Polynesians Cut in the NFL

NFL teams today had to cut down to 53 man rosters and a large group of Samoans, Tongans, and Hawaiians were released in the past week or so.

Arizona: Pago Togafau of Idaho State and Long Beach Poly
Link

Atlanta: Kelly Talavou of Utah and Fountain Valley High (CA)
Link

Baltimore: Chris Pino of San Diego State and El Camino High (Oceanside, CA)
Link

Buffalo: CJ Ah You of Oklahoma and Lone Peak High (Highland, UT)
Link

Cincinnati: Harrison Nikolao of Eastern Washingon and Lincoln High (Tacoma), Matt Toeaina of Oregon and Samoana High (Pago Pago, AS), and Dane Uperesa of UH and Punahou (Honolulu). Toeaina and Uperesa were signed to the Bengal's practice squad on Sunday September 2nd.
Link

Cleveland: Fred Matua of USC and Banning High (Wilmington, CA) as well as Melila Purcell of UH and Leone High (Amerika Samoa)
Link

Jacksonville: Joe Anoa'i of Georgia Tech and Escambia High (Pensacola, FL)
Link

Miami: Tala Esera of UH and Kahuku High (HI) as well as Brian Soi of Utah State and Timpview High (Orem, UT).
Link

New Orleans: Jake Kuresa of BYU and Mountain Crest High (Millville, UT) as well as Anton Palepoi of UNLV and Hunter High (Salt Lake City).
Link

New York Jets: Kimo von Oelhoffen of Boise State and Molokai High (HI) was released and subsequently signed by the Philadelphia Eagles
New York Post Link
Philadelphia Inquirer Link

Oakland: Albert Toeaina of Tennessee and Pittsburgh High (CA)
Link

Philadelphia: Nate Ilaoa of UH and North Stafford High (VA)
Link

Pittsburgh: Shaun Nua of BYU and Tafuna High (Amerika Samoa), Marvin Phillip of Cal and Oak Ridge High (El Dorado Hill, CA) and Cameron Stephenson of Rutgers and Hawthorne High (CA).
Link

Seattle: Nu'u Tafisi of Cal and East High (Salt Lake City)
Link

Tampa Bay: Enoka Lucas of Oregon and Kamehameha Schools (Honolulu)
Link

Tennessee: Lauvale Sape of Utah and Leilehua High (Wahiawa, HI)
Link

Washington: Kili Lefotu of Arizona and Arlington High (Riverside, CA)
Link

In North County's rich tradition of football stars, Roberts, Seau, Tinoisamoa stand taller than rest

By: JOHN MAFFEI Staff Writer

It happened nearly 55 years ago, but the image is burned into the mind of legendary Oceanside High and El Camino football coach Herb Meyer as if it occurred yesterday. "We were playing at Escondido, and C.R. Roberts broke free," Meyer said of an Oceanside game in 1952. "He was running in the open down the sideline.

"An Escondido kid made the mistake of trying to tackle C.R. high instead of taking his legs out. So C.R. straight-armed the guy and lifted him 2 feet into the air.

"That guy was down on the field for a long time. They had to roll the ambulance out and take him to the hospital. We found out later that C.R. had crushed that kid's sternum."

Meyer was the blocking back on Oceanside's single-wing teams in those days and relayed signals in the huddle for the Pirates.

"Later that year, we were playing Sweetwater," Meyer said. "C.R. straight-armed a defender and broke the guy's arm."

It's stories like that “with statistics to back them up“that put Roberts above every other student who has played prep football in the North County.

Oceanside quarterback/tight end/linebacker Junior Seau and Vista linebacker/running back Pisa Tinoisamoa join Roberts as choices for the North County Times' three greatest "Legends of the Fall." Roberts went on to star at USC and played several years of pro ball with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL before going on to the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.

At one time, he was part of the 49ers' "Alphabet Backfield" that also included Y.A. Tittle, J.D. Smith and R.C. "Alley Oop" Owens.

