A Virtual Visit from the Perspective of a CU Recruit
Kaleb Elarms-Orr went on his first visit to Colorado on Wednesday.
Although, amidst the pandemic, it was a virtual one.
Elarms-Orr has been hearing from the Colorado staff since January. He is mostly hearing from outside linebackers coach Brian Michalowski but says he’s spoken to just about everyone on staff.
Michalowski has been forming that relationship since January.
“Yeah me and ‘Coach Mike’ we get along pretty good,” Elarms-Orr said. “We’ve got a really good relationship. He’s a young guy so we play video games and talk about pass rush stuff a lot.”
The three-star recruit says he plays Madden (NFL) and 2k (NBA) with Michalowski. ‘Coach Mike’ usually wins in Madden and Elarms-Orr dominates him in 2k.
Michalowski recently guided the 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker through his first visit.
“The whole coaching staff was (on Zoom), a couple of academic advisors, strength and conditioning coach, athletic trainers. 14 or 15 of the CU staff,” Elarms-Orr said.
They had a video showing what CU’s all about and some of their accomplishments over the years.
And then they had some of the alumni from the 90s and early 2000s talking about the program.
Next, the equipment manager came on and showed the facilities and the different uniform combinations.
“I like the facilities,” Elarms-Orr said. “I like the architecture too, like the designs that the buildings are.”
He was talking about how the building are all uniform with the sandstone from the Flatirons and the limestone details.
Following the facilities, strength and conditioning coach Chris Wilson came on to talk about bodyweight.
“I'm 220 right now and he said, I'll probably be best at playing around 235-240,” Elarms-Orr said. “So, I like the sound of that now because I think speed and athleticism are my biggest parts of my game so I don't really get too heavy but enough weight to where I'm strong enough as well.”
Then the athletic trainer came on and told him about the medical facility on the second floor and how if he gets hurt during a game, he only needs to take an elevator to get an MRI. Whereas some schools you might have to drive 30 minutes.
The Director of Football Engagement Cymone George came on and showed him and his mom a video of all of the academic things that CU has to offer. And how over 90 percent of football players graduate.
“It's all about the great academics, and how she overlooks pretty much all the student-athletes, namely football,” Elarms-Orr said.
And finally discussed with Michalowski and Karl Dorrell about football and his role.
“At my school, I rush the edge but they see me rushing the edge, playing inside ‘backer and dropping into the flat covering guys, covering running backs and being a do-it-all guy,” Elarms-Orr said.
What stood out to Elarms-Orr about the visit?
"Just the location and how nice the campus is," Elarms-Orr said. "How clean and beautiful it is with the mountains in the background. And that scenery when you’re on the rooftop deck area, I like that a lot."
Meeting all of the coaches was another highlight of the visit.
“I've been in contact with pretty much the whole coaching staff, even the corners coach and the safeties coach and the (defensive backs) and all that just because I got to talk to them because if I end up going to CU, just being around them for the next three, four or five years, you got to get that feel with them you know?”
On the recruiting front, the linebacker out of Hayward (Calif.) is hearing from lots of schools. He talks to Arizona, Cal and Washington State often. And USC, Arizona State and Oklahoma have been contacting him recently but have yet to offer.