Farrington’s Fehoko
makes commitment
to play football at Utah

An offensive guard for the Govs,
he received honors as defensive
tackle at a Utah Ute camp

Whether or not it was a rash decision, Whitley Fehoko is now a verbal commit to the University of Utah football program.

Whitley Fehoko: His parents are still hopeful that he will opt to stay home

Still on the mainland after two camps in Utah, the Farrington senior-to-be made his decision yesterday morning. Fehoko, who won the most valuable player award at the recently-completed All-Polynesian football camp in Utah, is already an NCAA qualifier.

He wowed coaches a week ago at the Utah Ute camp with two sacks and eight tackles, earning honors as a defensive tackle. The 6-foot-1 1/2, 298-pounder played offensive guard last season at Farrington.

"The (Utah) defensive line coach fell in love with him right away," said his mother, Linda.

Two months ago, he bench-pressed 225 pounds 24 times at the Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance combine. That topped the nearest competitor by four reps. At the Utah camps, he improved his time in the 40 to 5.33 and repeated his 24-rep performance on the bench press.

Fehoko's father, Vili, is the unofficial mascot for UH athletics. Both Vili and Linda have told their oldest son that they would like him to stay home.

"We love UH and Dad wants him to stay and play for them. They have a tape of him and the ball's always been in their court first. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't," Linda said. "Whitley knows where Mom and Dad's hearts are. I think he has a special heart for UH."

Until turning pro, former Farrington and UH standout lineman Vince Manuwai worked with Fehoko.

Even with the commit to Utah, Fehoko still intends to take his full menu of visitations after the coming season. UCLA, Colorado, Tennessee, Washington and Ohio have shown the most interest.

"(Frank) Solich said Whitley reminds him of Dominic (Raiola) or Olin (Kreutz)," she said. None of the aforementioned schools has indicated a desire to back off.

"Brian Cabral e-mailed today," Linda said of the Colorado assistant coach. "He said this is only going to make schools like us, UCLA, USC and Tennessee hungrier for him."

Hawaii is certainly in the picture. The Warriors were the first school to receive videotape from the Fehokos and PIAA executive director Doris Sullivan.

Sullivan, who provides assistance to college-bound student-athletes at no charge, has mixed feelings about Fehoko's decision.

"When you commit earlier, it makes things come harder and faster. My opinion is if a student is 100-percent sure about committing to a specific school, they should do it. But if they aren't, they should keep their options open and take their trips."

Fehoko's success at the two recent camps is no fluke.

"He's been prepping for this camp for a year," Linda Fehoko said. "That game they lost to Leilehua by one point, the next Monday, he said, 'My season begins today.' "

Fehoko's daily routine includes lifting and running hills, like the one Tripler Hospital sits on.

"Sometimes the coaches think he's crazy and overdoing it. We just feel for him because he wants it so bad," his mother said. He runs the hill with younger brother Sam, who will be a junior this fall. Sam, at 5-11 1/2 and 189 pounds, plays defensive end for Farrington.

The hill will still be there for Fehoko when he returns from Utah at the end of the week. So will the weekly camp with veteran coach Brian Derby, and weight-room workouts with Governors coach Randall Okimoto in close proximity.

"Brian and Randall have worked hard with Whitley," Linda said. "They're both like fathers to him."

The attention is quite intriguing considering the fact that both Whitney and Sam left Saint Louis School a couple of years ago because of financial constraints.

"Whitley and Sam came back after Vili lost his job. They wanted to help the family out," said Linda, who was admittedly unsure and unfamiliar with Farrington at the time.

"Vili said, 'My good brother Harold Tanaka is here,' so that's what we did," she said of Farrington's athletic director.

"I've fallen in love with Farrington. During his first year (at the school), Whitley came back and said, 'Mom, I'm graduating from Farrington.' We're from Kahuku, and there's a certain feeling of support and intensity. And at Farrington, they have the same concept of appreciating the smaller things," she said. "For Whitley and Sam, it's like their mission to be leaders there."