Oku's visit good news for Tennessee

The David Oku roller coaster has hit a new spin. And that's good news for Tennessee.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound tailback from Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla., all but called UT his leader following his official visit this weekend.

"I've still got to take some other visits," said Oku, who will travel to Nebraska and Michigan in the next two weeks. "I don't want to say they (the Vols) are (the leader) but it would take a lot for another school to top what I've seen here so far."

That's quite a turnaround. Oku told the News Sentinel he was only marginally considering UT little more than a week ago.

"They've always been up there," Oku said of the Vols. "I've just been giving people some thoughts with some false information.

"That was just to give people a different thought, I guess."

Oku was so fond of his official visit this weekend that he'll return for the Alabama game in October. With any luck, he'll have the same Vol hostess.

"I have a lovely hostess who's showing me everything," Oku said when asked of the trip's highlights. "She's been lovely and I appreciate her.

"If I wasn't with her, it probably wouldn't be as fun as it is."

That wasn't the only draw to Knoxville.

"It just feels good," he said. "The coaches don't ever talk to you about committing. They just talk to you about what's going on."

Oku represents quite a recruiting coup for the Vols. With his pledge, UT would have two commitments from elite tailbacks for the 2009 class.

Both Oku and Jarvis Giles from Gaither High School in Tampa, Fla. are among the top 100 prospects in the nation.

"Evidently," Oku said, "Tennessee is doing their job."

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!