Green makes Classen SAS history, signs to play at TU
Elijah Green was wearing a Tulsa hat and had on a nice pair of sunglasses as one person after another walked up to him and posed for photos.
Standing inside the Classen SAS gymnasium, Green had a big smile on his face as he celebrated a special day.
It wasn’t just an important moment for him, though.
The day also marked a milestone for the Classen SAS football program.
Heading into Wednesday’s National Signing Day, the Comets had never had an athlete sign with a Division-I football program. Green changed that as he inked his allegiance to the Golden Hurricane.
“It’s not sitting in right now,” said Green, who will play defensive back at Tulsa. “It’s so surreal to me.”
Green, a three-star prospect according to 247Sports, gave a short speech and signed on a table at midcourt next to his mom, two brothers, sister and girlfriend.
With his family and some of his closest friends in attendance, Green soaked it all in as he reflected on his time at Classen SAS and the impact he’s had at the school.
“It’s big,” he said. “I feel like I impacted a lot of people, impacted a lot of young kids and young men to just become better. And I feel like I really set the tone, and I feel like I really showed people that you don’t have to just go to big schools to get big, go to the next level.”
Green had four head coaches with the Comets, who began playing football in 2018.
And although Classen SAS won just six games during Green’s four years, he proved he’s a special player.
This past season, he was the leader of the defense, a standout receiver and even started at quarterback for the final half of the year.
He finished with 30 receptions for 670 yards and 10 touchdowns, 382 rushing yards and three scores, 45 tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles as the Class 4A Comets went 3-7.
“He’s leaving a good legacy,” Classen SAS football coach Travis Burdine said. “A lot of the kids look up to him. … It helps by having him sign D-I because they know what work they got to put in to get to that status.”
Green has competed in football, basketball and track during his high school career and won the Class 4A title in the 400-meter dash (48.72 seconds) in May.
He has two cousins who played in the NFL, former OU defensive lineman Gerald McCoy and former Tulsa receiver Romby Bryant.
“I always knew he was special,” said Green’s mom, Kenya Freelen. “He’s always been a guy that just automatically you knew something was different about him, just work ethic, everything. I could see it. I would have to say I’m not sure about football, but I knew he would be something special.”
Green, who played in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl last weekend at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, announced his commitment to Tulsa in August.
His top five list of schools included the Golden Hurricane, Missouri, Sam Houston State, Texas Tech and the Texas-San Antonio.
Despite becoming one of the top recruits in the state, he never wanted to leave Classen SAS.
In a time when transferring schools is becoming increasingly common, Green remained loyal.
“Why stay? That’s a good question,” Green said. “I stayed because I feel like I would have been doing my brothers a disservice if I would have left. I feel like I wouldn’t have finished what I started here. I just feel like I had to finish that at all costs.”
Everything worked out for Green in the long run, and he’ll fulfill his dream of competing at the Division-I level.
“He’s always put everything into it,” Freelen said. “So to see it actually come to fruition, it means absolutely everything.”