Oahu is known as Hawaii's "Gathering place."

Fittingly, it is where some of the biggest names in county community college football will be gathering next fall to play for the University of Hawaii.

Ventura College star linebacker Brenden Daley committed to the Warriors Sunday while on an official visit to the Honolulu school.

"I get out here in May," said Daley. "I'm going to be representing for the Mainlanders... Oh man, I'm excited to win over this crowd."

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Moorpark High product, who had 100 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss and seven sacks for the Pirates as a sophomore, joins Moorpark College's record-breaking receiver Chris Gant, who committed to Hawaii earlier this month.

Daley's VC teammate, defensive end Jon Lattimore, who had 15.5 tackles for a loss and nine sacks as a sophomore, is also considering Hawaii.

"Hopefully, Latt will come here, too," said Daley.

Daley said he is poised to fill a void at middle linebacker for the Warriors.

"I'm coming into a perfect situation," said Daley.

The hyper-kinetic linebacker thereby declared his recruiting closed. He was being pursued by a list of schools that included Washington and Cincinnati.

"This is it," said Daley. "I'm happy here. I gave them my word and I'm going to stand by it. I'm ready to rock."

Ventura College placekicker David Brown's signing with Youngstown State Wednesday figures to be just the beginning of a busy mid-year signing period for the Ventura College football team, according to head coach Steve Mooshagian.

Arizona has already been to Ventura twice to check out punter Kyle Dugandzic, who landed 21 of his 57 punts this fall inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

"There's a lot of interest there," said Mooshagian.

Utah State, Cal Poly and Southern Utah have also shown interest in the Agoura High product.

Defensive tackle Taylor Ramsey has visited Southeast Missouri, a Division I-FCS playoff team, and has potential trips to South Dakota State and Sacramento State lined up.

Receiver Cary Jackson has signed with Division II Grand View University and cornerback Jeff Bush visited Alcorn State earlier this week and could visit Arkansas-Pine Bluff and the University of San Diego soon.

Running back Mike Davis and lineman Ramon Diaz have had a bunch of interest from schools like Cal Poly, Arkansas State and Eastern Kentucky.

Perhaps the Pirates' biggest prizes, quarterback Antavius Sims, linebacker Brenden Daley and defensive end John Lattimore will transfer after the spring semester.

Washington has invited Sims and Daley to watch them practice in San Diego ahead of the Holiday Bowl. Daley and Lattimore have lined up visits to Hawaii, which recently landed Moorpark star receiver Chris Gant.

"I'm excited to head over there and see what it's all about," said Daley, who will spend this weekend on Oahu.

Sims recently took a break from the VC men's basketball team to focus on the recruiting process.

Defensive lineman Clint Abraham and safety Brian Baldwin are two key Moorpark players who are receiving interest to transfer at the break.

With no more football to play, the Ventura College football team can turn to recruiting. Head coach Steve Mooshagian estimated that as many as 12 of the 17 sophomores should earn scholarships, including the big three of Sims, linebacker Brenden Daley and defensive end Jon Lattimore.

"Half of my day is answering the phone calls," said Mooshagian. "Not just for Tay, but there's a whole bunch of others."

Mooshagian said Sims, Daley and Lattimore have attracted about a dozen schools apiece.

The list is too long to publish, but Washington, Ole Miss and Rutgers are three of the bigger schools interested in Sims, whose destination will hinge on whether he wants to continue to play quarterback or another position.

"Some people are recruiting him as a quarterback, some as an athlete," said Mooshagian. "We'll see what he decides to do."

Iowa State, Baylor and Hawaii are three of the schools recruiting Lattimore, who finished third in SoCal with eight sacks.

Daley is being pursued by Washington, Utah, Hawaii and Cincinnati, among others. The Moorpark High product plans to travel south Saturday to see the Utes play San Diego State.

Other in-demand Pirates include running back Mike Davis, center Ramon Diaz, punter Kyle Dugandzic and kicker David Brown, who are all eligible to transfer after next month.

The loss of head coach Jon Mack may be a big hit publicly for the Ventura College football team.

But at least three of its key freshmen said this week that the core of the coaching staff that predated Mack and will postdate his departure next month to Crespi Carmelite High will ensure the Pirates continue to compete for the Northern Conference.

"We're going to be a force to be reckoned with," said linebacker Brenden Daley. "The only hit we take is in the recruiting. He did help us out a lot there. But I feel like if everyone stays on board, coach Mack's departure will not be that big of a loss. Although it is a loss."

Daley said his linebacker coach, defensive coordinator Gary Anglin, was every bit as important as Mack to his success.

"Mack was a recruiting coach," said defensive lineman Tommy Stuart. "He got it done. He got everyone fired up. But I still think everything will be fine at VC if the other coaches stay."

Stuart singled out his defensive line coach, Ted Lawrence, for the "motivation and knowledge of most four-year college coaches."

"He just loves the county too much to leave," said Stuart.

"The coaches basically ran practice" continued Stuart. "Coach Mack was there screaming and yelling, getting people fired up, but the position coaches are all excellent coaches, some of the best coaches in the nation for (community college)."

Anglin, Lawrence, special teams coordinator Tom Lawrence and offensive coordinator Tim Gutierrez, who all predate Mack with a combined for 63 years of service at Ventura, are all expected to stay.

"Coach 'G' (isn't) going anywhere," said freshman quarterback Antavius Sims Wednesday, before he faced Oxnard College in men's basketball. "We'll be fine."

Gutierrez, who also coached with Mack at St. Bonaventure, said earlier this week that he still "had a lot to think about," before equating the situation this week to "breaking up with your girlfriend over the phone."

"We're all here and moving on and continuing our recruiting," said Anglin. "We're up for the challenge."

Mack, who held a press conference in Encino Saturday to be unveiled as Crespi coach, visited VC campus Tuesday to meet briefly with the team and file his resignation.

That enabled the VC administration to begin the process of opening the search for his successor.

"I hope that we'll be able to fill it quickly," said Calote. "It's an important time to have a full-time coach."