Like Roberts, Seau played at USC.

A first-round pick of the Chargers in 1990, Seau is a 12-time Pro Bowl selection, a seven-time All-Pro selection and was a member of the NFL's 1990s All-Decade Team.

He went on to play with the Miami Dolphins and is now with the New England Patriots in the twilight of his career.

Like Seau, Tinoisamoa was a two-way star in high school.

He's the only player in San Diego Section history to be named first-team All-CIF on offense and defense. And he was the section's defensive player of the year.

That was in 1998, when he gained 1,606 yards on 232 carries, scored 22 touchdowns and made seemingly every play on defense (70 tackles, 10 tackles for losses, six sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception).

Tinoisamoa went on to star at Hawaii and was a second-round pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2003.

He was named the team's rookie of the year that season and has been a starter every season in the NFL.

Roberts: 'A physical specimen'

Don Portis, longtime coach and athletic director at Escondido High, played for the Cougars against Oceanside in '52 and has his own stories about Roberts.

"I hit C.R. five times, and I don't think he broke stride once," Portis said. "He ran right over me, and I have the cleat marks to prove it.

"He was incredible. Every time he carried the ball, he either ran over us or we couldn't catch him."

That was pretty common in Roberts' junior and season seasons.

He rushed for 1,903 yards as a junior, 1,858 as a senior. He scored 31 touchdowns as a junior and 30 as a senior. And those were nine-game seasons.

Meyer remembers a game against Coronado in which Roberts "touched the ball 12 times and scored six touchdowns." Roberts rushed for 326 yards in that game.

At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Roberts was a big man for his day. But he was also fast, running the 100-yard dash in 10.2 seconds.

"He was just a physical specimen," Meyer said.

Roberts went on to star at USC on a team that also featured future L.A. Rams All-Pro running back "Jaguar" Jon Arnett and Ernie Zampese, who carved out a great career as an assistant coach at San Diego State and in the NFL.

"I was in grammar school and I remember watching those guys play in the L.A. Coliseum," former North County coach Craig Bell said. "C.R. had the strongest-looking calves I've ever seen.

"He was frightening."

Chick Embrey, Escondido's legendary head football coach, remembers Roberts as "a slasher, a guy who was so quick."

"He was big and fast," Embrey said. "I remember he long jumped 24 feet in our pit at Escondido, and that pit was the pits.

"No high school player I've seen “and I've been around a while “was as dominant as C.R. Not even Junior Seau."

Roberts was just as dominant at USC. In 1956, he set a school record by rushing for 251 yards in a racially charged game at Texas.

Hotel officials in Austin weren't going to allow Roberts, who is black, or his black teammates “Hillard Hill and Lou Byrd“to stay in the team hotel. The USC players waited outside the hotel until everyone on the team was given a room.

He had runs of 74, 73 and 50 yards in that game against the Longhorns. He had 177 yards on 11 carries at halftime and only carried the ball once in the second half. USC won 44-20.

Roberts was forced to sit out his senior season because of penalties connected with the breakup of the old Pacific Coast Conference.

Roberts' brother was killed in France after D-Day in World War II, and Roberts nearly went to West Point because he wanted to be a pilot. At USC, Roberts enrolled in the Air Force ROTC program and became a drill commander.

Now 71, Roberts is retired after a long career as a teacher and administrator.

"But I'm actively retired," said Roberts, who was recently married and now lives in Norwalk. "My health is still good, so I've taken up golf.

"I still like to go to the senior center to sing and dance."

A staunch supporter of civil rights, he is still involved with USC's Black Alumni Association.

This fall, he'll finally be inducted into the Oceanside High Hall of Fame.

"I have very fond memories of my days in Oceanside and the high school," Roberts said. "Going into the Hall of Fame is an honor, something I'm very much looking forward to."

Seau: 'Absolutely awesome'

Bell “who coached at San Dieguito, Vista and RBV “and Meyer also have firsthand knowledge of Seau and Tinoisamoa.

