first time for my
It appears K-State missed out on Simi Kuli. Unfortunate.