JUCO offensive tackle switches commit from WVU to Auburn

[TitanTiger 20,708]

JUCO offensive tackle Will Latu switches commitment from West Virginia to Auburn

Will Latu, a junior college offensive tackle from the College of the Canyons, has switched his commitment for 2012 from West Virginia to Auburn, according to recruiting websites.

http://www.wareagleextra.com/2011/07/22/junior-college-offensive-tackle-will-latu-switches-commitment-from-west-virginia-to-auburn/

Man, all these allegations are just killing recruiting.

Will Latu, OT

Santa Clarita, CA (College of the Canyons)

6'5 / 315 / 5.1

Offers:

Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas State, Boise State, FIU, Kansas State, Louisville, New Mexico, Oregon State, Rutgers, South Florida, Utah and West Virginia, among others.

247Sports

Rivals

Scout

Versatile offensive lineman with big frame who moves very well. One of the top junior college tackle targets in the country entering the 2011 season. Will have two years of Division I eligibility remaining.

http://auburn.scout.com/a.z?s=6&p=8&c=1&nid=5603922

High School interview:

[WarTiger 3,987]

This just tells the whole story. The article up at ITAT is premium so I can't put it up here. But, He said being close to home factored in to his decision to switch from West Virginia. Now, get this. He also says the NCAA trouble at West Virginia also factored in to his decision. But, I thought WE were the ones being looked at by the NCAA, yet no mention of that at all?

Now our staff is getting so good players are committing without even visiting Auburn. He is quoted in the article saying he's coming to a game this fall, but he's never been to Auburn before. When you're good, you're good....

[Duder 238]

Surely we out bid WVU! Also, we lied about the pending hammer by the NCAA!

[RunInRed 16,994]

Here's the kicker quote via 247Sports...

“Going into the commitment, I didn’t know they (WVU) were on probation and I didn’t want to put myself in a predicament ... I’ve only got two years left so I can’t do anything else if something happens,” Latu said.

[RunInRed 16,994]

On Twitter... @Latu77

[AU Jack 0]

What a monster. Hope to see him contribute next season.

[RunInRed 16,994]

A good read...

Over time, Gibbs grad Latu develops deep feelings for football

John C. Cotey

Football was never a game Will Latu fell in love with.

He didn’t attend games as a kid, even his big brothers’.

He had no gridiron heroes, and can barely name any of the Buccaneers.

He didn’t even play in high school, until his senior year.

But after three years together, on a remarkable and improbable journey that has taken Latu from St. Petersburg to Aberdeen, S.D., to Santa Clarita, Calif., the former and heretofore utterly unknown Gibbs Gladiator will finally admit this about the game:

“I think we’ve grown on each other.”

•••

Sunday afternoon, Latu, an affable, wild-maned 6-foot-5, 315-pound Tongan and exceptional left tackle, orally committed to West Virginia University.

From his apartment down the street from the campus of the College of the Canyons, where he completed only his second year of organized football last season, Latu carefully chose the Mountaineers from 13 suitors, including the likes of Boise State, Oregon State, Rutgers and USF.

His mother, Folau, cried.

His father, Pete, cried even more.

“We are blessed,’’ he said, over and over again.

Everyone’s prayers had been answered.

Will Latu didn’t have any options coming out of high school except one:

Succeed.

•••

It was Pete who first encouraged his youngest son to play football. But that didn’t go so well, because Will weighed too much for the local pee wee leagues, and decided right then he would never play football, even though his brother and cousins did, flashing then what would become his signature streak of independence.

Pete tried again his son’s freshman year at Gibbs, and again his sophomore year.

“I told you, Dad, I’m not playing football,” Will would say each time.

Junior year “he got mad at me” for asking again, Pete said.

Will, however, had an epiphany when he saw the colleges that came calling for his cousin and inspiration, Jon Halapio, who was at St. Petersburg Catholic and eventually signed at Florida.

He decided he’d see if it could get him into college as well.

“In my heart,” said Pete, “I thought it was too late.”

•••

The first time Yusuf Shakir laid eyes on Latu, “I said, dang, that cat is huge.”

The former Gibbs coach asked what everyone asks a 6-5, 300-pound kids walking around high school hallways: “You don’t want to play football?’’

Latu told Shakir, “Nah, I’m good.’’

When Latu finally showed up the summer before his senior year, he had missed the spring, a crucial period when college coaches and recruiting analysts had been stopping by.

Shakir thought maybe, because he was such a big boy with great feet who did not shy away from physical contact, Latu might get lucky and draw the attention of a college.