Like Roberts, Seau was a man among boys in high school.

But the Pirates had a hard time settling on a position for their star. He was a quarterback as a sophomore and junior before switching to tight end as a senior. And he was always a linebacker.

"Junior was absolutely awesome in '85 and '86," said Meyer, who was coaching at El Camino when Seau played at Oceanside. "He absolutely kicked our ass.

"He's a tremendous athlete “played football, basketball (CIF San Diego Section Player of the Year in '86) and track (Avocado League shot put champion).

"He was big, strong and fast. When he came out of the locker room, he turned on his motor. As a defender, he created havoc all over the field."

Bell was an assistant coach at Vista when Seau played.

"When he was on defense, you had to have two guys blocking him at all times," Bell said. "But he was good on offense, too.

"They just threw him short passes, and he ran over people on his way to the end zone."

Dave Barrett, now the athletic director at Oceanside, was the Pirates' defensive coordinator when Seau played.

"There was never a more driven player than Junior Seau," Barrett said. "From the first day he stepped on the field, he wanted to be the best player out there.

"He had the desire to be the best, and that has allowed him to succeed. He was the best practice player I've ever seen."

Barrett remembers the start of two-a-day practices before Seau's junior season.

"Practice started at 8 a.m., and I was there at 6:30," Barrett said. "Junior was already on the field doing shuttle runs. He had already lifted weights. There was no one else around, so it wasn't for show.

"Like all great artists, Junior has that burning desire to be the best."

It is that desire, Barrett believes, that has allowed Seau not only to endure, but thrive in the NFL, playing through bumps, bruises, pulled muscles and broken bones to secure a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame after he retires.

Now in his 18th NFL season, the 38-year-old Seau will soon overtake Bill Romanowski for the second-most NFL games played by a linebacker. Seau is at 241, two behind Romanowski. Clay Matthews is the all-time leader at 278.

Seau has 1,735 career tackles “including a personal-best 155 in 1994, when the Chargers advanced to the Super Bowl “and 53 sacks.

He also founded the Junior Seau Foundation, aimed at child abuse prevention. The foundation gives an annual Legend of the Year award to an individual who exemplifies its mission statement.

Past winners include Lance Alworth, Sid Gillman, Don Coryell, Marcus Allen, Deacon Jones and Bobby Ross.

"Am I going to Canton (Ohio) when Junior goes into the Hall of Fame?" Barrett asked. "I may be the first one there."

Tinoisamoa: Two-way star

Tinoisamoa's inclusion as first-team All-CIF on both sides of the ball was a hot topic a decade ago.

There have been other two-way stars since Tinoisamoa, but he forced All-CIF voters to re-think the process. Now, two-way stars must be as good or better than Tinoisamoa to be honored on both sides of the ball.

It hasn't happened.

"He was a guy you had to account for whether you were playing offense or defense," Barrett said. "You had to commit a lot of people to stop him. To beat Vista, you had to take him away. But that was a tall order. There was a reason he was All-CIF both ways.

"It's a tremendous feat to play 48 minutes like he did, especially running back and linebacker. Receivers and cornerbacks can take plays off, but not running backs and linebackers. He strapped it on every play. For him, it was hit or be hit on every down.

"When he carried the ball, the only way to beat him was to swarm, bring lots of hats to the party. On defense, you had to commit multiple guys to block him. But that left you vulnerable to other things, and you still couldn't block him."

Tinoisamoa also left his mark on Meyer.

"He was a very good athlete," Meyer said. "He was a great success at multiple positions.

"And now he has been a success at all levels."

He almost didn't get the chance to play at the next level.

Tinoisamoa, the nephew of the late, great Sal Aunese “ the CIF San Diego Section Offensive Player of the Year as a quarterback at Vista in 1985 and the starting quarterback at Colorado “ was put on probation for a 1998 graffiti incident. Later, he was jailed for trying to break up a fight that involved his brother, Mike.

