Cochran flashing poker face

Atwater (Calif.) Buhach Colony offensive tackle Aaron Cochran took his official visit to Nebraska on Oct. 26. By now, his impressions are weeks old. He's already spent time raving about Bo Pelini's program and what he saw in Lincoln. His opinions have been noted and the high points have been discussed. The time for that is over.

Fifteen days later, his review is much simpler. What does the three-star prospect remember most about his trip to Lincoln?

"I remember that I ate," Cochran said. "The one thing I did there the most was eat. I toured the facilites and went to the game. I got to know the players, too. I ate dinner with coaches. It was great. There was a lot of eating."

The honesty is striking, even if the insight isn't. Then, that's probably by design. With his look at Nebraska firmly in the past, Cochran now has Big 12 football on the brain. He's currently on the campus of Oklahoma for an official visit that will see him take in the Sooners' game against Baylor. Before his trip, Cochran was intrigued by idea of OU.

"I like the tradition of winning that they have," he said. "I like that they are one of the top teams in the Big 12."

Upon his return from Norman, Cochran will turn his attention toward Tucson. The 320-pound lineman has a trip to Arizona tentatively set for a to-be-determined weekend in December but is still working to nail down a precise date. After that, the schedule opens up a bit.

Still, the presence of a sleeping giant looms.

Cochran has spent his share of time on the campus of California, where his brother currently plays. He'll tell you his family tie to the Golden Bears means nothing in the scope of his recruitment, but some believe the familiarity at work has Cal near the top of his list. Cochran, of course, disputes any such claim.

"I don't have a favorite," he said. "It's equal between all the schools I'm visiting. I really don't know."

Even if there were an established favorite, Cochran wouldn't share it. He admits that freely. He'll announce his choice on his own terms at the Jan. 4 Semper Fi All-American game, a similar event to the one that served as the backdrop for his older brother's commitment to Cal a year ago.

Until then, he intends to preserve the mystery.

"I was hoping I would have made a decision by now," Cochran said. "I was going to make one earlier, but I was going to wait to announce it until the All-American game anyway. I'll announce there."