“They would come in, look at his tape and say wow … then, sorry we’re all filled up,” Shakir said. “He kind of fell through the cracks.”

Latu made the county and conference all-star teams, and eventually Colorado State and Connecticut showed interest.

Pete crossed his fingers. An offer had to be near.

But the schools backed off in the end, saying his son didn’t have enough experience. In the high-stakes world of recruiting, the bigger programs don’t have scholarships to waste on players they need to develop.

“I still remember that day,” Pete says. “He had tears in his eyes. I told him, this is something you will have to learn from. But don’t ever forget it.”

Will headed off to the only school interested in a football player with three months of experience, Division II Northern State University in South Dakota.

•••

Latu spent a year in Aberdeen as a redshirt. He was miserable.

The scholarship promised wasn’t really much of one — he had to take out loans and get financial aid — and he found himself dominating the competition in practice.

He decided to follow in brother David’s footsteps and transfer to College of the Canyons, where his uncle was a linebackers coach.

With no financial assistance from the school and no dorms to live in and no meal plans to fill up on, Will has fought for survival.

“It’s a sacrifice,’’ he said. “You worry about where that next meal is coming from, the light bill, the AC, the cable getting cut off. It’s like being an adult and a football player at the same time.’’

Pete was working two full-time jobs back home to help him — “$200 for a book? Are you pulling my leg?” he asked his son — and Folau worked for an airline, which at least allowed his parents a break on tickets to watch him play.

They worried about their youngest boy, fighting to keep his dream alive against great odds. They didn’t miss a game, because they felt they had to be there.

Before planning a trip to come see him last year, Will tried to talk his parents out of it. He told his father “Dad, I know we don’t have any money …”

Pete’s voice trails off when remembering that moment, and he has to choke back the emotions.

“We support our son,” he continued. “I don’t know how we do it sometimes, but I believe God is on our side.”

•••

Under the tutelage of College of the Canyons line coach Marc Dumalo, Latu developed into one of the country’s top juco linemen last season.

A tireless and driven worker, Latu worked toward one goal — a full-paid Division I-A scholarship.

His parents prayed for just one; he now has 13, and more are sure to come.

“I’m so proud of my little brother,” said David, a 2005 Gibbs graduate now working toward being, presumably, one of Sacramento’s biggest firefighters at 6-5, 335 pounds.

“He’s accomplished things I tried and never finished. I knew he had it in him. It just took some time before he figured out if he was fit for this or something else. And he’s fit for this. He’s fit and determined.”

Latu hopes to graduate from junior college in December and head to West Virginia in time for spring practice.

David thinks his brother will play in the NFL one day. And while Will isn’t looking any further than West Virginia, would you bet against him at this point?

Pete can’t help but think of the NFL, too. Not for the riches it could bring, but for what it would signify.

“As a parent, you hope for the best, you want them to go as high as they can,” he said. “If he gets his degree, we’re just as happy. Either way, he can’t lose. I’m just honored to say he is my son.”

•••

Will Latu texts his parents before workouts: “Hi Mom and Dad. Good morning. Time for me to go to work.”

It may still be a job for him, but he has passion for it, too, never more than when he’s engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

He loves dominating the player in front on him, frustrating him, stopping him, making him want to quit.

If he can do that, he can make his parents proud, make all the problems one day go away.

“I just want to do whatever I need to do to be the best player I can be,” he said. “When I called them (Saturday night) to tell them, my mom was crying and everyone was so happy and proud of me, because they know that everything is going to be okay.”

As for his love for the game he once refused to play, Will Latu just laughs, probably unwilling to admit he’s more smitten than he lets on.

http://www.tampabay.com/hometeam/blog/cotey-over-time-gibbs-grad-latu-develops-deep-feelings-football/10041/

[Tigermike 3,426]

Good read RR.

Welcome to the family Will!

War Eagle

[tgr4lfe 220]

This just tells the whole story. The article up at ITAT is premium so I can't put it up here. But, He said being close to home factored in to his decision to switch from West Virginia. Now, get this. He also says the NCAA trouble at West Virginia also factored in to his decision. But, I thought WE were the ones being looked at by the NCAA, yet no mention of that at all?

Now our staff is getting so good players are committing without even visiting Auburn. He is quoted in the article saying he's coming to a game this fall, but he's never been to Auburn before. When you're good, you're good....

Well, if he was sold on AU w/o a visit, imagine what he is going to think AFTER he makes a visit to a gameday!!!!

