Lincoln Kienholz grew up in South Dakota's state capital of Pierre, which is 200 miles from Kalen DeBoer's hometown.
Soon the quarterback and the coach will share Montlake together after the 6-foot, 185-pound Kienholz on Wednesday offered his oral commitment to the University of Washington football program, the Huskies' 14th overall.
One Dakota guy to another.
Kienholz joined the wave surrounding a fast-moving UW recruiting class that's now ranked No. 18 nationally by 247Sports after he chose the Huskies over Wisconsin, Wyoming and North Dakota State — all schools with a reputation for producing NFL quarterbacks.
DeBoer has said the quarterback typically is his most important player, the trusted triggerman for his spread offense, and he pursued Kansas recruit Avery Johnson, Californian Aidan Chiles and Kienholz to run it.
Chiles chose Oregon State, leaving this Husky QB recruitment between Johnson and Kienholz. Johnson will announce his decision on July 5, and it appears he will end up with local Kansas State.
Kienholz will come West.
He joins a UW recruiting haul that also includes Californians in linebackers in Bryant and Jordan Whitney, running back Tybo Rogers, wide receivers Rashid Williams and Keith Reynolds, safety Vincent Holmes, defensive tackle Sua Lefotu and offensive tackle Elishah Jackett; edge rusher Anthony James II and cornerback Diesel Gordon, both from Texas; fellow offensive tackle Zach Henning from Colorado; and center Landon Hatchett and edge rusher Jacob Lane from Washington.
Kienholz's decision came shortly after his future Hatchett, the guy he could be taking snaps from, announced his intentions.
Playing for T.F. Riggs and a team nicknamed the Governors, Kienholz heads into his senior year with career passing totals of 318 completions in 577 attempts for 5,678 yards and 58 touchdowns, with 23 interceptions.
This past season for a 10-2 team, he threw for 37 scores and ran for 12.
The Huskies offered Kienholz on April 19 and this past weekend hosted him on his official visit, essentially sealing the deal.
There's a winning element involved between coach and QB, let only geographical roots.
While DeBoer was responsible for winning three NAIA national championships for the University of Sioux Falls, Kienholz has led his Riggs team to two of its five consecutive state titles.
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