Asuega will compete at Idaho State

Barry Faulkner

Costa Mesa High senior Keola Asuega, who firmly imprinted his name

into the Newport-Mesa football record book, said Monday he has

verbally committed to continue his career at Idaho State University.

Now 6-foot, 210-pounds, Asuega set a Newport-Mesa record with 49

career touchdowns and his 3,932 rushing yards rank No. 2 in

Newport-Mesa annals. But, he said, he will likely shift to safety

with the Division I-AA Bengals, who won the recruiting battle with

Montana State.

“They recruited me as an athlete, who could play on both sides of

the ball,” said Asuega, who will receive a full scholarship. “But,

right now, I think the quickest way to the field is at strong safety,

because they signed two other running backs.”

Asuega, of Samoan descent, said the presence of about a dozen

Polynesian players on the roster helped influence his decision.

“I just felt really welcome there, like one of the family” said

Asuega, who visited the Pocatello campus the weekend before last. He

returned from his recruiting visit to Montana State Sunday.

Asuega, who has had aspirations of playing in the NFL since he was

7, said he hopes to prove Division I-A schools that didn’t recruit

him made a mistake.

He plans to study music and performance.