Roger Saleapaga commits to Oregon: 'Coach Lanning is the guy I want to play for'
Orem (Utah) three-star tight end Roger Saleapaga has committed to the Oregon Ducks, choosing the Ducks over Tennessee.
“Oregon is the top school for me because of life after football,” Saleapaga told On3. “My senior year taught me a lot. Football is not going to be there forever, it could end tomorrow, so I want to put myself in a great spot where I can be successful after football and that is at Oregon. The football is great at Oregon, and I hope I am playing for a long time, but they have a great education and resources to get me where I want to go after football.
“They are partnered with NIKE, a huge brand, but then they have other big names tied to the program, so the resources are different there. I learned a lot on my official visit about the education, resources, and that opened my eyes a lot.”
Saleapaga said he liked the school and staff in Knoxville, but that Oregon took the cake.
“I really liked Tennessee a lot,” Saleapaga said. “It is a great school, and I like the coaches there, but I continued to pray about it, and I talked things over with my family and Oregon is the best decision. God showed me signs, I trust in Him and Eugene is where I am meant to be.”
Saleapaga impressed by Oregon atmosphere
Saleapaga took an official visit to Eugene in early November — one of at least six visits to see the Ducks.
“I have visited Oregon around 6-7 times,” Saleapaga said. “The environment is crazy and it is only getting bigger. They have great fans and great people around the program. I know I will be loved and taken care of up there. The people love Oregon and that is an environment I want to be in. The people in Eugene are different. They are loyal, they are loving and it is going to be great to be a part of that.”
Ducks head coach Dan Lanning also impressed Saleapaga. Lanning’s program is just about to kickoff against Washington with a shot at the College Football Playoff on the line.
“On the football side, I love what Coach Dan Lanning is doing,” Saleapaga said. “Coach Lanning is the guy I want to play for. He is building something very special in Eugene and I trust that he is not going to leave. Coach Lanning is there to stay, he is going to win, and he is an even better person than he is a coach. He is the only head coach that came to my game, he would call me every Sunday and he always checked on me and my family. I believe in coach Lanning on and off the field. He was a big part of my decision.”
Relationships were key
In the end, the relationships Saleapaga has created with the staff in Eugene pushed the Ducks over the finish line.
“The relationships were key for me too,” Saleapaga said. “Coach Lanning, coach Drew Mehringer and Steven Haunga are guys I am close to. They made me feel comfortable. I felt the love from those guys and that factored into my decision too.”