Adrian Holley had seen enough. The Indiana native was ready to shut down his recruitment and become a Jayhawk. After spending a few hours around the Kansas football coaching staff and exploring Lawrence, Holley felt confident in his decision to commit.
During a dinner with official visitors, current players, and coaches on Friday night, Holley seized the moment to make his announcement. As the group went around the table introducing themselves, Holley stood up and made his declaration.
“I got to announce my family, and then myself, and then the position I am,” Holley said. “I said I’d like to announce my commitment to the University of Kansas. And then the place roared. It was crazy. I was nervous a little bit, a little shaky. But it was beautiful, it was crazy.”
The three-star defensive end prospect made his commitment public via social media on Saturday afternoon. Holley told Phog.net that he had felt like a Jayhawk for some time.
“I feel like I’ve known for a couple of months,” Holley said. “But that moment when I came here, it was overwhelming for a second. It’s a hard feeling to explain, but it’s an amazing feeling being here overall.”
Holley said one of his favorite parts about Friday was meeting the entire staff face-to-face. Over the last few months, he had gotten to know defensive line coach Jim Panagos, defensive coordinator Taiwo Onatolu, and head coach Lance Leipold. While he had a face-to-face relationship with Panagos, his interactions with Onatolu and Leipold had been over the phone.
Jesus Christ is Lord. #Committed #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/7lpquGBVyr
— Adrian Holley (@AdrianHolley88) June 16, 2024
On Friday afternoon, the recruits on campus met with the coaches for lunch. It was during this time that Holley finally got to put a face to a voice. As his final decision loomed, he emphasized that relationships were a huge factor in his commitment.
“The people,” Holley said. “Coach Leipold, Coach Panagos, Coach O, these guys know what they’re doing. And more than that, they’re just great men overall. And then also seeing the writing on the wall, how the uptick in Kansas football has been. In 2020, 0-9, but now 9-4, and it’s a complete transition and the flip around. There’s so much for Kansas football in the future, and to be able to be blessed with the opportunity to come here, I feel like I’d do myself a disservice not coming to Kansas.”
Holley’s official visit was his first trip to Lawrence, and he was impressed with the campus and the buildings where he’ll be spending a lot of time.
“I loved it,” Holley said. “The landscape of Lawrence is beautiful, and then also the buildings, the academics, everything. It really is a place where I want to be for the next three to five years of my life. It’s beautiful, man, and I absolutely adore it. Every single building I’ve seen, I love it, and I love the history behind it.”
Holley’s host for the weekend was quarterback Ben Easters. Despite playing different positions, Holley found common ground with Easters.
“I love hanging out with that guy, he’s really cool. He’s also faith-based and just relatable because he’s from Indiana also,” Holley said. “Because being from Indiana, that’s the biggest thing for me, that adjustment period. Because everything has an adjustment period. I asked how was it for him? And he said it was pretty similar to Indiana and he’s been here for four years now. But Indiana and Kansas, to him, isn’t different and I now see why he said that.”
Holley is set to finish his official visit to KU on Sunday and return home to Michigan City. With his recruitment now closed, the future Jayhawk is excited about the next chapter in his football career.
