Update: Air Force high on Nic Tom’s list

Nic Tom is deciding between several schools, including Air Force and Division II Central Washington. Cindy Ellen Russell / Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Nic Tom is deciding between several schools, including Air Force and Division II Central Washington. Cindy Ellen Russell / Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Kaiser multi-purpose player Nic Tom told Hawaii Prep World on Friday that he is waiting to hear back from Hawaii before making a decision between the Warriors and Air Force for his college football career.

Tom said he has an offer from Air Force and is also being recruited by the University of San Diego (Division I FCS) and Central Washington (Division II).

Tom — who is 5 feet 9 and 175 pounds — was part of the Cougars’ Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I playoff teams the past two years and was also a member of the 2013 Division II state title team. He played wide receiver, slotback and defensive back, and as a senior, started as a quarterback and went both ways.


Tom made his official visit to the Air Force Academy campus recently. He tweeted this on Jan. 17: “Thank you to @AFFootball @jake8shakes and @CoachTCalhoun for this incredible visit and hospitality. I had a blast!”

Tom said he will most likely wait until after signing day to make his decision.


In other recruiting news, Punahou quarterback Eprhaim Tuliloa was talking with several Division I FBS coaches recently, according to his father Chris Tuliloa. Hawaii Prep World and Rivals.com previously reported that the 6-2, 228-pound Tuliloa had been offered by UNLV and Colorado, but his father said Thursday that there are no offers at this point.


Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Kelii Montibon, a 6-3-290-pound offensive lineman, has an offer from Army, but said on Thursday that he will not go to the U.S. Military Academy. He will likely play at one of the following colleges that are also recruiting him — Montana State, Delaware State, Central Washington, Eastern Arizona or Arizona Western. None of those five are Division I FBS schools.

Radford slotback Blaise Manabe, who is 5-8 and 150 pounds, has orally committed to Western Oregon, a Division II school, according to the PIAA website.

COMMENTS

  1. Tutu Kane Ale January 29, 2016 12:19 am

    If you want to grow and enjoy what professional military education the Air Force Academy offers then join their Aerospace Team;..you will not regret it and what welcome they gave you is all part of the Air Foce way of life so be part of them;…good luck and best wishes.


  2. Paper Crane January 29, 2016 2:07 am

    That’s right like besides 4 years of higher learning the Air Force Academy will lay it out with free lodging, free meals, free medical and dental, free transportation, state of the art athletic equipments and facilites along with you’ll be furnished with all season clothing and like this is like a bonus whereas the Air Force Academy is funded by the Department of Air Force like one of five military service being funded by the Department of Defense with government funding and so the bottomline is now you give them what you made of and furthermore you need not worry about government funding cuts versus them State Government or private higher
    learning universities financial ceiling;..like one of many jargons we say in the Air Force is, “keep um flying” and for sure you’ll be inspired and definitely energized with motivation.

    Ditto the good luck and best wishes along with god bless you with the power to make a sound decision.


  3. Northshore January 29, 2016 3:32 am

    I agree with Tutu Kane Ale and Paper Crane. You’ll never regret attending the Air force Academy. Just look at the bright side after going to college for four years. What will you attain from UH? A degree. What will you attain from the Air force academy? Discipline, a degree and becoming a commissioned officer and all the benefits of being in the United States Air Force. Go for the gold and take the opportunity and you’ll never regret accepting the once in a lifetime scholarship. Good luck in whatever your choice may be.


  4. RR4L January 29, 2016 11:00 am

    Nick, Western Oregon is a Division II school not a FCS school


  5. SimpleSimon January 29, 2016 11:28 am

    Did I read that right or does Tuliloa really have no offers?


  6. Grammie Tanaka January 29, 2016 11:46 am

    Congratulations Nic – what great opportunities for you. I agree – going “away” to the Air Force Academy will be a wonderful opportunity for you. Colorado Springs is a beautiful city. And what the Air Force has to offer you will be a lifetime of opportunities.
    Give it a shot – try it. You can always come back to Hawaii, as an island boy – that will always be home.
    As for homesick – no worries, got plenty “local” peoples all over Colorado that will help you out.
    Good Luck to you. Blessings and best wishes, let Ke Akua guide you to your decision.


  7. Action Jackson January 29, 2016 11:49 am

    First thing that draws recruits is da “facilities”. Stan Sherriff and Les Murakami are great venues, but da Aloha Stadium is the 20th worst stadium in the nation. Try google any D1 football stadium, Aloha doesn’t compare to anyone. Then you gotta drive half an hour off-campus thru traffic to get to Halawa. Who wants to play for UH football w/ those “peanut” facilities?


  8. Nick Abramo January 29, 2016 12:16 pm

    thanks RR4L, will correct it


  9. fan January 29, 2016 1:22 pm

    Little known fact to for recruits, if you bail a military academy after 2 years, you owe nothing. Check it out and if you find it’s not for you, then come home to UH. Sounds like a good deal.


  10. Paper Crane January 29, 2016 4:39 pm

    He,…he, like there’s no such thing as bailing out of any military academy but there’s is such thing as getting kicked out for performance unbecoming of a cadet whereas for stealing, cheating, fighting or for using substance abuse;…like these cadets are hand picked mostly the top elite scholars among the nation who have achieve high academic and scholastic ratings like everyone wanting become a vital contributor to their respective military service and not many think to go the route of bailing out like the academy is no place to figure out who to get back to UH or Hawaii and there’s this saying for those who live abroad, ” you can take me out of Hawaii Nei, but you can’t take the Hawaii out of my heart”;..so go and make you and yours proud and like you can become one SHAKA officer and not only a pigskin great and you know what,…your islands,..your Hawaii Nei will still be there,..enjoy OK.


  11. Tutu Kane Ale January 29, 2016 11:26 pm

    Nic, just being honest like UH has enough backs and receivers and surely they’ll pass you bye bye; evenso I would take that as a trusted way of telling you that the AF Academy outweighs
    the UH program 24/7 and you’ll find out that the many added opportunities the AF Academy offers only surpasses UH like 50%-60%;..you’ll be only fortunate to be part of an elite military environment that’s lives by the highest of professional (state of the art) military education and I assure you that you will be groom to perform with high military standards 24/7 yet free time you’ll always have to enjoy cause it’s a unique lifestyle for all student cadets; go for it and enjoy.


  12. 808 February 1, 2016 1:18 am

    “Just look at the bright side after going to college for four years. What will you attain from UH? A degree. What will you attain from the Air force academy? Discipline, a degree and becoming a commissioned officer and all the benefits of being in the United States Air Force.”

    He also has the option of becoming a commissioned officer after receiving “A degree” from UH. That being said, hard to pass up an opportunity to go to AFA, especially if UH only offering him a preferred walk on slot.


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