State’s top prep player
picks UtahPunahou’s Tafiti Uso turns down offers from
By Pat Bigold
Hawaii, Oregon State and Kentucky
Star-BulletinTafiti Uso, the record-breaking 1996 all-state offensive player of the year, said last night he has made a verbal commitment to the University of Utah. The 6-foot-1, 178-pound Punahou receiver made his decision yesterday after returning from a weekend visit to the Stanford University campus. He joins two-time all-state selection, St Louis defensive back Wes Tufaga, who earlier announced his decision to play at Utah
Uso, regarded as one of Hawaii's fastest prep players with soft hands and a high vertical leap, turned down scholarship offers from Hawaii, Oregon State and Kentucky.
Stanford also showed interest in Uso but he found himself "on the bubble" in the scholarship picture. He'd been academically accepted at the school.
Discussions with Utes head coach Ron McBride and assistant coach Tommy Lee, who both visited the Uso home last Wednesday, convinced him he had a chance to become a vital cog in the Utah offense.
Uso said he is excited about joining former teammate, Donny Utu, in the Utes' receiving corps.
The two have more in common than just Punahou. They both set single-season state receiving records. Last season, Uso broke Utu's 1994 record of 1,029 yards with 1,125 yards.
Uso led the Interscholastic League of Honolulu in receiving yardage for two years in a row.
He made 57 catches and scored on 13 of them in 1996. Uso also returned one kick for a touchdown and rushed for another.
Uso said one of his goals in college is to prove the value of Hawaii-bred receivers. "We're not taken that seriously on the mainland, but I think that Donny and I can display to the nation that Hawaii players can play," he said.
Uso, who expects to redshirt, will join two other former St. Louis standouts at Utah. Fullback Chris Fuamatu-Maafala already has established himself as one of the Western Athletic Conference's formidable ball carriers. Quarterback Darnell Arceneaux will be battling for the starting job.
Uso made a commitment to improve his speed on the field last season by working with Punahou track coach Dacre Bowen. His 40-yard time is now down to 4.46 seconds and he plans to compete in the 100- and 200-meter dashes during the upcoming ILH track season.
Besides Uso and Tufaga, three other local players have verbally commited to mainland schools: St. Louis offensive lineman Dominic Raiola tipped his hat to Nebraska; Punahou offensive lineman Mike Souza said he'll go to Northwestern; and Kahuku offensive lineman Matt Parkhurst committed to UNLV.
