Getting a little lost in the noise of official visitors, new offers and commits was possibly the No. 1 OLB in the 2023 class visiting Nebraska this June.
Tausili Akana from Honolulu (Hawaii) Kamehameha was on campus checking out what Nebraska had to offer and also checking in on his sister who plays volleyball for the Huskers.
“I am in Utah now,” Akana said. “I was in Nebraska around the weekend of the 13th I think. There was a camp that was going on but I am not sure. I think so.
“I checked out the facilities, met all of the coaches, saw my sister and met some of the players. I can’t really remember the players’ names. I did meet Noa Pola-Gates. I met a few others but I don’t remember their names.”
Akana got some great face time with the Nebraska coaching staff especially Nebraska head coach Scott Frost. Frost had some great advice for the young linebacker.
“I think that I met all of the coaches and I got to meet with the head coach a little while which was very nice. He told me at the end of the day that I need to choose a place that’s like home to me.”
In addition to the advice was a conversation about where the Nebraska staff saw Akana playing for them in their defense.
“They talked to me about what they saw me playing,” Akana said. “They see me as an outside linebacker in their 3-4. That is the best spot for me too.”
The facilities and time with the Nebraska strength and conditioning coach really stood out to him about his visit to Lincoln.
“I didn’t really get told a lot about the new facilities. I really liked just walking down the halls that were like a hall of fame. You could really feel it like all of that history and everything behind it.
“I also like the weight room and got to meet with the strength coach. He told me about a typical day, the machines they use, the technology that they have and how they evaluate their body to better you.”
Tausili's sister, Keonilei Akana, originally signed with USC out of high school but got her release when there was a change with the head coach. It's worked out well for Akana who played last year as a true freshman.
“First of all she loves it,” Akana said. “She’s happy she went there. She told me that the biggest difference is the weather probably. Lincoln isn’t a big city and me coming from a small community is a lot like home I guess.”
It's years away but Akana already has an idea of what he is looking for in a college.
“A school that I really want to go to is like home. The coaches are good teachers. They can develop me on and off the field.”
Akana has seen a lot of the country so far this summer and there are plans to see some more. He won't be going back to Hawaii for another week or so.
“We have been all around the country,” Akana said. “We went to Texas, TCU, Texas A&M, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan State, Clemson, Wisconsin and then I went to Nebraska.
“I went to BYU and Utah since coming to Utah. I am going to Oregon and then after that we go to Washington. I go home the 30th of this month.”
The Huskers will likely get a chance to host Akana again in the future if he has his way. He would like to find a good weekend that might allow him to see his sister in action as well as the Huskers on the field.
“I would like to get back to Nebraska again hopefully on a weekend where I can see a football game and be able to see my sister play.”