But Hawaii coach June Jones took a chance on Tinoisamoa.

"Pisa learned and grew from his hardships," Jones said. "We felt he came from a good family and had character.

"We took a chance and he rewarded us."

As he matured from a lean 210-pound high schooler to a 255-pound man, Tinoisamoa led the Warriors in tackles. Despite a shoulder surgery, he attracted the attention of pro scouts.

In his first two years with the Rams, he had 189 tackles “95 in his rookie season of 2004 and 94 in '05.

Shoulder problems limited him to 11 games and 36 tackles last season, but he's healthy again and ready to make his mark in 2007.

Contact John Maffei at (760) 740-3547 or jmaffei@nctimes.com. Comment at sports.nctimes.com.

Memories of a legend Aunese's impressive impact still felt by current Panthers

Now and then, Roger Price will pull out the 1985 game films from his undefeated senior football season at Vista High.

Price, a former running back, isn't watching himself carrying the football, despite the fact that he was the Panthers' leading rusher that season.

He loves to watch Sal Aunese.

Aunese, the smooth quarterback who was a star for Colorado when he died of stomach cancer in 1989, dazzled defenders when he was on the run.

"He was magic with a football in his hands," Price said. "The day he walked onto campus, I was thrilled, because I knew how good he was. I played against him in Little League and I thought he was special then, and he was only 12.

"I'd rather play football with him than any guy I ever had as a teammate. He was special person on a very special team."

Such feelings were the norm at Vista when Aunese paced the Panthers to the CIF San Diego Section 3A title in '85, trouncing Helix 35-7 in the finals. Aunese rushed 14 times for 140 yards and two touchdowns against the Highlanders, giving him 1,174 yards on 121 carries with 16 TDs for the season.

And it was that way at Colorado, where Aunese was the Big Eight newcomer of the year after his sophomore year in 1987.

When Aunese died Sept. 23, 1989, the reaction in Boulder, Colo., was the same as it was in Vista. So shocked were the Buffaloes, they encased Aunese's locker in glass for the remainder of the '89 season.

"I thought Sal would beat it," said Price, now 39. "Knowing him, I'm still shocked it beat him. The last time I saw him alive, he looked fine. Six months later, he was dead."

But Aunese's mark on both teams lives on even today.

His contribution to a team went way beyond just the statistics. No matter what position he played -- he was a safety as a sophomore at Vista -- Aunese was the acknowledged team leader. It was everyone's job to follow Sal.

"I heard about him after I graduated, so I went to see a few games his senior year, and he was the best quarterback I ever saw running an offense," said current Vista coach Dan Williams. "If you let Sal turn the corner, it was over. You had to get him to pitch the ball and hope someone could tackle the other guy. He was a God-given talent, a once-in-a-lifetime player. You can't teach that vision and athleticism."

Aunese's number remains the only one retired by Vista.

"Every kid who ever puts on a football jersey at this school knows all about Sal," Williams said. "They know why No. 8 is the only retired number."

Fonoti Coming into his Own

An article from NMSU--some errors Hawaiian was spelled wrong, Fanoga and Fonoti were referred to as Hawaiian--they are Samoan and there are not 23 Samoans on the team--unless NMSU is hiding some guys as greyshirts.

by Tim Strasser

Aggie Athletics Media Relations

When La’auli Fonoti takes the field this season for the Aggie defense, he will do so as the quiet, but very present leader along with fellow linebacker and outspoken team captain Dante Floyd.

Fonoti, all 6-feet-4-inches and 250 lbs., has been instilled in the linebacker unit where he has worked to perfect his position since the 2006 college football season when he switched from tight end on offense to his position of linebacker.

Last season, Fonoti played supporting role to more experienced linebackers, notching 41 tackles and a blocked punt in 10 games played. It should be noted that last season, Fonoti’s sophomore season, is considered by some as a great step in progress considering he had played the tight end position his entire football career.

