San Clemente lineman Thomas Olds became one of Orange County’s fastest rising football recruits during the fall.
He went from feeling somewhat overlooked by Division 1-A recruiters at the start of his senior season to committing to a 10-win Hawaii program in mid-December.
Olds' play improved for the Tritons but he said he also made a key move in the recruiting process.
Working with a father of a former San Clemente standout, he put together a highlight video from the first five games of his 2010 season .
The parent, Ken Reda, made the video, sent it to about 250 colleges and posted it on YouTube.
In one of the video clips, a graphically-inserted blue lightning bolt spotlights Olds at defensive end.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pounder makes a huge hit behind the line of scrimmage on a running back from La Costa Canyon. The hits keep coming on the video.
Soon, several schools contacted Olds. The list included Hawaii, Cal Poly SLO, Montana State and Portland State.
“I guess the coaches really like what they saw,” he said.
The first-team All-South Coast League pick made an official recruiting trip to Hawaii the weekend of Dec. 17. He was prepared to commit to the Warriors if he enjoyed the trip, and that’s exactly what happened.
Olds plans to signs with Hawaii on National Signing Day on Feb. 2.
“I really like (Aloha Stadium). It’s just sick,” he said. “Obviously, the weather is beautiful. … But it was the attitudes of everyone who lives there. It’s really cool.
“You’re walking down the street and everyone has has a smile on. Everyone drives real slow and no one is trying to push you off the road.”
Olds was an every-down nose guard for the Tritons in the fall. He also played left guard next to star junior tackle Kyle Murphy , who one of Orange County’s top recruits in the 2012 class.
But when Olds needed a rest, he took it on offense.
Interestingly, Hawaii recruited Olds to play offensive line. His host on his recruiting trip was 2010 Ocean View graduate Kody Afusia , a 6-foot-2, 325-pound lineman at Hawaii.
“I was kind of surprised,” Olds said of being recruited as an offensive lineman. “Their offensive line coach likes to recruit defensive linemen. They have a passing offense so they need a lineman who can move.”
Olds credits his improved lateral movement to playing lacrosse in the spring for San Clemente.
As for playing offensive line, Olds isn’t complaining.
A few of the county’s top recruits are playing in major all-star games this week.
On Wednesday, Mater Dei quarterback and USC commit Max Wittek (6-4, 210) will play for the White Team in the Under Armour All-America Game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Wittek will wear No. 13, his jersey number at Mater Dei.
UCLA quarterback commit Brett Hundley (6-4, 217), from Chandler, Arizona, is on the Red Team.
The game will be shown on ESPN at 4 p.m.
On Saturday, Mater Dei receiver Victor Blackwell (6-1, 190) and Mission Viejo linebacker Tre Madden (6-1, 220) – both USC commits – are expected to play for the West in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio.
Blackwell will wear No. 8 while Madden will don No. 11 in the game that airs on NBC at 10 a.m.
Madden suffered a second-degree shoulder separation in the CIF Pac-5 Division final but plans to play in the all-star game, said Mission Viejo coach Bob Johnson, who will coach the West.
"He feels good," Johnson said of Madden on Sunday night from San Antonio.
Johnson said Madden planned to begin practice on Monday for the game.
Segerstrom coach Mike Maceranka is high on his running back, Gary Ferman , who recently committed to Sacramento State.
“He is the strongest player in school history with a 500-pound squad and 315-pound power clear,” Maceranka said in an e-mail. “Gary is a powerful runner with exceptional elusiveness.”
Los Alamitos center Andrew Main (6-3, 250) has been offered scholarships from UCLA and Nevada, Griffins coach John Barnes said Sunday night.
"He came out of no where (this season)," Barnes said.
The improving senior was co-offensive linemen of the year in the Sunset League.
UCLA already has landed a verbal commitment from Los Alamitos left tackle Ben Wysocki .
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