Waianae’s Onesimus Lutu-Clarke is setting out to make the very most of his collegiate experience.
The first step toward that was signing with Oregon State on Wednesday morning to make his commitment official. He chose the Beavers because of the environment within and beyond the locker room.
“It had to be the family-oriented atmosphere that they had there,” Lutu-Clarke said. “I realized how strong of a bond they had with each other and how coach (Gary) Andersen plans to use that to become a better team, and they’re starting to improve.
“I looked at Oregon State as a home away from home, it’s just colder. It was awesome.”
Lutu-Clarke will head to Corvallis toward the end of March. He figures the earlier, the better.
“I look at it as having a step above other athletes. I can actually get to know the place before my year starts,” Lutu-Clarke said. “Credit-wise, I can graduate early which was my plan — to graduate not just with a bachelor’s degree but with a master’s degree. That was something I planned and now it’s time to put it into effect.”
Lutu-Clarke plans to get his bachelors degree in kinesiology and masters degree in sports psychology.
The offensive lineman understands the competitiveness of the Pac-12 and will do whatever it takes to get playing time.
“Whatever position they put me at, I’m open to all positions,” Lutu-Clarke said. “Availability is the key to being able to get on the field, so if they ever need me at long snapper or on special teams, I’m there.”
After receiving six offers, Lutu-Clarke, who is 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, turned down Boise State, BYU, Hawaii, Nevada and Fresno State.
With his college destination set, the man with a plan seems to have all the pieces in place.
“After a lot of prayer and meditation, I’m so at ease,” he said. “I can rest my recruiting process now and I don’t have to worry about anything else. Now it’s just the time to pursue.”
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