Jimmy Lake has been constantly active on social media since taking over as head coach at Washington last December. However, Lake hasn’t delivered good news to UW fans on the recruiting front in the form of a four letter tweet in over two months.
That changed Wednesday morning when the Huskies landed their third verbal commitment in the 2021 recruiting class from three-star Honolulu (Hi.) Kamehameha defensive tackle Kuao Peihopa.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 306-pounds, Peihopa chose UW over offers from Arizona State, California, Nebraska and Wisconsin among other schools. It marks the second consecutive defensive pledge for the first-year head coach and former defensive coordinator.
Peihopa made an unofficial visit to UW last November for the Apple Cup, a 31-13 win over Washington State. He was scheduled to take an official visit this spring, but due to the NCAA ban on recruits taking visits it is unlikely that will take place.
While the three-star Islands prospect is unable to be physically on campus he has been communicating with UW defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe through Zoom.
The combination of Malloe’s online lessons and his strong experience last November allowed Peihopa to shut down his recruitment Wednesday and pick UW.
“By far the most family oriented program we’ve seen,” Peihopa told Rivals after announcing his commitment.
“We also got to see their top notch academics as well as a constant effort on the staff helping players with their personal development. The only thing that I wanted to see was how I was going to be coached, which I was going to see on my official visit.
“But being able to see the teacher that coach Ikaika is on Zoom meetings checked the last box and I decided to shut it down.”
Malloe spent much of the time explaining why Peihopa was going to be used in the way that the Husky defensive line coach has envisioned for him. Going beyond the basics.
“He went through some of the most basic things you learn as a d-lineman, but extremely in depth with it,” Peihopa said. “No one really teaches you the ‘why’. He makes that the emphasis. That’s the best way I learn in football or anything that’s complicated. I want to know why so I can have a better understanding of how.”
Ranked as the No. 5 prospect from the state of Hawaii by Rivals the three-star lineman is listed as a defensive tackle. While his size may bode well as an interior lineman, Peihopa doesn’t care where he plays along the defensive front.
Peihopa likens himself on the field to former Portland, Oregon native Ndamukong Suh, known as a freak athlete and versatile as an interior pass rusher at Nebraska and in the NFL.
“He sees me having a lot of versatility and being able to play anywhere on the line really,” Peihopa said. “I try to utilize my quickness to maximize the effect of my power. I feel most comfortable anywhere really, I don’t really care at all.”
What makes the commitment of Peihopa even more unique for UW is that the three-star lineman hails from the same high school as Malloe, Kamehameha High School.
The Huskies moved up to No. 39 overall in the Rivals’ 2021 team recruiting rankings with the addition of Peihopa. UW is fourth in the Pac-12 Conference behind USC (No. 7), Oregon (No. 18) and California (No. 27).
