Colorado linebacker commits to TU
BY BILL HAISTEN World Sports Writer
Sunday, December 09, 2012
On Sunday, University of Tulsa football coach Bill Blankenship visited the home of a Fort Collins, Colo., recruit.
As the meeting concluded, Jake Hanks – a 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker prospect – expressed his commitment to Blankenship and the Golden Hurricane program. TU offered a scholarship several months ago. Hanks also considered offers from Air Force, Wyoming and Northern Colorado.
“Before (Blankenship) visited, I had it in my mind that I wanted to commit to Tulsa,” Hanks said. “My confidence got even higher when he was here. It’s a good deal.”
Hanks was the 2012 Colorado Class 5A state champion in the shot put. He played fullback and defensive end for Fort Collins High School, which opened the 2012 season with three losses but rallied with a seven-game win streak and secured a berth in the state playoffs.
During his official visit to the TU campus, Hanks watched the Hurricane defeat Rice 28-24 on Oct. 20. While he expects to be a linebacker at TU, “they (Hurricane coaches) said they could see me playing at H-back,” Hanks said.
Verbal commitments are not binding. Recruits may sign national letters of intent in February. Hanks is the 15th player on TU's 2013 commitment list.
Additional out-of-state athletes committed to TU are Jesse Brubaker, a defensive tackle from Wylie (Texas) East High School; Donnie White, a defensive end from De Smet Jesuit High School in St. Louis; Ryan Rubley, a quarterback from Mountain Vista (Colo.) High School and the son of former Tulsa quarterback T.J. Rubley; Jonathan Parker, a running back from Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis; Isaiah Brown, a defensive back from Katy, Texas; Keevan Evans, a wide receiver from Abilene (Texas) High School; and C.J. Gooden, a linebacker from Ashdown, Ark.
Oklahoma recruits on the Hurricane commitment list are Union wide receiver Khalid Kornegay, Union fullback-receiver Chris Hall, Vian offensive lineman Rob Boyd, Norman offensive lineman Zac Uhles, McAlester linebacker Devin Rolan, Sallisaw athlete Ben Oberste and Hooker safety Joe Bean.
