There’s an easy connection to draw between Ben Sukut and the Arkansas State football team, but it doesn’t fully explain why the Capistrano Valley Christian safety plans to sign with the rising Sun Belt Conference program on Wednesday.
To learn the reason behind the intriguing commitment, one needs to know what motivates Sukut.
There’s more driving him than the presence of Dan Dodd, his former coach at CVC who is now Arkansas State’s tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator.
Arkansas State offered Sukut (6-2, 195) as a sophomore. Dodd coached at Capistrano Valley Christian during Sukut’s freshman and sophomore seasons.
One of the main reasons Sukut committed to the Red Wolves was that he identifies with underdogs.
“I just like what they’re doing with the program,” said Sukut, who will sign Wednesday on National Signing Day.
“They’ve won the Sun Belt … They got the best recruiting class in the Sun Belt and we’re just on the rise, ready to beat big schools like Missouri.”
Arkansas State lost to Missouri, a Southeastern Conference school, 27-20, this past season en route to a 9-4 record.
Sukut knows the underdog story well. He has attended small-school CVC since kindergarten, making him a “lifer” at a school that reports a high school enrollment of 176 students.
“I like being an underdog and proving people wrong,” he said.
During Sukut’s eighth-grade year, the Eagles played eight-man football but transitioned back to 11-man starting with his freshman season.
Sukut helped the Eagles reach the playoffs his first three seasons. They missed the postseason this fall after losing Sukut to a season-ending shoulder injury in CVC’s sixth game.
The transition to 11-man football and the presence of Dodd and Coach Eric Preszler, the team’s coach the past two seasons, were enough to keep Sukut at CVC.
The Mission Viejo resident wasn’t swayed to transfer to a football powerhouse despite having ex-Pop Warner teammates at some of the county’s best programs.
In the eighth grade, he played with the Irvine Chargers, who had several players, including Lj Northington, move on to Orange Lutheran.
Sukut’s acceptance of the recruiting process also kept him at CVC.
“If it was meant for me to play college football, it would have happened,” he said. “The college scouts find you if you’re a good enough player. If you make plays, they watch your film. … If they think you’re good enough to play for them, they’re going to offer you.”
Recruiters found Sukut. San Diego State offered him as a freshman and he also received offers from BYU, Utah State, Nevada, Navy, New Mexico and Wyoming.
His move to Arkansas State not only keeps his underdog story alive, it moves him closer to relatives in the state.
“It turned out pretty good,” Sukut said.
JOHNSON’S CASE BAFFLES
Mission Viejo quarterback Brock Johnson has narrowed his decision to Georgetown and USC. The Trojans offered him a spot as a preferred walk-on.
Local quarterback guru Steve Calhoun is among those the Register’s offensive player of the year hasn’t received more attention.
“When you win that many games, it’s not an accident,” he said of Johnson, who guided the Diablos to 28 consecutive victories. “Why isn’t this kid being recruited? He can definitely make someone’s program better.”
Greg Biggins, recruiting analyst for Fox Sports and Scout.com, said Johnson might have fallen victim to the early evaluation process for quarterbacks. Johnson reveived a lot of credit for making a large improvement from his junior to senior season.
NOTES
San Clemente junior quarterback Jack Sears was offered by Arizona State on Friday. Mater Dei freshman quarterback JT Daniels has been offered by UCLA and Notre Dame among others. … San Clemente offensive lineman Donte Harrington committed to Boise State, one day after decommitting from Army. … La Habra quarterback Eric Barriere said he committed to Eastern Washington over Hawaii because the FCS program was “family-oriented,” had “great facilities” and a “college town” that reminded him of La Habra. … Servite defensive back Keyon Riley recently committed to UCLA …Villa Park receiver Brennan Corbin (Montana) and Mater Dei receiver AJ Collins (UNLV) have committed.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
