Arkansas signed offensive lineman Reeve Koehler out of Hawaii in 2013 and the Razorbacks are back there hoping to lure defensive end Miki Suguturaga to Fayetteville for the 2017 class.
The Hogs extended a scholarship offer to Suguturaga on July 30.
"SEC schools for me are always a big thing for me and for sure Pac-12," Suguturaga said.
Suguturaga, 6-5, 260 pounds, of Punahou High School in Honolulu, has 11 offers, including ones from Arizona State, Utah, Oregon State, Washington State, Brigham Young and San Diego State.
"Arkansas is my first SEC school and I'm very blessed to have the opportunity to receive an offer from them," Suguturaga said.
He recently spoke with offensive line coach Kurt Anderson.
"It sounds like he's a very religious guy and I guess I am as well," Suguturaga said. "I really enjoyed talking to him and getting to know him and having a relationship with him."
Suguturaga rated the chances of Arkansas getting an official visit.
"Probably really high," Suguturaga said.
He said he is impressed with the Razorback program and the passion of the fan base.
"I know it's an awesome place and a good environment for football, especially because they have a lot of die-hard fans that comment on my posts on Twitter," Suguturaga said.
Suguturaga also is very close to his mother.
"I'm a big momma's boy," Suguturaga said. "I guess I was always her favorite when I was a child. I can really relate to her a lot. I kind of got my emotions from her as well. I'm kind of a cryer and got that from her."
He said establishing criteria for deciding on a school will include his mother.
"First off mom's approval," he said. "Education and also where I feel like I fit best and where I want to be the next four or how many years to play football."
His father was a three-time, first-team All-Western Athletic Conference linebacker at Utah in the 1980's before going on to the NFL. His mother has raised Suguturaga and his siblings by herself after their father died in 2004.
"Since then it's just been her taking care of the six of us at home," Suguturaga said. "There's three in Utah that's already married."
Talking up the Hogs
Highly recruited linebacker Thomas Johnston of Spanish Fort (Alabama) High School raved about Arkansas after visiting Fayetteville in June, and his experience has a teammate interested in the Hogs.
Defensive end Justin Thomas said he was surprised how Johnston talked up the Razorbacks.
"I didn't expect him to say much about it," Thomas said. "He said it's a good place and he said I would like it if I went."
Thomas, 6-5, 265 pounds, has 16 scholarship offers from schools including Arkansas, Alabama, LSU, Nebraska, Tennessee, Iowa State, South Carolina among others. He and Thomas are friends and have discussed going to the same school.
"We're pretty tight," Thomas said. "He's a cool guy. He's very cool. He's a great person to be around and you don't have to worry about getting into any trouble with him."
He said he'll probably make an official visit to Arkansas and will likely join Johnston, who plans to officially visit for the Ole Miss game Oct. 15.
"I'm probably going to the same game," Thomas said.
Thomas has a 300-pound bench press, 530 squat and 275 power clean. He recorded 55 unassisted tackles, 11 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 43 quarterback hurries, 2 pass deflections, 1 forced fumble and an interception as a junior.
Thomas, who also plans to officially visit Alabama, LSU, Tennessee and Nebraska, said he and defensive line coach Rory Segrest are talking.
"He's telling me he's got to get me up there," Thomas said.
He has a 3.3 grade-point average and is planning to major in business. Thomas said he is aware of the UA's Sam M. Walton College of Business and the Fortune 500 companies in Northwest Arkansas.
Email Richard Davenport atrdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 08/05/2016