23rd USF Verbal: Paul Uhatafe

[Papa_Bull]

Gibbs guard picks USF

Gibbs lineman Paul Uhatafe became South Florida's 23rd oral commitment, the first from a Pinellas County senior. Offensive tackle Theodric Watson played at Lakewood before heading to Northwest Mississippi Community College.

Uhatafe, a 6-foot-2, 293-pound guard, was offered a scholarship Sunday and accepted, according to his father, Navi.

Uhatafe, whose brother, Siaosi, will be a sophomore in the fall for USF, chose USF over Central Florida, Florida Atlantic and Florida A&M. Only USF projected the 2004 second-team All-Suncoast player as an offensive lineman.

He is scheduled for surgery Feb.11 to repair a torn ACL in his right knee.

--Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.

[Last modified February 1, 2005, 00:54:18]

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/02/01/Sports/Ex_coach_denies_he_ma.shtml

[Papa_Bull]

Flashback:

By GREG AUMANN

Published October 6, 2004

FAMILY TIES: Freshman safety Danny Verpaele is a promising sign of what the Bulls can find by recruiting the young brothers of Bulls players, and they may have another on the way. USF is recruiting Paul Uhatafe, a senior defensive tackle at Gibbs High and the younger brother of redshirt freshman Siaosi Uhatafe, a defensive lineman for the Bulls. The younger Uhatafe is 6 feet 2 and 285 pounds and recovering from a sprained knee sustained on an early-season cut block.

Paul is being recruited by other schools, including Auburn, but as the second-oldest of eight children, staying close to his family is important. Their father, Navi, moved to the United States from the South Pacific island of Tonga in 1976 and said he would like to see his sons playing together again.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/06/Sports/Two_timing_Bulls_caug.shtml

Looks like there probably will be more Uhatafes coming to USF down the road.  ;D

[smazza]

he has knee problems already though

[S p e n c e]

That's a big boy, hope surgury goes well.

Unfortunatly with the talent coming in at DB and the return of Johnnie Jones I don't know how much playing time Danny V will be seeing in the future.