2025 San Diego (Calif.) Lincoln quarterback quarterback Akili Smith Jr. discusses his commitment to the Oregon Ducks.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 >> Max Torres with Ducks Digest here in San Diego, California at Lincoln High
00:05 School, talking with 2025 Oregon quarterback commit Akeely Smith Jr.
00:10 Akeely, you recently made your pledge to the Ducks and man,
00:14 how does it feel to make that decision and why was it Oregon?
00:18 >> It feels great, honestly.
00:20 I feel like it was Oregon because of just my family background.
00:23 Not only that, but my own decision too with the coaches.
00:27 The coaches staff always on me about Oregon and how great it is.
00:31 And then once I went out there again to see it again,
00:34 it was just an amazing experience to be out there, see the coaches and
00:38 see all the future players and everything.
00:41 So it was just a great experience overall.
00:43 And my dad, he's always had me in Oregon gear,
00:46 always watching the Oregon games and everything.
00:48 So that was a little bit of a factor, but yeah, it's 100% my decision.
00:55 I'm just happy that I made the decision as early to get ready to build this 2025
00:59 class strong, so.
01:01 >> Big news coming down yesterday, Oregon's heading to the Big Ten.
01:05 You're the first recruit I'm gonna ask, what's your reaction to the news?
01:08 >> I feel like we can play with anybody.
01:11 I feel like this is gonna be a big move, a good move too.
01:14 We're gonna have a lot of competition in Michigan, Ohio State, and
01:17 Rochdale, all those teams up there.
01:20 So it's gonna be good competition, but I think we can hang with the best.
01:24 It's gonna be pretty fun to see how we do.
01:26 >> And then you transferred into Lincoln ahead of your junior year.
01:30 I'm gonna get a look at the squad today, but just some of your thoughts on kind of
01:34 what's ahead for you guys and this team you guys are working with.
01:37 >> I feel like, well, they won state championship last year, so
01:40 I feel like we can repeat.
01:41 We have a good squad, a big young squad, a lot of juniors, junior heavy.
01:45 We have a couple seniors out here too that are really good.
01:48 So we're gonna have a good squad.
01:49 I think we can go back to back this year.
01:52 So it's looking good for us.
01:55 >> All right, and then last one I had for you.
01:57 What do you want people to know about Achilles Smith Jr.
02:00 And kind of what you bring to the table as a quarterback?
02:02 >> I'm just a really hard worker and I'm gonna show how much my work is gonna pay
02:07 off, so it's just time it's taking for me.
02:11 So once I get there, it's just gonna be the same thing, put my head down, work,
02:15 and then hopefully get to where I wanna be in the future.
02:18 >> All right, thanks for the time.
02:19 >> Yes, sir.