:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/24321501/breaking_bad_football.0.png)
Wisconsin gained its second verbal commitment of the Penn State weekend when it successfully flipped 2014 offensive lineman Micah Kapoi away from Hawaii and convinced him to make his college home in Wisconsin for the next four years.
The 6'4", 300-pound behemoth hails from the islands, starring at Kapolei High School on Oahu, yet stressed how comfortable he felt with the coaching staff at Wisconsin. Kapoi is not the only recruit to mention the family atmosphere in Madison, but that vibe is even more important to a young man who will move 4,000 miles away from home.
Fellow Hawaii native and UW assistant coach Chad Kauha'aha'a was up front with Kapoi about the difficulty of such a transition, according to Badger247's Evan Flood, but also relentless in selling the benefits of becoming a Badger. Two of those benefits are the academic excellence and the offensive line tradition.
"I had more of an opportunity at Wisconsin because of their business school and they're known for their offensive lineman. I just wanted to be a part of that tradition."
Perhaps Kauha'aha'a has the first recruit of his desired Polynesian pipeline.
Kapoi projects as an interior lineman for Wisconsin at this point. He is a two-star prospect according to most services, though he had interest from several major conference schools before originally committing to Hawaii on June 26. Kapoi is the first offensive line recruit from outside the state of Wisconsin to switch his verbal commitment to the Badgers. Lineman Jacob Maxwell and Beau Benzschawel are two of the five prospects that have flipped Wisconsin's way in the last six weeks.
If you are into watching film or scoping out unreliable measurables, check out the Kapoi's video below and more on HUDL.com.
