Nevada 2017 OL Poutasi Poutasi Talks Commitment to Louisville Cardinals

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

On Sunday, Louisville reached into Nevada pulling out a member of a long bloodline of next level gridiron talent in Poutasi Poutasi. What the Cardinals are receiving is more than just another talented offensive lineman.

Poutasi (6-4, 305) is cousins with Jeremiah Poutasi, a third round NFL Draft pick by the Tennessee Titans out of Utah, and Sam Poutasi, a Class of 2016 signee with Oregon. All three young men worked their craft coming up through Las Vegas’ Desert Pines High School and Poutasi is the next to carry the torch.

The Cardinals won recruiting battles for Poutasi over early offers from UNLV, Hawaii, Nevada, Weber State, San Diego State, and Colorado State. In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I sat down with the rising talent to get the inside scoop on his commitment to Louisville and get an update on his offseason workouts.

Interview

Poutasi, first, congratulations on committing to Louisville today.

“Thank you.”

What prompted you to commit to the Cardinals today?

“Well, I was planning on committing once they offered me. I like what they have over there and they have one of the biggest criminal justice programs in the country. I have built a great bond with the O-line coach, Coach (Chris) Klenakis, and their head coach, Coach (Bobby) Petrino.”

How did the commitment take place?

“I texted Coach Klenakis and then we talked on the phone for a good minute – he seemed really fired up. That is how it went down.”

Did you get to talk to Coach Petrino after you committed?

“Yes. We messaged each other. He was fired up about my commitment and I’m fired up to be a Cardinal.”

You said both coaches were fired up, did they say anything to you about your commitment?

“Coach Klenakis he was really excited. He sounded really pumped up. Coach Petrino felt the same way, they were both just really happy to see me commit there.”

No matter how much someone loves a school, program, or a staff, committing can always be a scary thing. How did you feel at that moment when you verbally committed? Were you nervous or excited?

“I was excited and nervous but once I set my mind to it was official that I was going to do it.”

What position are they recruiting you to play?

“We haven’t talked about it. Either guard or tackle is okay with me, I’ve played both so-.”

I think Petrino uses a line switch sometimes – play after play where the sides will swap from a strong side to a weak side. Does that excite you?

“I’m okay with that. I’ve played everywhere on the line except center.”

Is there a sense of relief that your recruiting process is essentially over?

“Yeah, sort of. This has been one of the hardest things in my life.”

Do you still plan to take your official visits during your senior season if Louisville is okay with you doing so?

“I will talk to Coach Petrino about it, if they are okay with it then yeah.”

Do you plan on recruiting other players to join you?

“Of course.”

Which players do you have in mind?

“Jalen Graves our defensive end, Marcus Spears (linebacker), and Phillip Tito (defensive end) – they are all great players (Desert Pines). I want them to come with me to Louisville.”

Let’s switch to actual football questions. What are you working on in the offseason to prepare for your senior year?

“I’m working on a lot of stuff. I’m working on my strength and conditioning – a lot of conditioning, it has been brutal. We have been working out non-stop. We are getting bigger, stronger, and faster and smarter. All of this work will help us this season.”

Have you maxed out on any lifts this offseason?

“I have not maxed on squat or dead lit, we do that next week.”

You guys are loaded with talent. How does the team look heading into next season?

“We’re looking really good. We are looking like a real championship team – hopefully.”

Any chance you guys will face Bishop Gorman in the playoffs or otherwise?

“They have not scheduled us. They did not want to play us. They think we are a waste of time. They are Division-I, we are I-A.”

I didn’t know you guys were at different classifications. So you will not meet them in the playoffs then?

“No. A lot of people are saying we are the second best team in Nevada but Gorman refuses to play us.”

You have a bunch of big guys in your family and you are all around a certain age where there might be a lot of roughhousing or wrestling going on at a family gathering. How does the wrestling start and who jumps on who first?

(Laughs) “We are too big for that. When it does happen, we’ll be in the living room and talking to each other. We start singing songs, all of us are sing along to it, and then we end up wrestling.”

Who jumps on who first? Does the younger guys jump on the older guys?

“The little cousin, he starts it off and that starts a chain reaction. We were raised together and are basically brothers.”

Do you guys get together and work on technique?

“We always do when we are together.”

Last question, what are you doing tonight to celebrate your commitment?

“Going to a buffet.”

Poutasi, thanks for your time today. Again, congratulations on your commitment to Louisville.

“Thank you.”

Photo credit: Poutasi family; No. 70 Poutasi receives an award.

Photo credit: Poutasi family; No. 70 Poutasi Poutasi runs off the field.