Anae chooses Utah
On Signing Day, the rich just got richer as the University of Utah landed Kahuku High (Hawaii) defensive end Bradlee Anae (6-foot-5 230 pounds). Ultimately choosing Utah over Vanderbilt, Anae spent some time with UteZone before his official announcement. It’s a commitment that both parties are equally excited for.
“It feels great. I can’t wait,” said Anae. “I want to come in and make an immediate impact and I want to win it all—a Nation Championship. That’s what I’m aiming for because I know this program is capable of doing big stuff like that. It’s only the beginning.”
That fact the Utah is a D-Line factory was a huge selling point for the athletic lineman, who also played tight end at Kahuku. “That weighed in a lot with my decision because, I’m not only comfortable around Polys, it’s, they have the most guys from Utah and from my exact position, got to the NFL.”
Anae claims that he let both Defensive Coordinator Morgan Scalley and Defensive Line coach Lewis Powell know of his decision, recently. However, he wanted keep Head Coach Kyle Whittingham waiting on pins and needles. “Coach Lew (Lewis Powell) was laughing the other day because he told me Coach Kyle’s getting tortured by the thought of me not going there,” said Anae.
An added both for Anae, is that he will be attending school with his sister, Adora, who is a sophomore on the volleyball team. However, that connection never played a big role in his decision. “Family wasn’t really a big deciding factor, it’s just convenient just having my sister, there. She didn’t really influence my decision.”
What ultimately won Anae over was the atmosphere. “I fell in love with the people, I fell in love with the place, and I fell in love with the facilities,” he said.
He was so impressed with the facilities that the might have to kick him out of there, on occasion. “The weight room’s going to be my second house when I go there.,” he said. “It’s going to be my dorm and then the weight room. Give me those two things and I’m good.”
Initially, Anae’s greatest contribution should come from pass rushing, but with his tight end backgrond, he will be asked to drop back in coverage frequently, too. It’s something that the tireless worker is determined to master. “It’s a work-in-progress, but I feel like I can do that and do it well,” he said.
Anae held four P5 offers, but according to him, it ultimately came down to Utah and Vanderbilt. Another huge selling point was the rare longevity of the Whittingham. “They’re going to be there for a long time under Coach Kyle, they’re not going anywhere,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to find that at a lot of schools nowadays because the coaching world is crazy.”
Now, with pen to paper, Anae is ready to get to work on bring that title to Salt Lake City. “I’m excited,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity for me.”