Hawaii’s recruiting class grows with offensive tackle
As the tallest student, Brandon Kipper always has been in the back row for every school picture. Now Kipper is expected to boost the University of Hawaii football team’s front line.
Kipper, the student body president at Columbia High in Caldwell, Idaho, said he has accepted a scholarship offer from the Rainbow Warriors. He said he will sign on Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA’s binding-commitment period for 2017 football recruits.
“Honestly, I was looking for the right type of feeling in my gut, and it was Hawaii,” said Kipper, who was on a UH-sponsored recruiting trip the past weekend. “I loved everything about it. I love the coaches, the players. The place is beautiful.”
Kipper is a self-described “homebody,” and Hawaii “is a place I feel I can call home.”
Doctors told Kipper, who is 6 feet 61⁄2 and 270 pounds, he projects to have another growth spurt.
“I probably grow an inch every summer,” said Kipper, who has a 7-foot uncle. “I’m supposed to grow another inch.”
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Kipper also received offers from Boise State, UTEP, Army, Montana State, Montana and Weber State. George Mason offered a wrestling scholarship. Kipper was Idaho’s 2016 state 5-A heavyweight wrestling champion. He received All-America recognition in that sport.
But Kipper said his passion is football, a sport he began playing when he was 5.
“I tried soccer and I was terrible at it,” Kipper said. “I tried baseball, and I was even worse at it. I figured hitting people would be something that I was good at. I tried it out, and it turned out I was pretty good at it.”
He had a similar approach to wrestling. With his height, Kipper is admittedly not a typically built wrestler. “I would normally be a basketball player,” he said. “But I like to hit people. Wrestling kind of works for me.”
Kipper said he is projected to compete at offensive tackle for the Warriors. Two of last year’s starting offensive linemen — RJ Hollis and Leo Koloamatangi — completed their UH eligibility at the end of last month’s Hawaii Bowl.
21 responses to “Hawaii’s recruiting class grows with offensive tackle”
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A great fit for the program. Welcome Brandon!
ALSO, GANOT CAN USE HIM TO SOFTEN UP OPPONENTS UNDER THE BASKET.
DON’T HAVE TO BE A STARTER, JUST A SOFTENER.
AFTER FOOTBALL SEASON, KIPPER AND VANTERPOOL CAN SUIT UP AS OFF-THE-BENCH BONE CRUSHERS FOR ERAN GANOT.
Where’s da BEEF?!?!? Cheehoo! Recruiting looking good!
Kipper and Vanterpool represent more of the type of athletes this program needs to move to the next level. Keep ‘um coming!
Thanks to Brandon and all the other recruits for joining the Warrior ohana. Great job by the coaches!
I wonder how the Hawaii recruiting is doing? I haven’t heard much about that. Seems like a lot of mainland kids, that’s great but I hope we are not forgetting to mind the mint, lot’s of all state gems out there without offers!
If Scout.com is correct 19 commitments which leaves 6 … sure could use a few more “MEAN AND NASTY” interior DL
LIVE ALOHA / PLAY WARRIOR / DEFEND THE ROCK … GO ‘BOWS !!!!!
Based on reports I’ve read this guy may be this year’s best recruit. Beside being big he’s suppose to be very agile/mobile. Every good team starts with linemen, both offensive and defensive, so this looks like a good get.
Wowzaaah!, things are shaping up. Another great, and I mean, GREAT GET!!
Big dudes are arriving on campus!!! That’s what Hawaii needs ! It’s ok if all the local boys leave there are other gems out there that could/will come here to play especially the line men.
Not one local kid…hmmmm
the way i see if, that ok if the local boys want to leave for what they think is a better deal. I know Coach Rolo and staff have recruited hard in Hawaii. It is the same ole local mentality that mainland is better. Whether local or not, main thing is they WANT to represent Hawaii. Not a local boys fault for wanting to experience the mainland. More power to them, but when you break down the local talent vs the mainland talent, to me the mainland, samoa, canada, australia got way better talent. They have something that the local boys don’t have and its called SIZE and SPEED. can’t win with a team of only or mostly locals. we need the talent from outside of Hawaii. I also feel that the newspaper and such need to stop writing about the local boys who are only looking to leave. Why give them the publicity that they and their family want. Don’t even report on those kids. better take care and pump up the boys who WANT to play for Hawaii.
I aggree with you Mapk96… well stated!
ditto
Not one? Really?
that might be a good thing!! if their heart is not for Hawaii, better to move on!! we need players who love Hawaii.
i wonder the family history of many of hawaii’s high school polynesions i.e., samoan,tongan.1st, 2nd generation, how much aloha do they really have for Hawaii. i bet many of them have more heart for their families home island if they are just 1st or 2nd generation. i always suspected this, compared to long time local families!
I”ll give you a example,
Feleti Alemui verbal to Vandy. How long has his family lived on Maui? is the afemui 3rd, 4th, 5th generation Maui family? I would be not! I am all for local kids making their own decision and I truly respect it, but since we are so far away, we really need kids who want to be here. good luck to afemui at Vandy!
how did that kid Auwae do at Vandy this year?
StarAdverstiser…please stop running those homegrown report!! the only people that care is the kids parents, so stop promoting kids who go away. We should focus all our attention on the kids who play sport for all Hawaii colleges!! let them get their own publicity at Vandy, or oregon, or calif or alabama. Please do not do followup on Tua at alabama, let alabama’s media handle that.
GO BOWS!! UH Warriors, PRIDE ROCK!!
I like that we’ve beat out Boise for a few recruits!
Always good to beat the donkeys.
Attn: Coach Rolo and Staff,
Please check out the all-everything player who might still be available: KJ Latu.