The amazing barnstorming tour of Tausili Akana just got more incredible.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound sophomore (class of 2023) emerged from an unofficial visit at Ohio State with a scholarship offer. Akana visited the Buckeyes and participated in a camp on Tuesday, then announced the offer early Wednesday morning.
The former Kamehameha and Wasatch (Utah) football player has no time to celebrate. He is in the midst of what is likely an unprecedented itinerary for a Hawaii high school student-athlete. Today, he is at Michigan and on Thursday he will be at Clemson, followed by Wisconsin on Friday. The previous itinerary included a visit Notre Dame on Thursday, but the plan has since changed, according to Akana’s father, Brandyn Akana.
“The head coach has been calling and inviting us to campus,” he said of Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who guided the Tigers to national championships in 2016 and ’18.
Akana had already made unofficial visits with Hawaii, Texas, TCU, Texas A&M and LSU since June 1. Hawaii had offered a scholarship way back on June 21 of 2019. The rest of the schools on this tour made their offers after his visits. The nation’s top-rated outside linebacker of the ’23 class now has 24 offers.
(Update: Upon completion of his visit to Michigan today, Akana also has an offer from the Wolverines. He now has 25 scholarship offers.)
Tuesday, June 1: Hawaii
Thursday, June 3: Texas
Friday, June 4: TCU
Saturday, June 5: Texas A&M
Sunday, June 6: LSU
Tuesday, June 8: Ohio State
Wednesday, June 9: Michigan
Thursday, June 10: Clemson (Notre Dame visit cancelled)
Friday, June 11: Wisconsin
Saturday-Tuesday, June 12-15: Nebraska
Wednesday, June 16: BYU
Thursday, June 17: Utah
Friday, June 25: Oregon
Saturday, June 26: Washington
Akana’s family resides in Hauula. He was enrolled at Kahuku after returning from Utah last winter. He is now enrolled at Skyridge (Utah) as a precaution.
“We’re waiting to hear a final word,” Brandyn Akana said. “We needed to make sure he was enrolled in Utah if nothing happens in Hawaii. It’s way easier to return back home and play. We’re trying to get all options for him. Hopefully, we have a full season in Hawaii.”
Akana’s first three offers arrived before he began high school. He played at Kamehameha as a freshman. When Hawaii high school football was postponed in 2020, he transferred to Wasatch.
Tausili Akana, Kamehameha/Wasatch, OLB, 6-4, 225
Offers: 25
Utah 6/20/19
BYU 6/20/19
Hawaii 6/21/19
Arizona State 6/30/20
UNLV 8/27/20
Oregon State 9/8/20
Utah State 9/14/20
Nebraska 10/16/20
Oklahoma State 11/16/20
Oregon 12/21/20
Washington State 12/25/20
Ole Miss 3/3/21
Colorado 3/9/21
USC 3/17/21
Washington 4/23/21
LSU 4/29/21
Wisconsin 4/30/21
Arizona 5/1/21
Cal 5/11/21
Mississippi State 5/27/21
Texas 6/3/21
TCU 6/4/21
Texas A&M 6/5/21
LSU 6/6/21
Ohio State 6/9/21
Michigan 6/9/21
Paul,,
Do you know why his Notre Dame visit was cancelled?
Besides Dabo calling them to visit Clemson.
Maybe he cooled on Notre Dame or they cooled on him.
Academic “fit” is very important to ND and according to a sports site there, the staff was trying to track down some academic stuff in the past, which has been hard as he’s transferred schools a few times.
With that impressive offers list, all he has to do is choose the best one for him. Good luck to the young man!
No other conclusion for me. All I know is Swinney was calling. The itinerary changed.
Mahalo!