Gragnano, Motherway, Stai Decide on Colleges

Los Alamitos High School quarterback Todd Gragnano, who ranks third in Orange County career passing yardage, said Monday he has orally committed to attend the University of Nebraska.

Other Orange County players to make oral commitments Monday were Mater Dei’s Ryan Motherway (UCLA) and Esperanza’s Brenden Stai (Nebraska).

The first day football players can sign national letters of intent is Feb. 14.

Gragnano, 6-feet-2, 181 pounds, and Stai, a 6-4, 260-pound offensive lineman, visited Nebraska last weekend. They join Los Alamitos’ Brian Havens, a 6-3, 222-pound linebacker, who orally committed to Nebraska last week.

Gragnano also visited Washington and Oregon and considered scholarship offers from Nevada Las Vegas and Colorado. He said he chose the Cornhuskers because “they win all the time and they have a great academic program.”

Although he’s a dropback passer, Gragnano doesn’t expect any problems adjusting to Nebraska’s run-oriented option offense.

“They might throw the ball a little more next year,” Gragnano said. “It’s not like I’m going to change the offense, but (Coach Tom) Osborne said they will throw more to try and get past the Florida States and Miamis.”

Stai said he had visited San Diego State and Oregon and was scheduled to visit Arizona State, but canceled the trip after choosing Nebraska.

Gragnano passed for 2,315 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. His 6,140 career passing yards, fifth in Southern Section history, are third on the all-time county list behind Capistrano Valley’s Todd Marinovich (9,182) and El Toro’s Bret Johnson (6,627).

Gragnano led the Griffins to the Division III championship game as a sophomore and a junior and was twice the most valuable player of the Empire League. Los Alamitos (9-2) was upset by Dominguez in the first round of the playoffs last season.

“This is a chance for me to play and prove myself,” said Gragnano, who plans to study communications. “They have awesome facilities there and it’s a prestigious program.”

Motherway, a 6-4, 255-pound offensive lineman, visited California, USC and UCLA. Motherway, who was named to The Times’ All-County first team, said he will likely redshirt his freshman season.

“I felt I fit in with the players at UCLA,” said Motherway, whose brother, Tom, walked on as a senior for the Bruins. “That was my gut feeling, and all along I wanted to go with my gut feeling.

“I think sitting out a year will be good. It will give me an extra year to grow and get ready.”