Oregon is in the game for the services of Roosevelt’s Kaeo Akana.
The Ducks made a scholarship offer to the junior defensive end on Tuesday. Oregon is the eighth offer on the list for Akana, who is 6 feet, 3.5 inches tall and 205 pounds.
“Oregon is a different offer. It’s always been a dream school ever since we were little. We always were watching them when Marcus (Mariota) was playing there,” Akana said. “The coaches are really nice and really helpful. Really cool.”
Oregon is the sixth Pac-12 Conference program to make an offer to Akana. Assistant coach Joe Salavea and Akana communicated on Twitter.
“It was, like, two weeks ago. He said, ‘What’s up, Kaeo?’ I said, ‘What’s up, Coach?’ I didn’t know they were going to offer. They had a Zoom meeting with me and my parents (today) at 12:20 (p.m.),” Akana said.
The head coach, Mario Cristobal, and a few other assistant coaches were on the call. Oregon is noteworthy, of course, for having perhaps the finest football facility in the country. It’s nice, but Akana doesn’t consider that a major factor.
“It doesn’t matter. I will be there, wherever I go, to play football,” Akana said.
California and Oregon State has been in contact with Akana via text recently.
“It’s a lot, a lot of texting to do,” he said.
Akana and his Trench Dawgz crew ran their daily run at 6:45 a.m. in Pauoa. There will be a bench-press session later in the afternoon.
Offers: 8
Hawaii 4/16/20
Utah 4/24/20
Washington State 5/6/20
UNLV 8/21/20
Colorado 9/1/20
UCLA 9/1/20
Arizona 9/10/20
Oregon 9/15/20
Okay Paul Honda we get it. Is there not other stories you can cover than writing one every time a kid gets offered. Just write a story when he commits. Is someone calling you all the time to tell you when he gets offered or are you finding out on your own? Please find something more interesting to write about….
Oregon offering any Hawaii student-athlete is news. Period.
Or is it so common to you that it’s boring?
I’m going to keep reporting on all the offers our local athletes receive in every sport. If I miss any, please let me know. When I miss something, I usually see it on social media. Once in awhile I hear about it from friends. But it’s news, and better yet, it’s good news.
Sad day when any old timer is bored by good news. Himakamaka, we used to call it back in the day. Back then, it was rare for any local kid to get an offer from a major conference. Our kids were under-recruited. Severely under-recruited.
Now your suggestion is to under-report? Riiight…
Oregon offering any Hawaii student-athlete is news. Period.
– You did several stories before Oregon offered so I guess every school is news worthy. Period.
Or is it so common to you that it’s boring?
I’m going to keep reporting on all the offers our local athletes receive in every sport. If I miss any, please let me know. When I miss something, I usually see it on social media. Once in awhile I hear about it from friends. But it’s news, and better yet, it’s good news.
– Good, no problem with that. But, how about you make a list and do a weekly story or chart of athletes and which offers they received. Do a weekly update instead of an individual story every single time.
Sad day when any old timer is bored by good news. Himakamaka, we used to call it back in the day. Back then, it was rare for any local kid to get an offer from a major conference. Our kids were under-recruited. Severely under-recruited.
-Don’t try and flip it and say I’m knocking exposure for island kids. Good for them I say! Why don’t you write a story about why kids are severely under-recruited (besides just living on a rock) and what resources or advice can be offered for all parents.
Now your suggestion is to under-report? Riiight…
-Weekly updates would be fine. How about you write an in-depth story about why parents hold their kids back for sports? Or maybe do a weekly profile on a high school coach?
Sports is an important part of every community. If the bulk of your reporting revolves around every time a student is being offered then YOU are under-reporting. It seems like you are getting the bulk of your information from social media and that is why your stories focus around people posting. Riiight…. Pretty lazy if you ask me. But you do you. I ain’t returning to this site.
not trying to get in the middle of your guys beef but it’s high makamaka. being bored by news doesn’t fit the definition. would be more like if someone thought they were too good to even read the news. ok carry on.
First, thank you for the dialogue. Second, you’ve posted under multiple user names: READ, Spring Baseball, Bball, What the pitch, For real this time and now, Goodbye.
There’s always something beneath the surface, I’ve found since the years I monitored the RSN and HSN message boards two decades ago, with people who keep changing online names. I’m glad you said your piece and left. If you had stayed, that would’ve fine, too.
1. We have a list of all the football scholarship offers that gets updated with each new one. Billy Hull started it several years ago and it still gets updated on our football page.
2. A weekly update of offers is what we once did, on Sundays, for the print edition. However, having the immediacy and space of the internet lends itself to posts about individual student-athletes. Unlike you, most readers appreciate a story about an individual student-athlete who has worked hard in the classroom and athletics. Grouping them together, really, is what is less timely.
3. You claim that you’re not knocking our local kids, but if reading about them on the day they receive a scholarship offer is beneath you, then don’t read the story about the student-athlete.
4. You misread what I wrote. I noted that there was a time when Hawaii student-athletes were severely under-recruited. Not so much now. From the Hawaii Sandlot Classic to summer travel to football camps and combines and many other opportunities, athletes and their families are proactively gaining more connection with college coaches. You knock social media, but that is a living, breathing entity in today’s world. Judging from your AOL email address, you may not be aware of this.
5. We have written about myriad topics, and there is always a chance to reset and update. I’m always open to new and old ideas. I’ve written about student-athletes who repeat a grade before, and it would be worth revisiting. Coach profiles would be good, too. Nick Abramo wrote dozens of great football coach features last summer. Please check those out.
6. I’ve written my share over the last 30 years, and with no games to report on, there is definitely a different atmosphere to work in. We will continue to cover the amazing student-athletes of our state. Your input over the past two months has been quite crusty, to say the least. Your bias against football players and the interviews we do with them is obvious, but you’ve been critical of at least two baseball coaches, one baseball player and, of course, this high school sports site.
Your inner Oscar the Grouch has been on display here. We will continue to feature our outstanding student-athletes. You will go on and bring your misery wherever you go. I hope you find love, brother, because where there is love, there is also joy. And man, you could use a little.
PH keep doing your thing.
I may be a FB fan, but it’s always great to hear about these great opportunities being offered to our local kids (in any sport) who are putting in the “hard work” 24/7.
It also motivates the younger ones coming up.
PEACE & everyone keep healthy.
Great job Paul Honda. Keep it going.
Mahalo, TD!
Mahalo, To da hale! The huge number of student-athletes working their tails off every day since the pandemic began is INSPIRING.