Desmond Owino has changed his mind about where to play college football and will attend N.C. State instead of North Carolina.
Owino, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound defensive lineman from Raleigh Sanderson High School, made his decision after visiting N.C. State last weekend. He had committed to North Carolina on Nov. 26, when the program was still under interim coach Everett Withers and his staff.
The Tar Heels hired Larry Fedora as their coach Dec. 9.
Coach Tony Lewis of Sanderson said that Owino, a native of Kenya, decided to reassess his situation after thinking he might have committed to North Carolina too early in the process.
"It wasn't anything bad on Carolina's end," Lewis said. "Coach Fedora and his coaches have been in here, and they've done a good job communicating with him. I think it was due more to the whole process being new to Desmond.
"Being new to the United States, he probably moved faster than he would have liked to have moved. He stepped back and talked to everybody, took his official visit to N.C. State, and then revaluated everything."
Owino can sign a binding national letter of intent Feb. 1 at the start of the NCAA signing period for football. He is the 21st commitment for the Wolfpack's 2012 class.
Owino is the fourth player who initially committed to North Carolina and then changed has mind. He is also the fourth member of North Carolina's class to commit to another program. Bryce Kennedy, a 6-4, 285-pound offensive lineman from Southern Pines, also chose N.C. State and has enrolled for the second semester.
"He just feels that N.C. State is going to be a better overall fit for him, academically and for football," Lewis said of Owino. "He's got to know a lot of the kids who are coming in over there. He's built some good relationships with the coaches through the whole recruiting process."
Owino's family moved to Raleigh in November 2010, and last season was Owino's first football season. Owino had not been in a weight room before arriving at Sanderson, but he impressed recruiters with his all-around ability and his 4.7-second speed in the 40.
Lewis said that Owino averaged five or six unassisted tackles and 11 or 12 assisted tackles and was an All-Triangle choice by the News and Observer of Raleigh.
"He most certainly came on strong as the year went on," Lewis said. "He's very raw in terms of understanding the game. We were limited in what we could do with him, but the one or two things we chose to do with him, he did a great job."
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