Kahuku's Mapu accepts scholarship from Tennessee
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
KAHUKU — After keeping part of the college football world and Hawai'i fans in sleepless suspense, Jonathan Mapu showed up at Kahuku High School yesterday morning wearing his heart on his sleeve.
Donning a Tennessee Volunteers T-shirt and baseball cap, Mapu announced his surprising decision to attend the Knoxville, Tenn., university. He said he made up his mind at about 8 Monday night after "praying and fasting" with his family, then called Tennessee coaches yesterday to accept their scholarship offer. The first day he can sign a letter of intent is Feb. 6.
Kahuku's Jonathan Mapu has accepted a scholarship from Tennesse to play football. He believed to be the first Hawai'i prospect in recent memory to commit to the Volunteers.
"I did a lot of thinking about every college," said Mapu, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive end who is ranked No. 1 by The Advertiser among the state's top prospects. "I just felt very good about Tennessee ... and made the choice."
The selection was a surprise to many observers, if only because Mapu is believed to be the first Hawai'i prospect in recent memory to commit to the Volunteers. He said he narrowed his final options to Tennessee, Washington and Brigham Young. Mapu made an official visit to the University of Hawai'i this past weekend, but said the Warriors were "not really" in the final equation.
In the end, Mapu's rural roots proved strong. He visited Knoxville the weekend of Jan. 18-20 and came away impressed.
"I liked it 'cuz it was country," Mapu said. "Knoxville is like a small town; there's not plenty buildings like a big city. It reminded me of home."
The South also may not be as foreign to Mapu as one might think. His father, Simi, was a military dependent who spent part of his childhood in Louisiana.
And while Tennessee's presence here was unexpected to many, it's not the first time the Volunteers have fished in unfamiliar waters and come away with a region's prize catch. Last year, USA Today All-America linebacker Kevin Simon of national champion De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) shocked the Bay Area by choosing Tennessee over Miami, Florida State and UCLA. Like Mapu, Simon was believed to be the first star from his nationally renowned program to commit to the Volunteers.
"I know Tennessee goes after the best athletes ... If Tennessee came all the way out here (to recruit Mapu), he must be a good player," said senior defensive lineman Bernard Jackson, who is here for Saturday's Hula Bowl Maui game.
Mapu is a heralded recruit not just in Hawai'i, but across the nation. Rivals.com, a popular Web site for national recruiting, ranked him No. 33 among its top 100 prospects. Mapu is Hawai'i's first Parade All-American in three years, and he was named second-team All-America by Student Sports, Inc., a national magazine and Web site.
Mapu was a dominant force on a Kahuku defense that allowed only 10.3 points per game. He was named The Advertiser's state defensive Player of the Year.
Among The Advertiser's top 17 prospects, the only one who remains undecided is Kahuku running back Mulivai Pula (No. 6). Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said Pula, The Advertiser's state Co-Offensive Player of the Year, has an offer on the table from Utah but still was awaiting home visits from UH and BYU coaches.
