Perry picks Oregon State

Advertiser Staff

Kahuku High offensive lineman Jeremy Perry has signed and faxed his letter of intent to play football at Oregon State, Red Raiders coach Siuaki Livai said.

The University of Hawai'i rescinded its scholarship offer to The Advertiser's All-State Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, leaving Perry to decide among offers from Arizona, Michigan State and Oregon State.

Perry, who played center, guard and tackle, was not available for comment yesterday. His decision ends a perplexing chapter in the recruiting battle for the 6-foot-3, 290-pound lineman.

Last week Tuesday, Perry, told reporters he would sign with Arizona. But after a telephone conversation with UH coach June Jones that night, he changed his mind, Perry said at the time.

Last Wednesday, the first day NCAA Division I recruits were permitted to sign national letters of intent, Perry called Jones to say he would sign with the Warriors, his mother, Sherry Perry, said then.

During a signing ceremony at Kahuku High's gym on Wednesday, school officials distributed a news release announcing Perry was committing to UH.

But, following a closed-door meeting, Livai announced that Perry still had not made a decision.

However, during the ensuing ceremony, Perry signed the letter with UH, and later confirmed it to reporters. But by that evening, he had not faxed a copy of the letter of commitment to UH. According to NCAA rules, a commitment becomes binding only when a university receives the letter or a faxed copy.

Sherry Perry had said that Kahuku coaches advised her son to hold off on faxing a copy of the letter until he was sure he was making the correct decision.