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| Buena (Ventura) linebacker Dru Mathis received a campus tour of San Diego State courtesy of his older brother and current Aztec defensive back Kendrick during the weekend of Jan. 30 and now, the younger Mathis will join his brother after committing to the Mountain West champs (photo by Lorenzo Reyna). |
Buena
(Ventura) linebacker Dru Mathis had a familiar face hosting him during his
official recruiting visit to San Diego State: Aztec defensive back and older
brother Kendrick.
Now, the
Mathis brothers will unite in the 619, as the younger Mathis ended his
recruiting process and committed to the defending Mountain West champions on Sunday.
The
6-foot-3, 215-pound Mathis said his brother had an influence on his college
decision.
“Kendrick
being on the team played a role for me to go there. It's crazy to say we are
going to play together,” Mathis said.
Kendrick –
who starred at Buena High and graduated in 2012 – will be a fifth-year senior
once his sibling joins the Aztecs.
Like his
older brother, the Class of 2016 defender Dru Mathis earned a 3-star ranking by
the national scouting outlets, but earned his accolades by thrashing the line
of scrimmage against offenses. Regardless if he was lined up in a two-point
stance or a three, Mathis emerged as the Bulldogs’ top pass rusher and run
stuffer.
Mathis was
on a lot of Mountain West teams’ recruiting board; with the likes of Fresno
State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Jose State and Nevada all trying to court him.
NEW SOUTH
DAKOTA COACHING STAFF SELLS CAMARILLO STAR
Before he
took his official visit to the University of South Dakota during the weekend of
Jan. 30, Camarillo left tackle Sean Chisholm was mostly seen as a wanted
prospect for the NCAA Division II and NAIA level - as schools from those two realms extended scholarship opportunities to him.
But the new
Coyote coaching staff thought otherwise, as the Football Championship
Subdivision program not only offered the big 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman, but received a verbal commitment from him on Sunday.
Chisholm
said he likes the vision in place at SDU.
“The
commitment to improvement that the school is giving toward the football program
on and off the field - from the new weight room going in over the summer and a
new locker room (was what sold me),” Chisholm said.
The Coyotes
hired Bob Nielson on Dec. 15, 2015 to improve a team that went 5-6 overall last
season. Nielson and his staff were another deciding factor for Chisholm.
“It may be a
new coaching staff for the school, but if you do a little research they went
and hired a very experienced head coach with a great surrounding staff that
have a great mix of professionalism,” Chisholm said.
Chisholm was
the powerful blindside protector for record-breaking Scorpion
quarterback Jake Constantine, who committed to Boise State on Jan. 23. He also
cleared running lanes for running back and 1,000-yard rusher Isaiah Otis, who pledged
to DII Wayne State on Saturday.
And they
shined on a 15-1 team that didn’t generate much interest from colleges during
the season, until now.
“Playing at
Camarillo is what I truly feel made me into a football player,” Chisholm said. “There
was very few selfish moments on our team and in the four years I've been here,
there wasn't a single person on our team who didn't put the team before them –
and that is what helps shape a player’s value.”
HUMBOLDT
STATE GOES TO FRESNO POWERHOUSE FOR MORE TALENT
Humboldt
State’s 559 pipeline continued on Sunday, as the Lumberjacks added Bullard
(Fresno) defensive back Nick Cole and athlete C-Jay Smith on Sunday.
Last year
around this time, HSU lured in Edison High’s Khai Williams, Ju’Wan Murphy and
Vance Sams to Eureka. Now, Cole and Smith become the latest from Fresno to verbally
join the NCAA Division II powerhouse.
“Going to
Humboldt on my official visit felt like I never even left home. I clicked with
the team very fast and they made me feel welcome,” Smith said. “The coaches at
Humboldt were amazing. They talked to me like they already knew me. I'm glad I
picked Humboldt as a college I want attend for the next four to five years.”
Added Cole: “Overall,
it was just an awesome campy scenery. The people are all welcoming and in one
night it felt like home to me.”
The senior duo
helped lead the Knights defense by swatting passes and forcing fumbles. Both
combined for 10 pass deflections for the 9-3 Knights in 2015-16.
They’re now
the fourth Bullard players to make a verbal pledge to a four-year university
this season. Running back Charles Williams (UNLV) and center Connor Vikupitz
(Air Force) are also heading to the collegiate level. Cole spoke
highly of the Knights’ 2016 class.
“Without a
doubt our senior class was really special with our leadership and we are all like
brothers,” Cole said.
The
recruiting process was a long and grueling one for the Knight players, with an
offer finally coming to them at the 11th hour of the 2016 session.
But now, Cole and Smith can breathe a sigh of relief and thank the people who
stuck with them.
Cole: “To be
committed is great. It's just so stressful going through it but to all the young
players, don't get frustrated. It's all well worth it.
“I would
like to thank God. He blessed me and also thank coach (Don) Arax and the entire
staff, especially coach (Yosef) Fares who is like a father figure to me,” Cole
continued. “Also, I would like to thank The Brandt family. Phillip Brandt Sr.,
who is like my second dad and has done a lot for me, always tells me to ‘Keep
my head on straight.’ I thank Rachel Brandt, my second mother. She's just a
great lady and can't forget Phil Brandt Jr., who is my trainer and trains a lot
of athletes in Fresno.”
Smith: “I
would like to thank everyone who supported me in the long run: God for the
possibilities he's given me because if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be in this
situation and my coaching staff at Bullard for pushing me every day in the
weight room and on the field just to make me the athlete I am today.”
LEMOORE
ATHLETE HEADING TO DIVISION II POWER
Azusa
Pacific University may have been late to the party with offering Lemoore
athlete Jerald Campbell, but the Cougars still won over the explosive Tiger, as the senior committed to APU on Saturday.
Campbell
held a reported 12 scholarship offers – 11 of them coming from the DII, DIII
and NAIA field.
“Some things
that convinced me that APU was the right fit was that it's close to home, the
great education and (playing for) an amazing football program,” Campbell said.
Campbell –
who caught passes, returned kicks and covered wide receivers for the Central
Section Division II title game runner-up – said the APU coaches were honest and
approachable with him.
“The coaches
were very straight forward with me; telling me about the school and the football
program. They would contact me weekly by checking up on me and seeing how they
could get me to commit to APU,” Campbell said. “They plan on playing me on the
defensive side of the ball and on special teams. It's an amazing feeling being
able to commit to such an amazing school. I'm blessed with the opportunity to
continue playing the game I love.”
