Distance could be factor with Moala
Last season when Viliami Moala and his Sacramento (Calif.) Grant team played a team in Washington his father couldn't make the trip and it was bothersome to Moala, who said after every tackle he'd look to find his father but realize he wasn't at the game.
That could play a big factor in his recruitment because Moala is now hearing from Alabama, Florida and other national programs but the question remains will he want to travel that far since his family won't be able to watch him every Saturday?
Advertisement
"This year when we went to go play in Washington my father couldn't make it and it really hurt," Moala said. "Every time I got a tackle I'd look in the stands and that seat was always empty. I had to keep going and keep going and keep going so the people who were there could talk to my dad about it.
"It can influence me. Every time I look in the stands that seat is empty. But maybe one day he can come and watch me."
Moala, a 6-foot-2, 326-pound recruit, was one of the best defensive linemen at last weekend's Palo Alto NIKE Camp and he lists offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, USC, Washington and Washington State.
Coaches from Alabama and Florida recently stopped by his school and Moala is expected to get more national offers because he's so talented.
"That's a big program," Moala said of Florida. "Their school offers a lot of development for their d-linemen and I hope I get to go to a school where they can develop me into a great player.
"Alabama showed me the drills that they did and I've been practicing them and they do some of the drills we did out here. I had an upper-hand in some of these drills."
Moala, who attended the Rivals.com Five-Star Academy at Cal and is included on the top 250 watch list, will have a decision to make and that's whether he'll stay local and play in the Pac-10 or venture out and move away from home for college.
Many teams across the country are recruiting Moala - who jokingly goes by the nickname "Tiny" - so where he ends up could be determined by how far he wants to get away from home.
"Every school out there has their advantages," Moala said. "I'm willing to travel the distance. It's going to be bad because my father can't watch me play but I'm willing to go."