Liberty’s Ethan Dedeaux, 2, secures a long pass for a touchdown over Centennial’s Demetrius Goodman, 1, during first half play of their high school football game on Friday, September 18, 2015.
Sunday, June 26, 2016 | 9:46 p.m.
When Ethan Dedeaux and his family left an unofficial recruiting visit this weekend at San Diego State, the senior wide receiver and defensive back from Liberty High had made up his mind: He would verbally commit to the Aztecs.
“I have never felt so at home, and so comfortable with the coaching staff,” Dedeaux wrote on Twitter.
Dedeaux, who next fall will be a four-year starter, isn’t the first from Southern Nevada to find a fit at San Diego State.
There were five locals on the San Diego State roster last season and three coaches with direct ties to the area, including second-year wide receivers coach Hunkie Cooper. Cooper, the former Canyon Springs coach, and ex-UNLV coach Jeff Horton directly recruited Dedeaux.
San Diego State won the Mountain West championship last season behind its star running back — Canyon Springs’ Donnel Pumphrey, who should will surpass Marshall Faulk in the fall as the program’s all-time leader rusher.
Like Pumphrey when he dominated the local gridiron, the 5-foot-9 Dedeaux is one of Southern Nevada’s finest.
He caught 37 passes for 809 yards and 11 touchdowns to help Liberty advance to the state championship game, where he had three touchdowns against eventual mythical national champion Bishop Gorman. On defense, he had five interceptions.
Dedeaux, a consensus three-star recruit, also had scholarship offers from UNLV, Hawaii and Idaho.
Verbal commitments are non-binding until national signing day in February 2017. Until then, athletes can still be recruited by other schools. For instance, Centennial quarterback Jamaal Evans committed to UNR in the spring, but decommitted today.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
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