Auburn Riverside senior Jake Pele has verbally committed to play football at Idaho State University on a full-ride scholarship next season.

“I picked Idaho State for many reasons,” said Pele, who was selected as the Ravens’ team MVP this past season. “One was the coaches I have been talking to have been really straight up with me, and we’ve developed a good relationship already. Their loyalty to get me to go there was clearly shown, and well appreciated.”

The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Pele earned second-team All-South Puget Sound League North Division honors this season as a running back and linebacker. He ran for 552 yards on 104 attempts and five touchdowns and racked up 50 tackles, including 15 for loss, and three sacks.

The Bengals coaching staff wants to try Pele at a new position.

“They are recruiting me as a defensive end, which I am really excited about,” Pele said. “They see great things at that position for me, and I am up for anything, so the coaches were happy to hear that.”

In addition to his own hard work on and off the field, Pele credits former teammates David Paulson, Alex Terrian and Billy Gonzales – all Ravens who moved on to play college ball – for helping chart his course. Paulson is now attending the University of Oregon, Terrian is playing at Montana State University and Gonzales is at Ohio University.

“I give a lot of credit to them, especially Alex who took me under his wing the spring of my sophomore year and became my weightlifting partner,” Pele said. “They all had positive impacts on what work ethic really is. I guess you could say I followed in their footsteps.”

According to Pele, he hasn’t decided on what he will major on yet. But he’s interested in exploring criminal justice and becoming a law enforcement officer, or possibly a teacher.

“I am just excited to be an Idaho State Bengal for the next four to five years,” he said.

Idaho State is a member of the Big Sky Conference of the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA).