Interview: 2018 CB/ATH Chigozie Anusiem Gives Insight on Cal Commitment
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
The last weekend in July turned out to be a flurry of activity for Cal’s 2018 recruiting class. The haul was bumped to 12 verbal commits with offensive lineman Miles Owens, linebacker Evan Tattersall, and offensive lineman Will Craig getting the party going. The fiesta was capped off adding standout athlete and cornerback Chigozie Anusiem to the mix with his announcement on Sunday.
Anusiem was all over the field during his junior year pulling in 21 passes for 546 yards with six scores and put an end to 45 plays while breaking up nine passes. The Sonora High School (La Habra, CA) star was also a whiz on special teams making the difficult task of returning punts and kicks look easy. When all was said-and-done, Anusiem earned second team All-League honors at receiver and was team Offensive Player of the Year and Team Defensive Back MVP for the 2016 campaign. At last count, Anusiem had worked his way to 13 offers with his play on the field shuffling past Notre Dame, UCLA, Army, Nevada, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Hawaii, Montana, UNLV, Wyoming, Arizona, and Washington State finding his way to Cal.
After Anusiem’s commitment to Cal, I sat down for a quick one-on-one finding out how his off-season workouts with E.A.T. have gone, got a sneak peak at his La Habra squad’s 2017 season, and gained insight on how the Golden Bears won him over.
Interview
Chigozie, congrats on your commitment to Cal.
“Thank you.”
Before we get into that, how have your off-season workouts gone?
“Really well. I’ve been working with Coach Byrd (E.A.T.) this off-season. I’ve been working on my transition in and out of breaks. My workouts have been good and very productive.”
Did you go to any college camps this summer?
“I went to two; USC and UCLA.”
Which was your best?
“UCLA.”
What did you do well there to make it your best?
“USC was crowded, I did not get a lot of reps there. UCLA was a lot of one-on-one drills and time with the coaches. I did better during the one-on-ones at UCLA.”
Did you take any unofficial visits this summer?
“My only unofficial this summer was to Cal.”
What all did you do on the visit to Cal?
“They showed me the facilities and the campus. I talked with Coach (Justin) Wilcox (head coach). We talked about academics and about football. He talked to me about what they are looking to do with the program at Cal.”
You announced your commitment on Sunday (July 30). But when did you notify Cal you were committing?
“I told them on Saturday during my visit.”
What influenced you to commit when you did?
“Really, they were with me throughout the recruiting process. Coach GA (Gerald Alexander – defensive backs) and I have a great relationship. A degree from Cal, and playing Pac-12 football as well, were big factors in my decision.”
How did you commit to the coaches at Cal?
“It was as I was leaving the facility. I was taking a picture by the Cal sign when I told Coach GA I was committed.”
This sounds very spur of the moment. Did you catch Coach GA off-guard?
“Yes. He was excited. He and Coach Cory (Castro – conditioning coach) were both very happy. They welcomed me to the family. It was a good moment.”
How did you feel at that moment when you verbally committed?
“At first I was nervous. Committing is a big thing. I looked at my mom, and she knew. She gave me the go ahead. Then the excitement of the moment came.”
Is there a sense of relief, that to some extent, your recruiting process is over?
“Yeah! A big sense of relief. Now I can focus on my season and my training.”
Have you set an official visit date yet with Cal?
“No, I haven’t set an official visit date yet.”
Do you plan on recruiting other players to join you?
“Yeah. I am hoping to get a couple of more.”
How are you going to pitch the other players to join you?
“I’ll tell them about the tradition at Cal. You get to play great Pac-12 football with a second-to-none education. Cal has a family feel. There are no clicks. They are all one.”
Since you are skilled at several positions, I have to ask. Which position are they recruiting you to play?
“Corner.”
Nice. Let’s look ahead to the 2017 season. How does Sonora look?
“We look better than last season. We are all bought in. The seniors last year were not on the same page with the coach. We had a new coach that wanted to do things his way and the seniors were used to something different. Now, everyone is on board.”
Where all will you play on field this year?
“This year I will be at kick and punt return, receiver, and corner. I will do everything I can.”
What has you excited about the year?
“I’m excited because of the work that I have put in this off-season. I want to see it pay off. Plus, it is my senior year. I want to go out with a bang.”
Are there any teams you are excited to play this year?
“Our rival La Habra, Buena Park, and Brea (Olinda).”
Chigozie, congrats, again, on your commitment to Cal and good luck with your senior season.
“Thank you.”
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Photo credit: Anusiem family; Chigozie Anusiem at Cal with Coach GA (July 2017)
Photo credit: Anusiem family; Chigozie Anusiem and family at Cal (July 2017)