Editor’s note: Montana State welcomed nine high school prospects to campus the final recruiting weekend of the winter the last weekend of January 2018. Eight of those recruits ended up signing National Letters of Intent with MSU the first week of February.
In the coming weeks, Skyline Sports will print a series of stories about each of those commitments to Montana State. This is the fifth installment of that series featuring Los Angeles 2-star wide receiver Koby Duru.
PART I: Montana State’s loyalty helps Bobcats land Eastside Catholic star Putney
PART II: Washington Gatorade Player of the Year Ifanse eventually chooses Montana State
PART III: Garfield WR Metcalf comes to Montana State brimming with confidence
PART IV: Montana State eventually wins out for Aledo, Texas DT Williams
Koby Duru earned a two-star recruiting rating during his time as a high school standout in Los Angeles. But you’d never know it by looking at his Twitter account.
Duru fielded offers from around the FCS, including landing scholarship opportunities in state at Cal Poly and Sacramento State plus throughout the Big Sky with Montana State, Southern Utah and Portland State vying for the 6-foot-3, 185-pound outside receiver’s skills. But you’d never be able to tell that level of interest by scrolling through his personal Internet profiles.
The Diamond Bar, California native spent his last two years of high school at LA County’s largest private school, Bishop Amat Memorial, a co-ed Catholic school of 1,520 students in the San Gabriel Valley 20 miles East of the city. Montana State first reached out to the prospect in October, first offered him in November and Duru first committed to former Bobcats’ running backs coach Michael Pitre on December 3. But Duru wasn’t about to announce his decision to the world on social media.
“I didn’t want to make it too public because it was already stressful,” the thoughtful Duru said in a phone interview the final week of June. “Some of the schools who were recruiting who had thrown offers at me, they were like, ‘Why aren’t you posting your commitment?’, pressing me about that. I was playing the recruiting process a little slow and a little quiet because it’s a lot to go through in your head.”
Although Duru fielded a total of seven offers, including from East Coast FCS competitor Fordham, he kept everything close to the vest. In an age where blowout picture collages accompanied by enthusiastic yet mind-numbingly boilerplate messages posted on Twitter are the norm for high school recruits when receiving college offers, Duru instead chose to navigate the process in private.
During his official visit to Montana State on January 20, he shared that he had been a soft and silent commit to the ‘Cats for more than a month with a collection of fellow recruits, including eventual signees Malik Putney, Isaiah Ifanse and Mekhi Metcalf. Like the trio of highly-regarded prep stars from Seattle, Duru decided to keep his commitment to himself until National Signing Day February 7.
“I was like a cold commit because I hadn’t visited the school but once I visited the school, it became a solid commit,” Duru said. “
“What really sealed my decision was the team as it is. They are super cohesive. Everyone is one. The other schools, they will branch off into groups. The kids from California will hang out together, the kids from Seattle will hang out together. But on my visit to Montana State, the Cali kids were hanging out with the Montana kids, the Montana kid were hanging out with the Seattle kids, the Texas kids are hanging out with the kids from Montana.”
The prospect himself was a secret on the recruiting scene until his senior year. Duru transferred to Bishop Amat before his junior year but was forced to sit out until the last month of the 2016 season. That hindered the FBS attention the long, strong receiver hoped to receive. Duru’s recruiting process, both from Montana State and from his other FCS suitors, did not pick up steam until his senior year.
“They were kind of playing the waiting game with me, trying to evaluate me and see if I was the right guy and build a relationship,” Duru said. “Coach Pitre, when he was still the running backs coach at Montana State, came down to my school and offer me. From then on, they were on me.”
Montana State offered Duru first. Cal Poly came to the table next, beating Southern Utah to the bidding war. Duru calls his offers from Portland State and Sac State “semi-offers” that weren’t ever totally solid.
Duru, his mom and his sister visited San Luis Obispo to check out all Cal Poly has to offer the week before Duru came to Montana State on his official visit.
“My mom wanted me to go to Cal Poly,” Duru said. “I took the visit two weeks before and my mom and sister were like, ‘We love San Luis Obispo. What do you think of it, Koby?’ And I was just like, ‘I don’t really like it.’ It didn’t really sit well. Nothing against them, nothing against Cal Poly SLO. But I just didn’t get the right vibe.
“When I went up to Montana, they thought I wasn’t going to like it. I went up there and I loved it. They were all confused because a kid from Southern California…I’m a big SoCal dude. I am getting home sick and I haven’t even left here. But my family, they know that, they know this is my home, there’s nothing else like it and my love for it but they didn’t think I would like Montana State like I did. My family knows though that if I like it, they will learn to like it.”
During the initial visit to Bozeman, Duru and his fellow recruits were in town to attend the Cat-Griz men’s basketball game. Duru remembers “seeing five-year-old kids talking trash to the U of M players. That left an impression.”
Duru also felt comfortable in a community he felt “was even more cohesive than the players.” He enjoyed the Gallatin Valley and exploring the campus. He wants to someday become a sports broadcaster so he will major in film at Montana State. Duru has already reported to MSU and began his first summer class on July 9.
Along with Metcalf, Duru is a young skill player who might threaten to crack into the starting lineup this fall. Duru said he’s been texting with MSU wide receivers coach Matt Miller, a former Boise State standout who was one of the best prep athletes in Montana history during his time at Helena Capital. Duru said Miller is always telling his future player that he is going to dunk on him when they play pickup hoops. Duru doesn’t believe the former NFL hopeful.
When told about Miller’s high school exploits, Duru said, “That’s what they all say, but guess what? I’m better than them,” with a laugh.
That confidence seems to be ever-present when Duru speaks thoughtfully. When asked about transitioning to college and his immediate goals, he is very candid.
“What I’m most excited for is stepping on the field Game 1,” Duru said. “I’m way super excited Game 1 against Western Illinois. That means a lot to me because I get to compete. I’m positive I’m not redshirting. I’m going to be playing a true so I’m very excited to be stepping on the field.”
Although he’s confident in his ability to contribute instantly, Duru is more demure when asked about his new opportunity. He is excited to get to work with the Bobcats.
“This means a lot to me because I know how far I came,” Duru said. “I went through a lot in high school so this is very humbling to get to this position and get this chance.”
Photos contributed by Duru family. All Rights Reserved.
