Grotts commits to Tulsa
After a successful official visit to Tulsa this weekend, Bixby (Okla.) defensive end Austin Grotts committed to the Golden Hurricane on Sunday morning.
"Ultimately, the thing that made me commit (to Tulsa) was the fact that I knew I would succeed in all aspects of life if I came here," Grotts told InsideTulsaSports.com. "Not only would I succeed on the football field but also in the classroom and as a man. The education TU offers far surpasses a lot of places and that was big for me.
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"There were a ton of factors that went with it though. The people that I met the past two days were awesome. I just see myself as a good fit here."
The official visit this weekend was just icing on the cake for Grotts.
"The visit went well, I had a great time," he said. "My host was Chandler Miller. We actually played together when I was a junior, so it was cool to meet up with him again. Basically, we just ate more food than we could handle and just hung out."
During his time on Tulsa's campus, the new Hurricane coaching staff made a big impression.
"They are awesome -- great group of guys that I'm going to love playing for," he described. "Coach (Philip) Montgomery and the new staff are going to turn this program around and make people in Tulsa excited for some Golden Hurricane football again."
The 6-foot-3, 265 pound lineman picked up the scholarship offer from Tulsa on Friday, January 9, just before he left for an official visit at Air Force, which had also extended an offer. Memphis has also been pushing him for an official visit, while Louisiana-Monroe and Arkansas State were also recruiting him.
Grotts had a breakout season as a senior, registering 72 tackles, 20 sacks and two forced fumbles in 13 games. He helped Bixby capture the 6AII state title. In the semifinals against Sand Springs, Grotts posted season highs of 10 tackles and 3.5 sacks to go along with two pass breakups and a blocked punt.
"It felt great (to win state) -- that's something you dream about as a kid growing up, and to actually get the chance to win one is an awesome feeling," he explained. "I couldn't have done everything I did though without the help of my teammates and coaches. Without them, I wouldn't be who I am today. They just elevated my game to a whole different level this past year.
"That's what happens when you're playing with people you care about and would do anything for. Overall, I was just proud of the adversity I overcame and the way I progressed as a player throughout my high school career."
Tulsa now has 12 commitments slated to sign in February. The Hurricane also has two mid-term enrollees: 2015 four-star quarterback Chad President and class of 2014 defensive back J.R. Reed.
Grotts is Tulsa's fourth commitment from the state of Oklahoma, joining Owasso DE Michael Anderson, Shawnee OL Tristan Wyatt and Spiro athlete McKinley Whitfield.
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