Benoit could be a Duck before weeks end
Kani Benoit is already on verbal commitment No. 2. The first one, a pledge to Colorado State, lasted a little more than a day. Now, his name shows on UNLV's commitment list. Maybe not for long, though.
This, after all, is the season of change. Benoit is set to visit Oregon over the weekend. And, at this point, he's done keeping secrets. If a verbal offer shows up as expected during the trip, the Phoenix (Ariz.) Thunderbird running back won't have to do much thinking on the matter.
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"I'll definitely take it and commit," he said on Thursday. "They say they don't like players to commit until they see the school."
So that's that, right? As of now, the whole thing feels like a formality. Should his second change of heart actually take place over the weekend, though, it will be because of the Ducks' late involvement.
This twist isn't one Benoit could have planned.
"I wasn't expecting this to happen at all" Benoit said of his official visit to Eugene and what he feels is an impending scholarship offer. "The coaches there have been honest with me throughout the process. They told me what the situation was every time.
"They had a guy they are pretty sure isn't going to go there. The coaches told me that when Kelly was there, it was 'if he liked you, he liked you. If he didn't, he didn't.' The head coach now really liked me then, so when they had the chance to bring me in, they did."
Ducks assistants Scott Frost and Gary Campbell are heading Benoit's Oregon recruitment up. The 6-foot, 200-pound prospect back claims nine scholarship offers in total.
As a senior at Thunderbird, Benoit ran for 2,260 yards and 36 touchdowns.