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LEHI — Darius Afalava made the decision on June 28 to take his career out of his home state to commit to the Oklahoma Sooners.
But at one point, he could've chosen Utah.
"I never pictured myself staying home, but Utah made it hard for me to leave home," Afalava said. "It (my relationship) was honestly as strong as Oklahoma, if not stronger."
Afalava was close with offensive line coach Jim Harding while Utah was pursuing him. Between his knowledge of the game, his relatability, and their many games playing NBA 2K, it was certainly a bond strong enough to keep the state's top interior lineman home.
In addition, Afalava was close to offensive graduate assistant Kammy Delp and always appreciated the laughs the two had.
He made his official visit to Utah on June 3, following trips to UCLA and Michigan State in May. Between the atmosphere and the already close connections he had with the staff, Utah put themselves in a good position.
But four days later, Oklahoma made its way into the mix and became more than just a contender.
The Sooners put themselves in the driver's seat when Afalava sat down to talk with offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh.
"He made it clear that he really wanted me, but also told me that it's going to be a big challenge leaving home, playing in the SEC, and playing in a new environment with no sort of connections to people," Afalava said. "Knowing myself, I want to take on the challenge, so I chose the hardest place."
Afalava knows he will miss his family and friends along the way; but when he sat down with his parents to make a decision, they wanted him to have a new experience.
With their approval the night before he announced his commitment, a decision was made.
"I knew after my talk with my parents the night before the commitment that it was the right move," Afalava said.
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive lineman looks to lead his Skyridge Falcons team to a state title this coming season, while playing a tough schedule to get there. Skyridge started the season 1-1, with a game against Colorado's Cherry Creek up next.
