USU football: An interview with an Aggie recruit

As a single recruit, Bojay Filimeatu may be the single most important in the tenure of USU head coach Gary Andersen.

He's 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, he is a first team junior college All-American, he's an outside linebacker and defensive end, fast, strong and physical.

As for accolades, Filimeatu is the California junior college defensive player of the year, the MVP of his team. He was recruited by Kansas State, Iowa State, Arizona.....he had suiters.....and he chose the Aggies.

"I have people telling me that I settled for less," Filimeatu told this blog.

"I feel like I settled for the best."

The reason for Filimeatu, who committed to Utah State on Wednesday, is that he wants to come home. He's from Salt Lake City, played at Granger High and has parents that are advanced in age. He was simply ready to come back to Utah.

"It's been three long years," Filimeatu said.

As a player, sources close to the football program say that he's capable of being one of the best defensive players in the Western Athletic Conference immediately, a guy you simply build a defense around. That's a good thing for Utah State, which already sports Bobby Wagner, one of the best defenders in the WAC. Having two building blocks at linebacker is something that this team needs.

"With Bojay, Bobby, Kyle Gallagher and Tavaris MacMillian, this team has some weapons at linebacker," A source said. "It will be fun to watch."

Filimeatu was sold on the idea of playing for Andersen, both as a head coach and a defensive coordinator. Filimeatu was sold on USU being an up and coming program, and the fact that he's going to be counted on to have an instant impact.

"I'm ready to go," Filimeatu said. "I'm excited and I think we have good things ahead coming for us as a team. I can't wait."

Tony Jones