Everetts Decision is a Ticking Clock

With his official visits in the rear view mirror Woodland Hills (Calif.) Pierce C.C. cornerback Kasseim Everett finds himself in a two-horse race for his services.

If it was a real horse race this would be the cue for Dave Johnson's famed, "and down the stretch they come" call.

"(Oklahoma and Texas Tech) these two schools have a lot to offer and I think I'm going to need a little more time. I know coach (Tommy) Tubberville is coming next week to my school to talk and I think coach Bob Stoops is going to come next week so man I think I'm going to just carry it out until then," said Everett.

"It's just getting bigger each week. At first I had the position coach with coach (Willie) Martinez then this week I had the coordinator with coach Brent Venables and now they are bringing the head guys out so this is serious and I think it's something that I think I'm going to wait out and see what these coaches have to say."

"(Oklahoma) said the 3-4 was already in their defense and they said they run a lot of schemes. They said sometimes they switch it up from a 3-4 to a 4-3 to a 5-2. (Venables) said they do all kinds of schemes and that would be great if I came in during the spring time and pick up all that new information so we went over it and just how physical I am. They need a physical player playing the boundary corner to match up with the best receiver."

Following 'in-home' visits from both the Oklahoma and Texas Tech coaching staff last week the 5-foot-11, 185-pound JUCO talent now sees his recruiting process entering the fourth quarter of a tie ballgame.

"Yes we had a good conversation. This time I was hearing from the defensive coordinator (Venables) which was a little different and it held more value. It was actually at school we didn't have a chance to go to my house but we sat down at school and he laid it out for me again," said Everett of the Sooners defensive coordinator visit to the west coast.

"Coach Martinez went to Philly and sat down with my Dad and I hear that went well and Coach Stoops couldn't make it but I think he's going to come into town next week. But my Dad and Martinez had a very good conversation from what I've heard with my father."

"They want me to play boundary corner. They want me and (Pierce teammate) (Gerald) Bowman to be those guys that come in and kind of shape up things in their secondary."

And while the thought of continuing his playing career playing alongside friend, teammate, and roommate Gerald Bowman sounds nice.

It's not the end all, be all.

"With him (Bowman) being my roommate sure we sit down and have conversations about recruiting and the process. Not every night but occasionally we sit down and talk recruitment because it's a process and we kind of use each other to get through it. We definitely throw some ideas out back and forth from time to time when things get rough," said Everett.

"It would be nice if we played together but that is not what I'm deciding or basing my decision around. If we are to or not go to the same school it's just coincidentally that we both like the same schools and we both have good opportunities and situations and that's just the way it happened."

"It's not considered a package deal."

Aiding the Sooner coaching staff in recent weeks on the recruiting scene has been- perhaps- the Sooner's two most recognizable players via the social media outlet, Twitter.

"Yeah meeting Tony (Jefferson) and Kenny (Stills) we had a good time while I was there they really showed me around and they are very down to Earth players and that carried over outside of my visit and has developed into a small relationship that is only getting better," said Everett.

"But like I said- again- it's not what I'm basing my decision off of but it's always a plus. A big plus."

An extra recruiting pitch made by two-thirds of the Sooners 'Cali Trio' that is rivaled by an impressive showing from Texas Tech during Everett's official visit two weeks ago.

"Texas Tech did it their own way they actually made a statement and they definitely showed that they compared to Oklahoma. They might not be able to compare in tradition but they definitely had a lot of other things that they compared to," said Everett of his Dec. 3 visit to Lubbock.

"Their rule isn't boundary corner thy just have a left and a right corner but they definitely see me as that No. 1 guy and it's basically the same rule but it holds a little more weight because how their secondary is now and how their secondary hurt them this past season so it was a little more weight to them because they really need a guy to basically pick up their secondary and their secondary something to deal with."

"What appeals to me (there) is that I can help and shape up and actually bring in more recruits to the secondary because Texas Tech isn't really known for their defense and kind of quarterback the secondary."

Two different recruiting pitches made by two different schools with the exact same need which makes for a very difficult decision.

"Man I actually thought it would be easier than what it is. In my mind I thought it would be easier than what it is but I'm glad that these two visits were back to back and these two visits were my last two visits because the two schools are what it's going to come down to," says Everett.

And down the stretch they come.