by Bill Seals
In a crowded pack of offer schools that includes several in the Power-5 ranks, a three-star safety in the Lone Star State said he has Iowa State out in front.
Houston Langham Creek junior Corien Azema said he’s hearing a lot from the Cyclones since picking up his offer last month and his strong relationship with Matt Campbell’s staff has made a huge impression.
“Iowa State is the top school right now,” said Azema, who also has P5 offers from the likes of Duke, Indiana, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska and Vanderbilt. “They’re my only Big 12 offer and I like what they’re doing over there. I obviously want to go play big-time football and play in big games, but I also like academics and want to have a good degree once I leave college.
“The coaching staff seems cool. (Scheelhaase) gives the impression that their coaching staff is not just 100 percent football and they care about you as an individual. All of those factors put them on top.”
ISU picked up its pursuit of Azema earlier this year when one of its newest staff members got in contact.
“At first, Coach Nate (Scheelhaase) had followed me on Twitter and he had DM’d me,” Azema said. “It was silent for a week or two and then he asked me to give him a call after track practice. I heard from him that they wanted to offer me. As of right now, it’s a consistent relationship and we’re texting every week to see how things are going. I really like them.”
In addition to coveting what the 5-foot-11, 180-pound defender brings to the field, the Cyclones think he would add several intangibles he would add to the mix.
“The main thing is, they like my leadership role because as a junior I was a captain of my football team,” Azema said. “They like how I excel in the classroom as well. They’re recruiting me to play strong safety. The coaches like my aggressiveness. They were counting how many helmets I popped off. That’s what they liked the most about my tape, but they also like that I can go high-point the football and can cover.”
Although he has yet to make an unofficial visit, saying he intends on traveling to Ames in the summer, Azema has a feel for how the program operates.
“I like the coaches and they seem like they’re caring people,” he said. “They text me and all that and send me things in the mail showing they’re invested in me. I’ve seen some spring practice videos and it seems like it’s a fun vibe. Everybody was in the locker room turning up and stuff like that. It seems like a fun place to be.
“I watched them when they upset Oklahoma. That shows they’re an up and coming program. Their best years are ahead of them and it seems like a fun program to be part of.”
In a crowded pack of offer schools that includes several in the Power-5 ranks, a three-star safety in the Lone Star State said he has Iowa State out in front.
Houston Langham Creek junior Corien Azema said he’s hearing a lot from the Cyclones since picking up his offer last month and his strong relationship with Matt Campbell’s staff has made a huge impression.
“Iowa State is the top school right now,” said Azema, who also has P5 offers from the likes of Duke, Indiana, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska and Vanderbilt. “They’re my only Big 12 offer and I like what they’re doing over there. I obviously want to go play big-time football and play in big games, but I also like academics and want to have a good degree once I leave college.
“The coaching staff seems cool. (Scheelhaase) gives the impression that their coaching staff is not just 100 percent football and they care about you as an individual. All of those factors put them on top.”
ISU picked up its pursuit of Azema earlier this year when one of its newest staff members got in contact.
“At first, Coach Nate (Scheelhaase) had followed me on Twitter and he had DM’d me,” Azema said. “It was silent for a week or two and then he asked me to give him a call after track practice. I heard from him that they wanted to offer me. As of right now, it’s a consistent relationship and we’re texting every week to see how things are going. I really like them.”
In addition to coveting what the 5-foot-11, 180-pound defender brings to the field, the Cyclones think he would add several intangibles he would add to the mix.
“The main thing is, they like my leadership role because as a junior I was a captain of my football team,” Azema said. “They like how I excel in the classroom as well. They’re recruiting me to play strong safety. The coaches like my aggressiveness. They were counting how many helmets I popped off. That’s what they liked the most about my tape, but they also like that I can go high-point the football and can cover.”
Although he has yet to make an unofficial visit, saying he intends on traveling to Ames in the summer, Azema has a feel for how the program operates.
“I like the coaches and they seem like they’re caring people,” he said. “They text me and all that and send me things in the mail showing they’re invested in me. I’ve seen some spring practice videos and it seems like it’s a fun vibe. Everybody was in the locker room turning up and stuff like that. It seems like a fun place to be.
“I watched them when they upset Oklahoma. That shows they’re an up and coming program. Their best years are ahead of them and it seems like a fun program to be part of.”
