The signs we watch often for recruits considering the Cardinal are how much
they value a college education and the type of teammates and students with which
they want to surround themselves. When you see quotes focused on those
"softer" areas of a recruiting decision matrix, Stanford more often than not
wins battles for the prospects who are admitted and have visited. But Ekom Udofia has talked all along about a football program that will allow him to win
at a high level and develop him as a player. The elite Arizona defensive
lineman has the NFL and National Championship rings on his mind, so when
Stanford assistant coaches Dave Tipton and Tom Quinn came into his home Saturday
for a visit, the presentation was heavy on the football side of things.
"The meetings went well," Udofia describes of his day with the pair of
Cardinal defensive coaches. "They showed me film and I got to see schemes
of the defense. I saw where I would be playing and how I would be
utilized."
"Stanford runs a 3-4 defense," the 6'1" 335-pound defensive tackle continues.
"There were saying they want to use my strength and size. I have the
strength to stop the run inside but also the speed to rush the passer."
The Stanford coaches presented to the Scottsdale (Ariz.) standout that they
would start him at least initially as a four-technique in their three-man front,
which lines him up over the offensive tackle.
"I like that spot and how they use it," Udofia comments. "At the nose,
I may not be able to use my pass rushing skills. But I feel like I can
play any position on the defensive line."
One of the big focuses for the Chaparral High School senior throughout this
recruiting process has been not just the position he would play, but also the
position coach who would mold and improve him. Tipton was recently rehired
by Walt Harris and Stanford to the new coaching staff, which makes this the
fifth different regime where the former Thunderchicken and 1971 Rose Bowl
standout has coached at his alma mater. Udofia has been familiar with
Stanford Football and with Tipton for years, dating back to when his older
sister started her college experience as a freshman on The Farm five years ago.
But the All-American recruit was looking to see something from his prospective
position coach in this in-home presentation.
"We have talked a lot before about a lot of things, but we really got down to
football this time," Udofia explains. "I got a real good feel for him.
I like what he does and see better now."
Tipton and Quinn also showcased their defensive acumen on Saturday when the
defensive tackle recruit pulled out his recently compiled highlight film from
his injury-shortened senior season.
"We were just watching my highlight film, and they were commenting right
there on what they saw for the first time," the recruit relates. "They
said I'm remarkably quick and have good speed for my size. They saw how I
would sometimes pop up after a few plays, though. I had an abdominal
strain in the summer that kept me from doing conditioning until just two weeks
before two-a-days. I was never in good condition during the season, so
sometimes I had to rely on my strength because I didn't have the endurance.
The biggest thing for me is to get in good enough shape. I know at
Stanford they like to use a rotation to keep fresh legs, but my goal is to be in
condition where I could play every snap in college."
Cardinal fans have been justifiably pessimistic about their chances at
landing Udofia ever since he made a sudden change and delay in his announcement
plans more than two weeks ago at the U.S. Army All-American Game in San Antonio.
Most logic has said that the timing and conditions were such that Udofia may
have felt a great pull to USC or Miami in that environment, and Stanford's
chances took a dive. Some have speculated that the recruit went home to
Arizona to work on his family toward a non-Stanford decision. Udofia has
been open all along that his parents and siblings favor the Cardinal.
Saturday's in-home visit appears to have been a positive for Stanford.
But was it enough to pull the Cardinal back even or into the lead ahead of the
bicoastal football powerhouses? Udofia isn't saying, and asks us all to
tune in tomorrow when he announces his college decision on ESPNews at 2:50 PM
Arizona (Mountain) time. That is 1:50 PM Pacific time in Palo Alto.
Stanford, USC and Miami are the three final schools he is considering.
"It was a fun process," Udofia says of the extended recruitment he has
enjoyed. "I appreciate all the schools who have shown all the interest in
me. It's going to be a tough decision, but hopefully I will make the right
one."
Udofia says he hopes to have his final college decision made by tonight.
He is not naming any favorite right now, nor does he want to give out any
percentages or odds. He will only share the criteria upon which he is
concentrating in his final hours of introspection.
"The final factors will be how well I get along with the defensive line coach
and how they will use me," he allows. "Also the ability for me to go in
and be a huge impact player. The potential to play for championships and
make a team great. I also have to get a good education at the same time."
Ekom Udofia is ranked by Scout.com as the #65 player in the nation and
the #1 prospect in Arizona this year and has been named already to five
All-American teams by Parade, School Sports, Student Sports,
EA Sports and the U.S. Army. The standout student-athlete is also one of
the five finalists for the prestigious Watkins Award, which is given out each
year to the "Premier African-American Male Scholar Athlete." Stanford has
dominated the award in the past, with an overwhelming number of finalists, as
well as two winners (Chris Lewis and Marcus McCutcheon). This year's
Watkins Award winner will be announced on February 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Tuesday is the big day for Udofia's announcement. Tune in to ESPNews at
4:50 PM Eastern/1:50 PM Pacific to see the elite defensive tackle's college
commitment announced live. And then turn your browser to The Bootleg
for news and reactions to this highly anticipated decision.
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