No. 16 recruit Arik Armstead commits to Oregon

SACRAMENTO, Ca. – Arik Armstead had seemingly every name football powerhouse program clamoring for him, and what’s not to like about a shadow-casting, field-tilting 6-foot-8, 295-pound rush specialist?

The Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove, Calif.) All-American defensive end on Sunday decided that the West Coast was the best look and feel, and so he picked the Oregon Ducks as his scholarship destination in an announcement in front of a full house at The House Christian Church in Sacramento.

The place erupted in cheers as Armstead placed a Ducks hat on his head, not because Ducks fans descended upon Sacramento with early knowledge of his decision but because his friends, family, coaches and teammates were elated by the joy in his face. They also know how much he agonized in recent weeks of this decision.

He had gone from a USC verbal commitment, to opening up the recruiting mania all over again, to taking trips to Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, Cal and Oregon with trips elsewhere on unofficial visits. Then he was set on Cal as recently as Jan. 14, before Tosh Lupoi left as the Cal defensive line coach and bolted for Washington for the same position, so the chaos started all over again.

In the last week, Armstead had a host of home visits with college programs, from Lane Kiffin of USC to Jeff Tedford of Cal and then the decisive Chip Kelly of Oregon.

“I’m really happy about this,” Armstead said. “I’m ready for Oregon.”

And Oregon is ready for him.

Armstead was a dominant two-way lineman for Pleasant Grove, which entered the 2011 season nationally ranked No. 9 by MaxPreps and went 12-2. Armstead was on the recruiting radar by his sophomore season in high school and then dominated that radar as a top prospect this past season.

He emerged as the Sacramento-region’s most intensely recruited football prospect ever, certainly since Kevin Willhite of Cordova High School in 1982 when he the tailback announced he would go to Oregon.

A generation later, another Ducks home run splash.

Armstead said he appreciated the candor and wit of Kelly, who even told Armstead that he could not promise that he would coach in Eugene long term as he nearly accepted the Tampa Bay NFL job.

Armstead's signing will no doubt lift Oregon from its current No. 22 recruiting ranking. He's the first Top 100 national recruit to commit to the Ducks.

“Coach Kelly was honest and I liked that,” Armstead said. “He didn’t do any negative recruiting. So many coaches do that. I really think I fit well with Oregon. If don’t make it in the NFL or the NBA – or both – I can always fall back on a marketing degree.”

{VIDEO_5483ead9-a7f9-4f90-bc03-d19cbcf16d1c,floatLeftWithBar}When Armstead said in front of the crowd the NFL/NBA part, there was a roar of laughter.

Such is the affable nature of Armstead, who is known for his humor as much as his dominant football ways.

Armstead said he also fully plans to play basketball at Oregon.

Can a body take that sort of toll? Consider Armstead played most of this past season with a strained rotator cuff that was tender to the touch.

“I can do it,” Armstead said. “I’m used to playing both sports and I love both sports.”

Right now, the Ducks love just having the big kid in their green and gold colors.

Joe Davidson has covered prep sports at The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: sb_joedavidson