SoCal OL ready for first visit

Three-star offensive tackle Michael Criste (6-5, 280, 5.1) from Mission Viejo, Calif., has had a dominating presence for one of the most dominating teams in Southern California this fall. Mission Viejo has been making it look easy and is sitting with a perfect 6-0 record.

"Everything is pretty good," Criste said. "We are undefeated still, we beat Capistrano last week.

"We had a few mistakes, but nothing we can't and haven't already fixed," Criste said. "This week we have Tesoro.

"Over the past few years we've lost to them (Tesoro), kind of making this more of a rivalry game," Criste said. "We try not to focus too much emotionally (on a revenge factor), but just focus on what we need to do to go out and win.

"I've played pretty well," Criste said. "I've been grading pretty high, usually in around 80 percent. Every week there are just some little things that I need to work on, nothing big really."

Christe hasn't let his or his team's success go to his head, because he knows that college coaches are watching so he focuses on being the best football player he can be, down after down.

"I'm just going from game to game, trying to get better and trying to get ready for each team," Criste said. "My coach tells me all the time that there's going to be (D-I) coaches watching and you never know when, so I just try to do the best that I can. I'm basically trying to focus on the season right now and just see happens."

Though Christe has one offer on the table from Washington, things are heating up for him as he is hearing from Notre Dame, UNLV, Arizona, Arizona State and Nebraska.

Christe will be taking his first official visit this weekend.

"I'm actually going up to Washington this weekend to visit," Criste said. "I've been to Seattle to watch my brother (he's a swimmer), but I've never actually been to the school up there. I know about the weather and it's just what I like. Not too hot, but not too cold.

"I've talked to coach Nick Holt and head coach Steve Sarkisian," Criste said. "I've been watching their games and I can see their program headed in the right direction and it's a great start to where they want to be.

"If I have a lot of fun up there," Criste said. "Then I might be more partial to Washington, but as long as others schools are interested in me, I will be interested in them.

"I haven't set anything else up," Criste said. "I'm really more focused on taking care of business right now and with the season at hand, but I do plan on setting more things up as time goes on.

"I've been talking more to Notre Dame, Arizona State and UNLV," Criste said. "USC, I think they called yesterday.

"I made a connection with coach USC offensive line coach Pat Ruel, but lately I've been talking to (USC assistant) coach Brian Schneider," Criste said. "I've recently talked to coach Brian Polian from Notre Dame, and then also coach Jed Stugart from UNLV."