Fehoko has a leader
V.J. Fehoko is off to an exceptional start to his senior season, and the Honolulu (Hawaii) Farrington linebacker is starting to figure things out in his recruiting process as well.
The nation's No. 7 inside linebacker according to Rivals.com named his favorite at this point and has already planned his first official visit.
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After narrowing his list of 13 offers down to five last month, Fehoko said Texas Tech is his top school right now.
"I'm really liking Texas Tech, and they've been contacting me the most," he said. "If there's any college out there that wants me the most, it's probably Texas Tech."
Fehoko's brother, Sam, is a sophomore linebacker for the Red Raiders and collected three tackles in Tech's 38-13 win over North Dakota on Saturday.
Though his brother will factor into his decision, Fehoko said his strong bond with Tech's coaches and their overwhelming interest in him are the biggest reason why they're on the lead.
Fehoko hears from head coach Mike Leach, defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeal and his primary recruiter, Brian Mitchell, each time he talks with the school.
"Coach McNeal has been loving me up, and Mike Leach is a real down-to-earth guy," Fehoko said. "He's a real funny guy. Coach Leach is not all work. He talks to you about life and what it means to play at Texas Tech, and the things beyond football.
"You don't hear that from a lot of college coaches today, and that's what Texas Tech brings to the table that no other school has yet," he said.
Leach and his staff have told Fehoko they want him to redshirt and start four years for them, and they've made a strong guarantee - he's the only inside linebacker they're offering for their 2010 class.
"That says a lot to me, and I appreciate that," he said. "That really says they have a lot of faith in me."
Fehoko said he plans to take his official visit to Lubbock on Nov. 20 when the Red Raiders face Oklahoma. He intends to take the rest of his official visits following his football season.
Utah and Hawaii have emerged as the top schools behind Texas Tech for Fehoko due to their strong interest and willingness to come watch him play.
"Utah and Hawaii are coming real hard," he said. "Hawaii has been to all of my games. For coach Greg McMackin to show up and watch my games, that means a lot. Utah's coming down in a week or two, and other schools haven't done that yet."
In his first three games of the season, Fehoko has collected 22 tackles and 12 sacks with four forced fumbles for the 3-0 Governors.
"I've had two consecutive games with five sacks, so everything is going good for me right now," he said.
Fehoko registered 86 tackles and 20 sacks as junior and said the work he put in over the summer has paid off this fall.
"I'm much faster and stronger," he said. "Last year I worked more off natural talent, and this season has been more off my offseason work. That's been the difference this year."
Though Fehoko already has the offers he work hard for last year, he said he still has plenty of motivation to work his this season and continue to prove himself.
"It's more for my reputation," he said. "I'm playing for myself and to show why I belong as one of the top linebackers in the nation."
Fehoko admitted there's a chance he could commit to Texas Tech during his visit, but he'll most likely wait until Jan. 2 and declare his choice at the Under Armour All-American Game in Orlando.
"I want to make it known on the day of the Under Armour Game," he said. "I kind of wanted to pick a hat and do something different for my brothers, so I'll probably make a decision there on national TV."