The Amachree family let their son Kory make his own college decision

When Kory Amachree, a Rivals four-star running back, committed to play football at the Kansas, it was a decision that came down to family support. His father, Opuene Amachree, knows what it means to play college football.

He’s a former Michigan State player and lives just minutes from MSU’s campus. Opuene could have easily pushed his son to his own alma mater. But instead, he and his wife Karen, let Kory choose his own path.

“This is his journey,” Opuene said. “I’m a parent first and a Spartan second.”

The Amachree family has deep ties to Michigan State. Opuene played football there and met Karen on campus, later marrying her at the MSU chapel. With that kind of connection, many thought Michigan State would be the heavy favorite.

But Opuene and his wife wanted their children to choose a college they were comfortable with. And Kory’s recruitment process was no different.

Their daughter Kaema led Haslett to the state semi-finals in soccer and signed with Toledo. Their oldest son, Nakai, broke the single-game rushing record at the high school. He is playing at Bowling Green.

“We’ve done this before,” Opuene said. “We have other kids playing college sports. We’ve always wanted them to be confident in making their own decisions.”

Connection to the Kansas program

When Kory was just five years old, he met Draven Samuel in preschool. Draven’s parents, KU assistant coach Terry Samuel and his wife Jacqueline, quickly became close with the Amachree family. The bond between the families grew over time. There were vacations together and shared holidays.

Although the long-standing friendship with the Samuels wasn’t the deciding factor, it did help make Kansas feel like home. When Kory started receiving scholarship offers, Samuel reached out to gauge his interest in KU. Initially, the Amachree’s weren’t sure where Kansas would fit in the picture.

“I thought it might be too far,” Opuene admitted. “But Coach Samuel made it clear, Kansas wasn’t going to offer just to offer.”

Eventually, Kory took a visit to Kansas. It wasn’t just the new facilities or the recruiting pitch. It was the people inside the program who made an impression, especially strength coach Matt Gildersleeve.

“Coach Gildersleeve told Kory, ‘I can make you into whoever you want to be,’” Opuene said. “He emphasized that if Kory puts in the work, they’ll match it and help him become not just a great athlete, but a great man. That message stuck with us.”

The program’s vision, the coaching staff, and the familiarity of having close family friends in Lawrence helped ease concerns about distance. There were several conversations with running backs coach Jonathan Wallace.

“Kansas checked every box for us,” Opuene said. “The only question was the distance, and with the Samuels there, that concern faded.”

Kory picked the school that felt right

The ties between the families run deeper. Terry Samuel’s daughter Brooklyn currently attends Michigan State and still visits the Amachree home regularly.

“She comes over for dinner, and I helped her set up her TV in her dorm room,” Opuene said. “The family connection is still strong.”

Even with his history at Michigan State and the close distance to campus, Opuene never pushed Kory to follow the same path.

“Of course, I’d love to see him in green and white,” he said. “But we raised our kids to think for themselves. My wife and I had our own journeys, and now it’s Kory’s turn.”

They prepared for this and experienced it with their children going through the recruiting process.

“It might’ve been a little emotional for me on the inside,” he added. “But as a parent, it was an easy decision. We were the guardrails, not the drivers. Kory picked the right fit for him and we’re proud of him for that.”

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