This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Timpview safety Keenan Pili tweeted his intentions to join his brother and BYU linebacker Trajan Pili (currently serving a two-year LDS Church mission) by committing to the Cougars on Saturday evening.
"After a lot of thought and prayer I'm excited to say I've verbally committed to continue my football and educational career at Brigham Young University!" tweeted the younger Pili, who tallied 63 tackles and two interceptions in 2014. "I'd like to thank all of the coaches and programs for the opportunities that were extended to me and for their belief in me as a player. GO COUGS!!!"
Pili (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) is considered a three-star prospect with the ability to play safety and outside linebacker. He had offers from California, Hawaii, Nevada, UNLV, Utah, Utah State, Vanderbilt, Washington State and Wyoming in addition to BYU.
An aggressive, physical player, Pili isn't afraid to tangle in the action and deliver blows on crossing routes, and his closing speed allows him to effectively contribute to stopping the run, but his main strength is in coverage. He rarely appeared out of position in 2014, correlating to numerous pass breakups and interceptions. Pili's partner at Timpview, Will Watanabe, combine to form arguably the best safety duo in the state.
Timpview, which is attempting to win its fourth consecutive Class 4A championship, opens the 2015 campaign at West on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m.
Twitter: @trevorphibbs