From Deseret News archives:
High school football: Bingham's Filiaga thankful for recruiting attention
But whenever that happens, it doesn't take long for the 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker to step back and realize how thankful he is to be receiving the attention.
"Sometimes you'll get tired of it, but in a way you still like it, because for me it motivates me to keep going," Filiaga said. "It makes me know I'm on the right track for where I want to go."
Following what he hopes will be a stellar senior season at Bingham High, Filiaga knows what he wants to do play college football but where he'll go to do that remains an unknown.
He has scholarship offers from BYU, Utah, Stanford, Arizona, UNLV and Washington, and defending national champion LSU recently started showing interest.
However, Filiaga says he won't make a decision on his future until after he takes his recruiting trips following his senior season, and for now, he's just concentrating on trying to make sure he has the type of season that he enjoyed one year ago.
Filiaga showed up at Bingham High just weeks before last season, and coach Dave Peck and his staff have been reaping the benefits of his presence ever since.
His dad wanted to him experience life on the islands, but after participating in spring ball at Kahuku High, he moved back to Utah. And after his family moved north because of a job opportunity that his mother, Tiana, received, Filiaga landed at Bingham. Peck said he hadn't heard of Filiaga before he showed up in his office last summer, but it didn't take him long to figure out what he had on his hands.
"First couple games of the year he was in a rotation with some of the other kids," said Peck, "but by the end of the year he didn't come out much."
Since then, Filiaga, whom Peck describes as the best linebacker in the state, has drawn considerable interest from collegiate programs around the country.
Filiaga is the latest in a long line of Bingham players to be heavily recruited. How does Peck counsel his guys about being recruited, both the high-profile ones like Filiaga and the lesser-known ones?
Recent comments
Ay shout out to Lt sole uso this is one of your lil cousins from alta...
Sole Faamalosi li uso | Nov. 26, 2008 at 12:21 p.m.
L.T. YOU LIGHT UP THAT FIELD EVERY TIME YOU STEP ON IT!! WHAT AN...
ENERGIZER!! | Sept. 7, 2008 at 8:24 a.m.
L.T. we have watched you grow from a little un-coordinated, little...
What a STUD!! | Sept. 4, 2008 at 6:39 p.m.
- Gas prices remain near 2009 high 2:19 p.m.
- Man arrested in '03 kidnapping 2:18 p.m.
- Jackson's sister blames doctor 2:17 p.m.
- Jackson doctor avoids jail 2:17 p.m.
- Red Cross sells pieces of history 2:16 p.m.
- Plain says she prays for Levi 2:15 p.m.
- Uninsured more likely to die in E.R. 2:14 p.m.
- 'Idol' winner Allen remains humble 2:14 p.m.
- New Leona Lewis CD echos growth 2:13 p.m.
- 2 stranded hikers rescued 2:00 p.m.
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- Wounded Utes limp home
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
- Big games keep UHSAA coffers full
- Win in New Mexico good for Y?
- RSL surprised by Chicago's Fire
- Bennett at center of GOP storm
- TCU creams U.
233 - BYU happy to escape with victory
232 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
216 - Will state consider gay rights law?
156 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
131 - RSL heads to MLS title game
131 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
112 - Celtics crush Jazz
104 - 5A: Bingham rolls to title game
93
This sums up the Cougars this year for me: They are a Jekyll and Hyde...
Starting defensive end Derrick Shelby, a sophomore, will miss the rest...
Wow, I am curious if you actually believe what your saying or if your just a...
"The Fact is, they were Progressive, Against the Status Quo,...
"Jacob Baker" 1:39 p.m...........Wow, you must not have heard of too many...
Thank you anonymous for finally putting my thoughts into words. All of you...
This was the decent thing to do. Thank you for sparing Elizabeth and her...
I repeat where is your evidence? empty rhetoric is not going to cut it.
Is someone having a little too much "oregano" on the all-natural brownies?
The UTES get spanked by TCU, drop below BYU in the polls, and yet they're...
I enjoy the outdoors. I'm in my late 40s and in better shape than most men...
Utah goes to the Las Vegas bowl on off years, BYU goes there on good years.

