Craig Strobeck
Football Recruiting
Visits
OL Haniteli Lousi (4-Star/San Mateo, CA) (Left) and LB Jimmie Swain (4-Star/Olathe, KS) (Middle) pose with Oregon commit DL Jalen Jelks (3-Star/Phoenix, AZ) (Right) and “The Duck” following Oregon’s Civil War win.
Oregon may have won more than a football game this past Friday. On the recruiting trail, linebacker Jimmie Swain (4-Star/Olathe, KS) is committed elsewhere (TCU) but his time amid the Autzen Zoo may have shifted his future plans.
“I really loved seeing the team and the coaches interact together and how close they are,” said Swain. “That was something that made a big impression on me.”
At 6-foot-3, 219 lbs., Swain is an athletic second-level defender with excellent anticipatory instincts. Capable of lining up against stretched players, Swain would be quick to find a niche in Oregon’s linebacking corps.
“Coach (Don) Pellum told me again I’m his No. 1 guy. He’s told me that before, but he really let me know I’d have a chance to come in and compete early. [The Ducks] like my versatility and the fact that I can play inside or outside linebacker.”
Like on the field, Swain also brings a strong work ethic into the classroom.
“I’m very confident in the academics . . . at Oregon. I just felt very comfortable there, and that’s something you can’t force. It was a great feeling.”
Expect Swain to flip his commitment in the very near future, as his weekend at Oregon had him closely examining his options. Stay tuned!
To view Swain highlights, please click here.
Joining Swain on the Oregon sidelines, JUCO offensive lineman Haniteli Lousi (4-Star/San Mateo, CA), is a late but quality prospect on O-Line guru Steve Greatwood’s big board.
“My visit went really well,” said Losui. “I like how they do things at Oregon. I love how close the players were; there weren’t any real clicks or groups like you see at a lot of D-1 schools.”
Standing an imposing 6-foot-5, 295 lbs., Losui’s trip was highlighted by an invitation to don Lightning Yellow and Thunder Green.
“(Oregon) offered me on the trip and now they are waiting on me to make a decision. After coming here, my mind is clearing up on where I want to go . . . they had me visit now because I’m one of their top guys. I really like how the coaches handled things and kept things real with me.”
And as always, the deafening roar of Autzen Stadium had its own impact.
“That was a crazy game atmosphere. There were rows full of people and it was insane. They were all screaming and yelling. I can’t imagine what it would be like to play in front of all of them.”
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Mark Flores, a Salem, OR resident, is a Firefighter/Paramedic and an avid Oregon Ducks fan. Prior to the fire service, Flores, a graduate of nearby Corban University, spent over seven years in professional journalism including a stint at the Statesman Journal in Salem and held the position of Sports Editor for the Hilltop News (Corban). A career transition however never dampened his love of writing and FishDuck is now his source to share his love of Mighty Oregon. Flores brings detailed knowledge of Oregon recruiting to the FishDuck team and welcomes your feedback.