Fonoti said it was a tough switch from his more customary tight end position to linebacker, a position he had never played, but nevertheless, he worked hard and accepted his new assignment as his mission.

“Being moved from [tight end] to linebacker was tough,” Fonoti explains. “I didn’t know anything about the linebacker position. I had to learn while playing and sometimes on the field [during my sophomore season] I would feel lost.”

As the old saying goes, ‘practice makes perfect’, and Fonoti has taken that saying to heart. He explains he worked hard and spoke with his coaches, including Aggie defensive coordinator Woody Widenhofer and fellow Samoan and Aggie coach Mike Fanoga to help his transition.

“La’auli has worked hard,” Fanoga said. “He has the quality of a great outside linebacker ... has all the tools to be an NFL linebacker. He worked hard to gain weight and [learn the linebacker position]. He is very smart on the field [and] he understands his position.”

Fanoga adds that Fonoti has been a starter since last year and he envisions he will continue as a starter this year.

“I try to get better [at linebacker] every practice and every day and by doing that, I have to give it my all each day,” Fonoti said. “I'm not doing it for others to notice but to make sure I'm prepared for anything that comes during games.”

He said his transition to linebacker has been helped tremendously by Fanoga and Widenhofer.

“Coach Woody and Fanoga are great coaches,” Fonoti explains. “[Woody’s] style of coaching is very tough-love. He’s helped me understand how the defense works and everything that goes into it and only expects the best out of me when I’m playing.”

While he may come off as enigmatic, the better descriptive of Fonoti is reserved and respectful. Unlike most players in the limelight, Fonoti is uniquely humble.

“I don't really see myself [being outspoken]. I'll be the best teammate supporter though and my team always comes first.”

“La’auli is real quiet,” Fanoga said. “He does everything with his pads, not verbally.”

Fonoti adds that if his team needs him to be outspoken, he will if it leads to wins. If his younger teammates, including those 23 players (THIS NUMBER IS INCORRECT) with a Samoan background, look to him for example, Fonoti explains he wants to set a good example.

It is not a secret Fonoti is humble and reserved, but not too reserved to being open to improving and raising his game to new levels. During the games is when he is not reserved, far from it. When he puts his pads, Aggie jersey and helmet on, Fonoti seemingly leaps out of his reserved character and slaps on a different persona.

To get into that part of himself, Fonoti prepares by organizing his teammates, usually his Polynesian teammates, in a pregame ritual dance called a Haka, an ancient war dance from New Zealand used to intimidate opponents before battle. This involves slapping, stomping and screaming. The typical dance they use before the game is used to intimidate and to build courage. If you have not seen it, look for it during the Aggie football games, as the whole team will be performing the ‘Haka’.

With the departures of senior linebackers and captains Tim McManigal and Nathan Nuttall, who were respectively No. 1 and No. 6 on the team in tackles last season, Fonoti, along with Floyd, will be expected to put much more on his shoulders.

“La’auli is being counted on to step up. We lost a lot of good guys last year, so we’re looking at him for big plays.” Part of what makes Fonoti and the rest of the Polynesian student-athlete football players stand out is their work ethic. Fanoga said most of them learn the value of working hard growing up. He said it is part of their lIfestyle.

“They are taught since they are young to work hard and respect others,” Fanoga said. “If they ever got out of line at home, someone, their mom, dad, uncle ... will get them back in line.”

Fanoga added that most of the Polynesian players come from poor communities and poor high schools, such as the high schools on the island of American Samoa.

“The island of [American] Samoa is in the third world,” Fanoga said. “The high schools are poor. They don’t have much exercise equipment so they do what they can by lifting [household items] during chores at home to help their family out. They work a lot ... it is part of the lifestyle.”

Fonoti was recruited out of Hawaii by Fanoga, a fellow Samoan. What Fanoga began by plucking Fonoti out of Kahuku High School was an influx of student-athlete football players coming from a Polynesian background. Currently, there are 22 current Aggie football players, including Fonoti, of Polynesian background, coming from Hawaii, American Samoa, off from the northeast corner of Australia, and even Salt Lake City.

