Holler Says He’ll Sign With Fullerton

La Quinta High School tackle Tom Holler, The Times’ Orange County Lineman of the Year, has made a verbal commitment to attend Cal State Fullerton and will sign a national letter of intent with the Titans on Wednesday.

The 6-foot 2-inch, 240-pound Holler was a three-year starter for the Aztecs and was named the Garden Grove League’s Offensive Player of the Year this season. He finished second in his league’s wrestling finals in the heavyweight division last week and also serves as senior class president.

Holler visited the University of California, Nevada Las Vegas, San Diego State and Cal State Fullerton. He made a verbal commitment to San Diego State last week, but the Aztecs wanted the senior to sit out the first semester and then enroll in January, which is illegal under NCAA rules.

“They told me they had given all their scholarships away, but that I could come in January,” Holler said. “I decided that was OK, and then I called the other schools and told them I was going to San Diego.

“When I told an assistant at Las Vegas what I planned to do, he told me that was illegal and said he was going to call the NCAA. San Diego called me the next day and told me they could no longer make the offer. I called back the other schools and asked if their offers were still good.”

Holler visited Cal State Fullerton on Sunday and then returned Monday to inform Titan Coach Gene Murphy of his decision.

Holler, who has a 3.64 grade-point average, is the second Times’ Lineman of the Year to join the Titans. Sean Foy, a starting linebacker, was the top lineman in 1981 at El Dorado High.

Marina wide receiver Chip Rish, Capistrano Valley center Ken Felix and Foothill offensive tackle Steve Hingst also made verbal commitments Monday.

Rish, the state’s 400-meter track champion last year, said he will sign with Arizona State on Wednesday and compete in football and track for the Sun Devils. He visited Arizona, USC and Cal State Long Beach before deciding on the Sun Devils.

Felix, 6-2, 266, made his only visit to Oregon State over the weekend and decided to go with the Beavers. Hingst, 6-5, 225, visited Harvard, Northwestern and Stanford before choosing the University of California.