RECRUITING: Foothill’s Afoa accepts UNLV offer

Connor Afoa thought his dreams of playing college football might have been dashed when he suffered a severe left knee injury in the fall.

But the Foothill High School linebacker landed a scholarship offer from UNLV on Monday, and he immediately made an oral commitment to the Rebels.

Afoa is thought to be UNLV’s first local commitment heading into signing day Wednesday. The Rebels signed eight locals last year.

“They’re really turning it around coaching-wise,” Afoa said. “Me and my mom were very pleased with the way they approached us and talked to us the whole time.”

Afoa had surgery in November to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

“Being through all of it, the knee surgery, now I’ve got (a scholarship),” said Afoa, who previously had an offer from Utah State. “It’s just lifted the entire world off my shoulders. I couldn’t be happier right now.”

Afoa played running back and safety at Foothill but will start out at linebacker with UNLV. Foothill coach Martin Redmond said it should be an easy transition.

“Defensively, he was like our quarterback out there,” Redmond said. “His football IQ is incredible, top-notch.”

Afoa was a first-team All-Southeast League running back as a senior. He carried 47 times for 524 yards and eight touchdowns before suffering the injury to help Foothill to a 10-2 season.

“I’m really happy for him. He’s worked awfully hard,” Redmond said. “A lot of kids can’t bounce back from that kind of an injury.”

NOTE — Arizona Western College sophomore running back Reggie Bullock, a former Las Vegas High star, has committed to East Carolina, Arizona Western coach Tom Minnick said. Bullock was named the National Junior College Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Year in 2010.