QB Luke Del Rio decommits from Oklahoma State
BY Staff Reports
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
12/11/12 at 3:29 PM
Luke Del Rio, a high school quarterback who committed to Oklahoma State in May, announced via Twitter that he is no longer committed to the Cowboys.
“Officially decommitted from Oklahoma State, opening recruiting back up,” Del Rio said in a message that was posted to his Twitter account Tuesday morning. Del Rio also said in his tweet that OSU is still among his options.
The news came one day after it was learned that OSU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Todd Monken was leaving the program to become Southern Miss’ head coach. Monken was a Jacksonville Jaguars assistant coach when Del Rio’s father, Jack, was the NFL team’s head coach.
Del Rio quarterbacked Highland Ranch Valor Christian High School to a Class 5A state championship in Colorado this season. He broke a bone in his non-throwing arm, but did not miss a game.
Even before Del Rio decommitted, it was not a given that he was going to show up on campus. He was downgraded to a “soft” commitment by recruiting services in October, after he visited Oregon State and indicated that other programs had shown interest in him.
Was OSU’s surplus of quarterbacks a factor in Del Rio’s decision? Three quarterbacks started games for the Cowboys this season and all of them are underclassmen. Also, Arizona transfer Daxx Garman is expected to become eligible next season.
GoPokes.com, a Scout.com site devoted to Oklahoma State athletics, reported that Del Rio talked to OSU head coach Mike Gundy to inform him of the decommitment.
“I had been thinking about it for a while and then with coach Monken leaving, it just made sense,” Del Rio told the recruiting service. “They have some good freshman quarterbacks as well so I just wanted to open things up and make sure I was doing the right thing.”
Del Rio described Monken’s family as being a “second family” and the quarterback said he might “give Southern Mississippi a look.”
Del Rio indicated he is taking unofficial visits to Oregon State and Alabama this week.
