Mark Mangino made the most of his next-to-last recruiting weekend.
Moorpark College defensive end Martin Miller and linebacker Brouce Mompremier of Miami Edison High gave oral commitments to play football for Kansas University Sunday, according to rivals.com.
Both players had given non-binding oral commitments to other schools — Miller to Colorado State and Mompremier to South Florida.
Mangino and his coaching staff weren’t as fortunate with Kansas City (Mo.) Oak Park High linebacker/running back Michael Keenan (6-foot-2, 220 pounds), who already had committed to Nebraska and appeared to be keeping that commitment.
Miller (6-3, 270) said he was impressed by KU’s Anderson Strength and Conditioning Center, and he also liked the fact Kansas wanted to keep him at end rather than tackle.
“I’m solid on Kansas,” Miller told Jon Kirby of rivals.com. “I’m sure my mom will like it. The coaches are going to see her in Oregon this week.”
Miller also had offers from Troy State, San Diego State and Fresno State.
Rivals.com rates Mompremier (6-0, 210) as the nation’s 13th-best prospect at outside linebacker. He also had offers from Florida State, LSU, North Carolina State and Tennessee.
KU also secured a commitment from punter Kyle Tucker of Katy (Texas) Cinco Ranch High. Sunday’s commitments raise KU’s class to 19 members, including five junior-college transfers who signed in December. National signing day is Feb. 4.
Kansas University’s football team picked up its second and third oral commitments in two days with pledges from an in-state prep linebacker and a junior college offensive lineman.
Ted Sims, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker from Newton High, and John Harvey, a 6-6, 305-pound offensive lineman from Mesa (Ariz.) Community College, have committed to KU.
Sims, averaging 15 tackles per game, picked KU over Kansas State and Oklahoma.
“It just felt right when I was at their game against Colorado,” Sims told the Internet recruiting service MoKan Football. “I think that game showed where their program is headed. I liked the coaching staff, I can get a good education and I think their program is up-and-coming.”
Sims has been clocked in the 40-yard dash is 4.5 seconds, and he runs track. He doesn’t know what position he’ll play at KU.
“They told me anywhere from free safety, to strong safety, to linebacker,” Sims said. “They said I could play a lot of positions. It depends how big I get.”
Sims is relieved to have recruiting over.
“It does get tiring with coaches all the time,” he said. “Oklahoma was pretty high on my list, but I decided I wanted to stay in Kansas. I’m a Kansas guy, so I’m staying here. Coach (Terry) Allen told me they wanted to keep good players in-state.”
Harvey, a preseason All-American, picked KU over Georgia Tech, Oregon State and New Mexico.
“I liked my visit, it was very exciting,” Harvey said. “That was a big reason I decided on Kansas. They have a good program and I was real impressed with the coaches. Kansas has a beautiful campus. Coach (Walt) Klinker did a good job of recruiting me.”
Harvey will rejoin Mesa grad Tony Damiani at KU.
“That’s one of the reasons I looked at Kansas is because of Tony,” Harvey said. “He’s very honest and he really likes it there.”
KU has six known, nonbinding oral commitments. The others are: Justin Henry, a linebacker from Royal Valley; DeShawn Spivey, a defensive end from KC Washington; Banks Floodman, a safety from Wichita Collegiate; and linebacker Anthony Brown, from Grandview (Mo.) High.
