'I have a home finally': Salpointe Catholic star Keona Wilhite talks signing with Nebraska, recruitment

Keona Wilhite could probably count on two hands the number of times he witnessed snow. Snow? In Tucson? That’s most likely at the peak of the Santa Catalina Mountains during the heart of winter.

Before Wilhite, a star defensive end at Salpointe Catholic, signed with the Nebraska Cornhuskers during National Signing Day last Wednesday, he took an official visit to Nebraska in January.

“It was great actually. There was a lot of snow,” Wilhite said. “It was kind of cold, but I love it because I haven’t seen that much of it. ... My family and I had a snowball fight.”

Despite the “three to four inches” of snow, Nebraska shoveled it off of the midfield logo for Wilhite to take a photo in a Cornhusker uniform.

Less than a month later, Wilhite inked with the Cornhuskers’ 2024 recruiting class.

Nebraska wasn’t initially Wilhite’s Plan A.

The 6-5, 245-pound Wilhite was previously committed to Arizona in the summer, along with Salpointe teammate and five-star edge rusher Elijah Rushing, but both decommitted from the UA in October; Rushing signed with Oregon. Wilhite signed with Washington in December, but was granted release from his national letter of intent after head coach Kalen DeBoer left to take the same role at Alabama.

After interest from Michigan State and UCLA, Wilhite landed on Nebraska. Wilhite will enroll in the summer and study architecture.

“To be signing with Nebraska is kind of an honor, knowing the great history there and how they were such a powerhouse back in the day,” Wilhite said. “To finally be signing, it’s a big relief because I’m finished with the recruiting process. I have a home finally.”

Wilhite joined “Spears and Ali” on ESPN Tucson Thursday morning to talk about choosing Nebraska and the roller coaster experience in his recruitment. Here’s what he said:

Why did you choose Nebraska?

“I chose Nebraska because they play freshmen, but the freshmen are All-Americans and there’s a lot of Academic All-Americans, too.”

How was your official visit in January?

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

A: “It was awesome. Lincoln has a lot of history in it. All the train stations and old buildings, it was awesome. Just talking with the coaches, it was great, too. I got see ‘Hudl’ (headquarters) over there, which I was not expecting. That was awesome.”

What jumps out to you when you talk to Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule?

A: “That he’s very committed to the program. He’s building a new facility that’s all updated with recovery stuff, which I really like. He’s a defensive guy, which is awesome, too.”

Of course, the position coach is essential in the recruiting process, so what stands out to you regarding Nebraska defensive line coach Terrance Knighton?

A: “We have a lot of communication. The kind of coach he is, he’s very interactive with his players. He’s more than a coach. He’s like a friend or an uncle almost. Just how he interacts with players, he’s always making jokes, keeping them uplifted and never really being negative towards them. He’ll tell you what you’re doing wrong, but wants you to improve rather than bash you.”

How was the experience when you were released from your NLI and you decided to go through the recruiting process all over again?

A: “At first it was a little stressful because I didn’t know what I was going to do. I thought I was in a bad spot, but then I started getting contacted by all these other schools, like Michigan State, UCLA and Nebraska, so that gave me a little bit of hope. I went on a visit to Michigan State, that was my first one. That visit was awesome. It was snowy, really cold, but I loved it though. Talking with the Michigan State coaches, I learned about the defense. I got to reconnect with the staff from Oregon State, which was nice. Then, at Nebraska, I spoke to the coaches again, learned a lot about their defense and from then on, I just compared the two schools to see which one really fits me best.”

Between committing and decommitting from Arizona, signing with Washington and then ultimately landing at Nebraska, what did the last year teach you?

A: “It’s a crazy business, that’s what I learned. Coaches won’t be there long, so you have to commit to the school instead of the people. That’s what I learned, it’s very unpredictable.”

Have you had a chance to see Nebraska play a home game at Memorial Stadium?

A: “I did have a chance to take an official but I never went to a game. I’m expecting to see a lot of red in the stadium. They’re at 396 consecutive sold-out games.”

Now that you’re leaving Tucson, how do you look back on your time growing up in the Old Pueblo?

A: “The city means a lot, especially all of the people that I’ve met and helped me through the process. It means a lot and has a place in my heart, really. My childhood here was good.”