Kamari Holloway gave a verbal commitment to Temple University in mid-June because he thought East Carolina was going to sign just one running back in the recruiting Class of 2027. But once Holloway learned that wasn’t the case, he quickly altered his decision and remained in his home state to play college football.

Holloway, from Southern Durham High in Durham, NC, backed off the pledge to Temple on the same day he committed to ECU on July 1. The change ended a confusing month during which the 5-foot-11, 195-pounder had official visits scheduled to Liberty, Rutgers, Temple and ECU. Those schools had offered scholarships to Holloway along with Charlotte, Delaware, Kent State, Memphis, Old Dominion and The Citadel.

East Carolina offered Holloway in April 2025, and he quickly developed a bond with then-Pirate running backs coach Rodney Freeman II. But when Freeman left ECU last January for a similar job at Duke, Holloway had to start over with new running backs coach Julian Griffin. Freeman had indicated to Holloway the Pirates were looking to sign only one running back in the 2027 recruiting cycle. So when Ira Dale Jr. made a verbal commitment to ECU on June 13, it prompted Holloway to make a hasty decision.

“When I had previously talked to ECU, they were looking to sign one running back,” Holloway said. “They ended up getting a running back on campus for an official visit the same day I was on my visit to Temple. He ended up committing, so I didn’t think I had a chance at ECU, and I ended up committing to Temple.

“But they (East Carolina) ended up hitting me up the same day I committed to Temple and wanted me to come (for official visit). I ended up doing my official visit (to ECU) the next weekend.”

Holloway took the hour-and-45-minute drive from Durham to Greenville for the June 18-20 weekend where he re-connected with former Southern Durham teammate Ja’Vaughn Hargett. Hargett, an offensive lineman, is a Class of 2026 signee who enrolled at ECU in January.

“It’s always been about the relationships I had with them (ECU),” Holloway said. “They have always shown me love. My old teammate that was with me last season was my host during the official visit. We’re real close. He just made me feel even more comfortable (with ECU).”

The visit sealed Holloway’s decision to join the Pirates, making him the third running back in the class along with Dale and Lawrence Hewlett. Dale is from Venice, FL, and Hewlett hails from Prince George, VA.

Holloway’s football journey began at a seventh grader at Lowe’s Grove Middle School in Durham where his team won just a single game in the 2021 season. But a year later, sparked by Holloway’s play at running back, Lowe’s Grove won every game but one before he moved on to Hillside High School in Durham.

With a host of upperclassmen ahead of him on the depth chart, Holloway began his freshman year at Hillside on the junior varsity. But his performance on the JV squad earned Holloway a late-season promotion to the varsity where he appeared in four games, rushing 26 times for 227 yards and four touchdowns. It was in his second varsity game against East Chapel Hill that Holloway gave a glimpse of things to come. He ran 15 times for 155 yards and four touchdowns in the rout over East Chapel Hill.

Hoping to have a better chance to reach his potential, Holloway transferred to Southern Durham as a sophomore where he produced his first 1,000-yard season. He rushed 86 times for 1,081 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games. That’s when the college recruiters started calling.

“I always felt like I had the potential to play college football coming out of middle school,” Holloway said. “A lot of high school coaches were already looking at me there. But once I got to Southern Durham playing under (head) coach (Darius) Robinson the possibility became more real.”

Holloway followed up his stellar sophomore campaign with an even more productive 2025 season. On offense, he rushed 122 times for 1,420 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also contributed 36 tackles and five tackles loss as a linebacker on defense. His play at running back resulted in seven games of more than 100 yards rushing and two where he topped 200 yards. The latter occurred against Durham Riverside (15-209) and in a state playoff game against D.H. Conley (10-216).

“I think I’m a very explosive person,” Holloway said, describing his strengths as a runner. “I feel like I have that look many backs my size don’t have.”

Holloway will be an early high school graduate and expects to enroll at ECU next January. He wants to compete for playing time immediately in spring practice.

“I’m going to come there and compete,” Holloway said. “The coaches have told me whoever they feel like is the best at that time is going to play. If I come in there and do what I need to do I’ll have a chance.”