Marin Catholic DL Jamar Sekona on Visit, Cal Offer, Changing Schools
The class of 2020 out west is loaded with a number of prospects who can make an impact, which is why Cal has been putting out a number of offers to that group. Locking down the area early is important, and they've been working on Marin Catholic (Kentfield,CA) defensive lineman Jamar Sekona in that regard. Sekona, a 6'4", 295 mauler of a defensive lineman, received a Cal offer Tuesday during his visit to Berkeley. The Cal staff talking to him (DL coach Tony Tuioti, GA Matt McFadden, and Director of Recruiting Hank Weinberger), have been looking at him since last summer, leading to the offer being extended now.
"It went really well," Sekona said,"I got to meet some of the new staff I hadn't met before, and I got to see some of the familiar faces I met at the camp last summer. I was getting familiar after the season, talking to them, (they were) asking if I can swing by for a couple spring practices, seeing how Cal works and everything. From there we've just been talking a little bit, I told them I wanted to come check it out, I'm on spring break right now, from there, it was really nice."
The offer was well received, considering Sekona is more than willing to stay in California.
"It felt amazing," Sekona noted about getting the offer, "it was a great thing, I had two before this one, but Cal's always been close to home, California is somewhere I love. I grew up watching football and Cal football has always been up there, it was just amazing to hear that."
Sekona, who the Bears offered as a defensive lineman, not a specific spot, is already big enough to grow into playing nose guard, but has the ability to play 3-4 DE and DT in the 4-2-5 as well. He started his football career down the 101 from Marin Catholic as a freshman at Tam High School (in Mill Valley), but since he made the move to the private school in Kentfield, he's credited head coach Mazi Moayed (who coached former Cal QB Jared Goff) for making the transition easier.
"I started freshman year, but I played elsewhere," Sekona said, "Tamalpais. The transition was different with a new coach and everything, but it's been going great. Not only has (Coach Moayed) been helping me with football and what I need to do to be better for the next level, and also academics, he's definitely helped me more with life, setting up a plan, when to use my time and when to take things serious. With football and school, he taught me how to treat it like business and how to really use my time wisely. Other than that, he's been a great coach in helping me along this way."
The school side of things is something that Cal emphasized as they went around during the visit.
"Besides the coaches, it was a warm feeling," Sekona noted about what he liked, "it made me feel really good. Their academic advisors, it was really good, they're giving me a background of what they're good at, and what they can help me with."
Like other local prospects, the Cal staff has given Sekona the 'open door policy,' to drop by whenever, and see how they operate.
"They did tell me to come check out a spring practice whenever I'm available" Sekona said, "I do plan to check it out, this summer or maybe this spring, I'm not too far from it."
As far as what he'd want in a school, Sekona was specific.
"I have three top things ,"Sekona said, "With coach Maz, I have such a good connection with him, and I noticed this year (in college football), a lot of coaches left and new ones came, the biggest thing for me is my relationship with a coach, and how much we can build off of that, not only through football and school, but just in general, have a good relationship with my head coach, position coach, the staff. Just having that foundation makes it feel like a stronger team and a stronger unit. Second, I would definitely, for football, since it's something I love a lot, I would say football history. I would love to go to a school that has a history that not only sends kids to the NFL, but a strong background that helps them with football, but more in life. Just hearing a lot of their history and their graduation rates of football players is amazing to hear. The third biggest thing is education, I do want another life after football if everything goes well, it's good to have something to lean on, something there that'd be great with me."
As far as a relationship with a head coach, Sekona got to meet Justin Wilcox in an official capacity this time.
"I did, I got to speak to him for a moment," Sekona said, "that was the first time I actually met him. I'd met him at the camp, but I wasn't formally introduced. Heard a little bit about where he's coached and how they're going to be now. I know he's a new coach, he's getting ready for next year, I think it's going to be a great year for them, everything's starting to settle, he's a great guy, sounds like a really good coach and it went well (Tuesday)."
Sekona is one of the top prospects in the Bay Area in the 2020 class, and Cal's going to focus on him moving forward.