[aucanucktiger 1,818]

Excellent for us, but weird. He carefully considered 13 offers but didn't know WVU was going to be on probation? That's the worst kept secret this year. He had relatives in the UF program but UF is not on his "close to home" group of offers for one of the top JUCO players? (Hope UF doesn't come calling) and finally, after carefully considering all those offers he commits to a college he's never visited?

Like I said, weird, but...nice job AU coaches

[mcgufcm 4,107]

Don't you have to pay your own way for visits? Am I wrong on that? Assuming I'm right, I don't think he'll ever visit until he's done with school. Reading that story, there just isn't money for it. Sounds like a good kid. Hope he sticks with the program, and I hope he can ball.

[Mikey 16,781]

Don't you have to pay your own way for visits? Am I wrong on that? Assuming I'm right, I don't think he'll ever visit until he's done with school. Reading that story, there just isn't money for it. Sounds like a good kid. Hope he sticks with the program, and I hope he can ball.

Each recruit can have five paid for visits. These are called Official Visits and he can use one to each of five schools if he chooses. Unofficial visits are unlimited but the recruit must pay for these himself. So this guy can visit Auburn once and have the school pay for it.

[RunInRed 16,994]

Video Highlights...

H/T AUC

[RunInRed 16,994]

Watching Auburn commit Will Latu out of Canyons JC right now. Tigers getting a good OT/OG for next year.

@ScoutKennedy

[RunInRed 16,994]

[McWeagle 4]

Bet he's looking forward to the uniform upgrade

[Tigermike 3,426]

Rivals ranks Latu the No. 1 junior college offensive lineman in the country and No. 7 overall prospect.

[RunInRed 16,994]

2011 Highlight Tape

[aucanucktiger 1,818]

This guy's one of the reason's I think we'll have a top 3 team NEXT year, that we won't have to wait for 2013.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

Careful with all that. Roszell Gayden was supposed to be starting right now.

[Mikey 16,781]

Careful with all that. Roszell Gayden was supposed to be starting right now.

Yeah, and there's NOBODY that can stand up to the Bonomolo guy...

[Duder 238]

Level of competition often makes players look much better, that was the concern with Cam.

Let's get him on campus and see a practice or two before we salivate too much

[mcgufcm 4,107]

I don't mean that we can't be enthusiastic. I am excited to see what he's got. I just find that JUCO guys are as hit or miss as high school guys. Some work (Cam, Rudi, Nick Fairley, Eltor, Brandon Mosley, David Irons, Jae Wilhite, Chris Todd, Demond Washington, etc). Some don't (Roszell Gayden, Raven Gray, Chris Browder, LeMarcus Rowell, Greg Smith, etc). Some are in between (Daniel Cobb, Brandon Jacobs, Prechae Rodriguez). You never know. Until I see the guy play or at the minimum hear how he's dealing with the competition level at practice, I'm no more excited about him than any other recruit. I'm certainly not counting on any particular guy to start/play. A lot of times it's the guys you don't bank on (Brandon Mosley) making an impact before the guys you expect (Gayden).

[tgr4lfe 220]

I don't mean that we can't be enthusiastic. I am excited to see what he's got. I just find that JUCO guys are as hit or miss as high school guys. Some work (Cam, Rudi, Nick Fairley, Eltor, Brandon Mosley, David Irons, Jae Wilhite, Chris Todd, Demond Washington, etc). Some don't (Roszell Gayden, Raven Gray, Chris Browder, LeMarcus Rowell, Greg Smith, etc). Some are in between (Daniel Cobb, Brandon Jacobs, Prechae Rodriguez). You never know. Until I see the guy play or at the minimum hear how he's dealing with the competition level at practice, I'm no more excited about him than any other recruit. I'm certainly not counting on any particular guy to start/play. A lot of times it's the guys you don't bank on (Brandon Mosley) making an impact before the guys you expect (Gayden).

I don't believe Lamarcus Rowell was a JUCO. He came from Opelika, got in trouble his freshman year, went to Hargrave I thought, then was allowed to return where he subsequently got in trouble again and dismissed from the team. He then went to Jax St. He might not have gone to hargrave at all, but just suspended from the team, but was then kicked off the team after getting arrested in Opelika with dope and a loaded weapon in the car with him and his thug buddies. I saw him play HS ball at Opelika, he was a monster on the field!!!

[mcgufcm 4,107]

Rowell played for a hot minute, left, resigned out of junior college, got booted off the team the following semester. I think that counts as a JUCO bust. It's tough to say whether he's more a HS bust or a JUCO bust, but regardless, people expected him to play after he resigned.