San Saba (TX) athlete Sean O’Keefe earned an offer from Tulsa coaches after working out at a TU summer camp, and the 6-foot-2 and 180-pounder committed to the Golden Hurricane the next day.

“Camp went well. It was well run, and the coaches are really involved, which you don’t see a lot,” he told Inside Tulsa Sports. “The facility looks brand new. I like it a lot.”

Playing in the small town of San Saba, with a population of just over 3,000 residents, O’Keefe had been overlooked by most college coaches. SMU and Incarnate Word were showing interest, but Tulsa coaches had a connection to the family.

“The coaching staff knows my family already,” said O’Keefe. “Coach (Joe) Gillespie actually coached my uncle back at Stephenville (Texas). I just waited for a team to finally pull the trigger, and Tulsa wanted me.”

Gillespie, Tulsa’s defensive coordinator and linebacker coach, played a major role in O’Keefe’s commitment.

“I got to hang with Coach Gillespie for a couple hours before the camp, and it was a good experience,” said O’Keefe.

As the top athlete on his team, O’Keefe starts at quarterback for the Armadillos, but Tulsa coaches are projecting him for the other side of the ball.

“I was recruited as a safety,” he said.