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PROVO -- It's been more than three months since Texas receiver Ross Apo joined star quarterback Jake Heaps for a press conference in Salt Lake City. It was at that press conference when the pair announced they would play for BYU, becoming a part of what may be the best recruiting class in BYU history.
Apo, who was once committed to play at Texas, decommitted and also turned down scholarship offers from Oklahoma State, Missouri and Nebraska for the chance to play with Heaps in Provo. Now finishing his senior year at the Oakridge School in Arlington, Texas, Ross can't wait to be a Cougar.
"I'm leaving in December so I'm very excited," he said. "I'm trying to get this over with so I can head up there."
Ross isn't coming to Provo alone. Two of his teammates at Oakridge have committed to play at BYU and will join him in the class of 2010.
Teu Kautai is a 6 feet, 1 inch, 200 lb. LB/RB and a lifelong BYU fan. Playing for the Cougars is a dream come true.
"I'm really excited. I want to go there right now," Kautai said. "I committed as soon as I got an offer. I've been wanting to go to BYU ever since I was little. And I got Terry to go there. And we're all just getting ready to go to BYU."
Terry is a 6 feet, 6 inches tall, 270 pound lineman.
Teo Fabaluje didn't know much about BYU until Ross and Teu invited him to go to BYU's junior day. During that brief trip to Provo for the camp, Terry fell in love with BYU. And the coaches were so impressed they offered him a scholarship.
"Before I got there, he (Bronco Mendenhall) didn't know anything about me, but he said usually not knowing people, he doesn't give scholarships. But he said there was something special about the interview; and he said he just wanted to offer me a scholarship, and I committed." said Fabuluje.
"It was just too amazing to skip. I've been other places and no place was like that. I had to commit. It was out of the blue, I tell you that. I didn't have any intentions of going to BYU, but when I went there, I was glad I did," he said.
Their high school coach Phillip Farhat had nothing but praise for the future Cougars.
"They're all very talented, and I'm sure you saw that watching the game tonight." he said. "But they're all special kids too. They're good people and good teammates and we love having them around. We're fortunate to have them. And they're all at a talent level as a coach that you don't know if you'll ever coach kids that talented again."
All three have been blown away by the support they've been shown by BYU fans. Many Cougar faithful came to watch them play the day before BYU's victory over Oklahoma. And they put on a show in a 48-7 victory.
"I like it," said Kautai. "It's a good feeling for them to be here. It feels like I'm already at BYU."
These three future Cougars also hope to convince another teammate to join them, sophomore quarterback Thomas Johnson.
"Looks like you're working on another one here," I asked. "Yea, Thomas Johnson. He's going to be there in 2012," said Kautai. "He's going to come to BYU with us."
If they offer him, he'll probably come." says Apo. "We're talking him into it."
E-mail: jjensen@ksl.com
