They say when a coach is recruiting, he first must sell the parents.

Other times, the parents dont really get in on the action.

A case in point is Utah defensive lineman Moana Ofahengaue, from Westlake High in Saratoga Springs. Ofahengaue is 6-foot-3, 235 pounds and a true freshman. One of the best things about him is gaining 30 pounds in the last year.

But how he ended up at Utah was a surprise to his parents. His father, Tevita Ofahengaue, played at BYU in the late 1990s and early 2000s and was drafted in 2001. The elder Ofahengaue was also a recruiting staffer for the Utes in Kyle Whittinghams first season as Utahs head coach.

But Tevita was saying this week that it was funny because when [Moana] committed I was shocked, because he wanted to go on with his life. I was pushing other schools. Michigan was one I heavily pushed; Arizona was another. Florida State was another I was pushing.

Ofahengaue said he didnt know his son wanted to stay close to home until it happened.

He said, Coach Whit, I want to commit today, said Tevita. I was like, What? Coach Whit? If [Moana] had told me this, I wouldnt have even talked about the other schools.

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.