Saint Louis won’t be taking its talents to the Geico Bowl Series, but two Crusaders are aiming higher.
Junior linebackers Nick Herbig and Jordan Botelho received offers from USC on Monday, the 12th offer for Botelho and the sixth for Herbig. Washington, Wisconsin, USC and Hawaii are the only programs willing to make it a package deal for the two ballhawks.Saint Louis defensive lineman Gino Quinones committed to the Cardinal and Gold in May.
The Trojans have been all over Hawaii talent, rewarding Punahou defensive back Alaka’i Gilman with his third Division I offer on Nov. 30 and securing a commitment from Narbonne guard Tilini Livai, who played at Hilo up until this season. Punahou linebacker Maninoa Tufono is the star of the class committed to USC and Enokk Vimahi of Kahuku still has the Trojans in his top eight.
St. Francis junior Ope Laloulu also has an offer from USC, along with Arizona, BYU, Hawaii, Oregon and San Diego State, but he has not made a commitment yet.
Botelho, who counts Georgia as one of his offers, can probably expect to run into Kirby Smart pretty soon. 247sports.com suggested that Smart hit the recruiting trail after the Bulldogs’ loss to Alabama on Saturday and mentioned Hawaii as one of his stops, and he won’t be alone with the regular season over and college coaches descending upon the islands.
Pac-Five two-way trench warrior Leif Fautanu received two offers this year, but the second was all he needed. Fautanu, who also had an offer from Hawaii, committed to UNLV on Sunday.
One offer was enough for Kamehameha linebacker Akalea Kapono and Radford offensive lineman Darrellson Masaniai, who accepted offers from Navy in the middle of November. The Midshipmen are still in play for Kahuku’s Nalu Emerson and Sitiveni Kafusi of Punahou.
Kapono and Masaniai will join Alema Kapoi, Keoni-Kordell Makekau and Adam Amosa-Tagovailoa at West Point.
Navy is located at Annapolis, not west point…
USC colors are cardinal and gold
Glad all these Hawaii boys are getting exspoure! Hawaii has got it have one of the best talents out there. I wish we could build it around UH, but it’s hard. And I would like to see USC offer Nalu Emerson that kid is a beast!!
I too would like all the kids to stay home and play for UH, but if not, Notre Dame baby!!!!
Notre Dame ☘️☘️
Alohi Gilman is killing it at Safety.
Myron Amosa will kill it again next season when healthy.
Marist Liufau will start with Alohi at the other safety spot next year.
Enokk Vimahi will pick the Irish and play in the NFL soon after.
2020 Alaka’i will join them.
☘️☘️
CRUSADERS FIGHT ON AT USC!
If players choose UNLV over Hawaii, then we have a problem… They don’t have a very good program although Tony Sanchez is trying to change the culture. What they do have is a lot of funding and a brand new NFL stadium in the works. I’m almost certain that IF (Big IF) UH builds better facilities, world-class multipurpose stadium, and extends Rolo’s contract for 5 more years then the program might be able to convince a few more top local recruits to stay home… but until then the UH coaches will just have to get lucky with players like Chevan Cordeiro, Jonah Kahahawai-Welch (turned down offers from Syracuse & Vanderbilt). Chevan stated during National Signing Day that he wanted to make “Hawai’i Great Again”… He probably fell in love with UH football during the Colt Brennan/Bryant Moniz years… If UH has similar type of years (Hopefully McDonald, Cordeiro can revitalize the program) then the next generation of local talent might just reconsider staying home. Just my two cents !
Hawaii has nothing to offer. Granted Rolo is trying to fix what the Chinese Von Appen broke. He’s doing a good job but Hawaii is so far behind. Especially schools who can offer a cost of attendance in the 20k range, which all of the power 5 conferences offer. It’s going to take some work buts it’s hard because Hawaii has fair weather fans. Nebraska can have a 0-10 season and still fill the stadium. Hawaii fans just plain suck. They only like support when the team is winning. Don’t believe me, go to a game and check all the empty seats.
@??? Liufau at safety? He’s probably a step too slow to play safety at that level. Realistically I think ND wants him at the Rover. Alohi came up big this year. Myron would have too if he didn’t get hurt.
If they only realized that if the majority of them stayed home to play we would be top 25 every year. Also, our local boys are being lied to when they are told they have to play at a power 5 school to get NFL to notice them. One need only look at an NFL teams roster to see that they have players from all sorts of colleges. If you’re good the NFL will find you…
The kids have to realize that USC is no longer a powerhouse. They have been downhill since the Pete Carroll fiasco. They no longer get 4 and 5 star recruits. If you want to go to a power PAC 5 school then Washington, Stanford, and Utah are your best choices. Parents should also look at life after football, what school will give you the best opportunities to succeed in the real world.
@babooz What? USC got four 5-star athletes in 2018 and rounded out the class with all but one 4star. 2017 was rough with only one or 2 5 stars. They are loaded with talent. Trust me. I’m all about my Irish.
Babooz the name fits you. USC has a ton of 4-5 star recruits. They just have a shitty head coach. USC still has pull outside of football. A USC degree is worth something in Cali and around the country. Please stop talking out of your ass
i thought for a second that we were tracking the players STL is recruiting from our local communities