This week in the Mountain West saw schools hand out 14 offers to prospective recruits. The amount of offers makes sense for this time in the year. With most high school regular season schedules wrapped up, coaches have had ample time to look at film, evaluate players, and set up their position boards to their liking.
Once again, it was Boise State with a big recruiting week. Fresh off a visit weekend where they had 5 official visitors and a few more visiting unofficially, one of those visitors was one of their three commitments this week. They bolstered their future WR corps, adding JUCO and HS wideout in addition to another pass-rusher. A few weeks back, MWConnection detailed how the Broncos have been the best recruiting school in the conference for years and they are doing all they can to continue that again. The Broncos are now up to 13 commitments in their 2018 class.
Visit Recap:
DE Zach Ritner, on his Hawaii visit:
- The visit went awesome. Everyone was really nice and you could really tell that the players and coaches care about each other. People aren’t just there to play for themselves.
- The style of defense is similar to the one my high school runs so I could definitely see myself fitting in too.
- The coaches like me at defensive end. They like my motor to the ball and pass rush. The main thing they would use me for is pass rushing.
- It’s obviously a really nice area and If I decide to go I can’t wait to see the rest of the island. I’m a big water guy too so I’d be able to surf dive and spearfish with kids on the team.
- I met with the business professor and it sounds like they have a good program that is compatible with sports.
Commitment Spotlight:
Baraka Beckett (Hawaii Commit):
- Coach Rolovich was able to take a team which had not won many games, filled with players he did not recruit and take them to a bowl last year. Ohana is a polynesian word for family, the team has a strong family vibe which is very welcoming. I want to be a part of that family and continue to go to bowl games.
- What impressed me most about the coaches was their appreciation of the individual strengths and weaknesses of each player. They put a huge amount of work to putting players in positions that best utilize their strengths.
- I’m really excited about the idea of learning a new culture because I feal that the brain expands when exposed to different cultures.
Stefan Cobbs (Boise State commit):
- My main reason for committing was just the environment up there. The team is real close with each other and it reminds me of the brotherhood I have with my teammates at Fossil Ridge HS.
- The experience all the coaches have is huge for me. They’ve all been to big universities, and have coached pretty good players. I know I’m in good hands.
- The players that play for Boise State really took me in and treated me like family, as well as the commits in my class. We got really close.
- I had a pretty good idea after my visit that Boise State was the place I wanted to be.
John Hightower (Boise State commit):
- I like the offensive play calls that Boise State runs, their whole offense. And I Feel like I can make a great impact on the field playing in an offense like that.
- I love that the coaches will work with me to help me develop my talent to its greatest potential once I get to working with them.
- I think my strengths as a player are my route running and my speed. I have the speed to run past defenders and I consider my routes to be sharp.
Demitri Washington (Boise State commit):
- The biggest factor in my recruitment was definitely the family atmosphere I felt on campus. The players truly care about each other and it is one big family.
- I built great relationships with Coach Harsin, Coach Avalos, and Coach Danielson. They have been recruiting me extremely hard since they offered. Coach Danielson and I have the San Diego connection, he went to one of the schools in my league. I could honestly talk to him about anything football related or not. Coach Avalos and I also developed a great relationship and he was extremely invested in my future in football and just life in general. Also Coach Harsin was always invested in my recruitment and even through this time being out with injury, he was motivating me to be a great teammate and push me to help my team in any way I can.
- Each of the coaches were very invested in my academics. We’ve set up a plan for me through the business school and the innovation school and made sure that I had access to everything I would need. They have a plan for me on and off the field.
- It was overall the perfect fit for me and my family.
Recruiting Tidbits:
Offers:
- LB Darien Butler was offered by New Mexico
- QB Vic Viramontes was offered by UNLV
- DB Braelen Bettles was offered by Air Force
- OL Brian Wendt was offered by Air Force
- WR/DB Chris Nash was offered by Utah State
- WR/CB Jalien Bailey was offered by SJSU
- 2021 QB Jake Garcia was offered by SJSU
- LB Jason Gallagher was offered by SDSU
- OL Alama Uluave was offered by SDSU
- WR JJ Tucker was offered by Wyoming
- JUCO OL Bo Alexander was offered by Hawaii
- 2019 QB Shae Suianunoa was offered by Hawaii
- RB Josiah Davies was offered by Colorado State
- 2019 LB/TE Ethan Zemla was offered by Colorado State
Commitments:
- DT Baraka Beckett committed to Hawaii
- LB Giovanni Miranda committed to Nevada
- JUCO WR John Hightower committed to Boise State
- DE Demitri Washington committed to Boise State
- WR Stefan Cobbs committed to Boise State
Visits:
- RB/WR Jevon Bigelow visited Wyoming
- DE Zach Ritner visited Hawaii