While I was walking around the Lobo 7 on 7 and
Inside the
Trenches Camp, a few people told Rudy C and myself to go check out the
Rio
Rancho O-lineman that is working out he is pretty good and a young guy.
I knew
Matt Ramondo was out there as well, so Rudy and I headed out there.
Immediately Mayfield’s Matt Ramondo caught my eye.
The dude
is a monster and just getting better every time I see him. Obviously he
has
been ‘doing work’ all summer long.
“I’m here,” says the 6’4 272 Ramondo. “I just got
back from
Arizona, where I was named the MVP at the D-line, I’ll probably hit
NMSU’s camp
and the Top 100 later this summer.”
Ramondo
told me he wasn’t planning on making a decision any
time soon as he would like to weigh his options. This is his second
time to UNM
in as many months, so I asked him what is it about UNM? “I really like
the
coaches,” says Ramondo. “Who wouldn’t want to take the opportunity to
work with
Coach (Rubin) Carter? The guy is a legend.”
Obviously the hard work is paying off as Ramondo
has offers
from New Mexico, NMSU, Michigan State, and recently Arizona.
Perhaps the work with Coach Carter is rubbing off
as Ramondo
was working and coaching a big kid in Rio Rancho helmet and jersey…
Rudy C says, “That
has to be the guy those other dudes were telling us about.”
Alex Avilutan
We just watched the kid who is his entire 6’6”
270lb frame.
The next thing I noticed is the dude has some of the longest arms I’ve
seen.
“That has to be the guy,” said Rudy C. Something seemed weird though.
Matt
Ramondo had his coaching hat on as he was showing the kid all kinds of
defensive technique and the young man was really attentive trying to
soak it
all in.
Physically he belonged but his feet seemed to get
tangled
and he wasn’t figuring out how to slide or use his physical strength to
the
max…
I ran over to the Rio Rancho coaching staff and
asked who is
this guy?
“That’s
Alex Aluvitan (I’m not 100% sure this is the
spelling of his last name.).” I said he looks big but doesn’t seem to
be
confident in all he does. “Well this is his very first year playing
football.
He has never played a game, but look at his size. We as a coaching
staff have
to get in there and teach him how to be a football player.”
Well is it to early to ask about him? “No, he just
came out
and we worked with some tackling dummies earlier this spring, so we
figured
let’s bring him out to OL/DL camp and see how stands up, “said one of
the
coaches. “We put him with the D-line so he could work with Coach
Carter. The
guy is a legend and we figured who better to learn from. Also, I think
it is
cool the way the other kid (Matt Ramondo) is working with him.”
What do you know about his game thus far? “He is
aggressive,
but what I like about him right away is that he is aggressive.
Sometimes with a
big man you don’t see that. Sounds weird but sometimes that is the way
it is,
“said a member of the staff. “He is just so raw though.”
You mind if I talk to him, I asked? “Sure,” they
said. “Let
me know if he has anything interesting to say?
TRM: Alex, this is your first year of football?
AA: Yeah
TRM: Why did you wait so long?
AA: I was lazy
TRM: What do you think about the game?
AA: I’m really having a lot of fun and I like it.
Everyday
is a learning experience. It is a challenge just trying to figure
things out.
TRM: What do you consider the strength of your
game?
AA: I don’t know what my strengths are. I’m trying
to figure
that out.
I ran back to the Rio Rancho coaching staff and
said, Yeah he
had some really good stuff to say. He is a good kid, he isn’t cocky,
and
understands he has to put in a lot of work this summer and in the fall.
The
staff couldn’t but have big grins on their faces. Talk about a gift!
6-6-270lb
monster with ability and asking to be coached…