McCullough Keeping Options Open

El Camino linebacker Abdul McCullough on Friday night backed off an oral commitment to UCLA and said that Washington State is still among his college choices.

McCullough will visit UCLA on Jan. 10 and Washington State on Jan. 24. Two San Diego newspapers reported Friday that McCullough had decided on UCLA.

“I try to be a man of my word,” McCullough said. “I’ve never broken a promise before, but this is something I’ll have to live with for four or five years. “

McCullough, a two-time Times All-County selection, was visited Friday night by Washington State Coach Mike Price and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. He said Price and Zimmer told him that he could qualify for Washington State’s honors program. McCullough, who scored nearly 1300 on his Scholastic Aptitude Test, plans on majoring in pre-medicine.

“I just heard about their honors program,” he said. “I’m real excited about it. I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t at least take a look at the school.”

Earlier in the week, McCullough met with UCLA Coach Terry Donahue and receivers coach Rick Neuheisel at his house.

“I told them UCLA is the place for me, but I made them know it was a verbal thing,” he said. “I told them I would visit one other school.

“I can’t say anything bad about UCLA. I just have to see something else. I was kind of hasty.”

McCullough said his mother was upset at newspaper reports that had him committing to UCLA. “She’s pretty mad about it,” he said.

McCullough also had planned to visit Kansas, Duke and Washington, but he said he would cancel those visits.

McCullough, 6-feet-1, 190 pounds, played outside linebacker at El Camino, but he is being recruited as a strong safety.