He says it is nice having a coach (Fanoga) and players on the team from his same background.

“It is always nice to have someone to relate to with similar background cultures especially this far from home.” Fanoga agrees: “It’s nice to have somebody you can rely on and who understands your background. The [Polynesian players] really enjoy it here and enjoy the whole atmosphere and environment of Las Cruces.

Fonoti said he thinks Las Cruces is nice. He likes the culture and says it is similar to Hawaii. “Life in Las Cruces is similar to Hawaii ... really Chill,” Fonoti says. “There are a lot of differences but the only bad thing would have to be the hot weather and food.”

Another aspect of Fonoti that makes him an atypical standout football player is his history in the native Hawaiian dance. Fonoti confirms that during his high school days, he was a main dancer, performing every weeknight in front of large crowds.

An interesting fact about Fonoti is his older brothers both played Division I football. His oldest brother, Toniu Fonoti (6yrs older) was an All-American offensive lineman at the University of Nebraska and left school after his junior year to declare for the 2002 NFL Draft, where he was chosen in the second round by the San Diego Chargers. His other brother, Taualai Fonoti (3 yrs older), played at Stanford, and like Fonoti, played linebacker, graduating in 2005.

He said they have given him good advice for football. “The advice was ‘always stay focused and determined’ and always have that 'want to do it' attitude.”

This season, Fonoti hopes to be an even more unique student-athlete and linebacker, on the field. “My goal is to start the whole season and to improve myself from last season.”

You can watch for Fonoti, No. 11, when the Aggie defense takes the field this season.

Seattle Times Article on Alameda Ta'amu & Senio Kelemete

By Sandy Ringer

Seattle Times staff reporter

Brawn and brains. Size and strength. Athleticism and attitude.

If Coach Frankenstein wanted to assemble the perfect high-school offensive lineman, he'd start with heaping helpings of those ingredients. Fold in footwork, character and selflessness, and he'd surely mold the kind of player it takes to excel at the next level and beyond.

Today's prep linemen are bigger, faster, smarter, stronger and edgier. And some of the state's best will display their monstrous talents at Seattle-area schools this fall — Alameda Ta'amu at Rainier Beach, Senio Kelemete at Evergreen of White Center, Trevor Guyton at Redmond, David DeCastro at Bellevue and Drew Schaefer at Eastlake of Sammamish. All but Ta'amu, who has several Division I offers, have accepted Pac-10 scholarships.

Intelligence | A lineman's education includes studying playbooks and — eventually — reading defenses. Alameda Ta'amu of Rainier Beach:
Pos. OG/DT
Height 6 feet 4
Weight 330
Bench 360
Squat 500
40 time 5.3
College Undecided

Strength | Weight-room work helps players muscle up and develop the all-important initial burst.
Senio Kelemete of Evergreen:
Pos. OT/DE
Height 6 feet 4
Weight 270
Bench 315
Squat 415
40 time 5.0
College Washington

Continue at Seattle Times

Jeremy Perry Sidelined with Injury

Oregon State University junior preseason All-American offensive guard Jeremy Perry is expected to be sidelined for approximately six weeks after suffering a lower left leg injury in the Beavers’ win over the Utah Utes Thursday night at Reser Stadium. The 6-2 Perry was injured early in the fourth quarter on a running play.

Perry returned to the starting lineup after missing the 2006 Sun Bowl following a knee injury he sustained in the season finale at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The Hau’ula, Hawai’ native earned 2006 Pac-10 Conference First Team honors last season and was the 2005 Pac-10 Co-Freshman of the Year. The 24-game starter is a candidate for the Lombardi and Outland Trophies. “It’s disappointing news, but I know Jeremy will rehabilitate from this injury and return to the lineup,” head coach Mike Riley said. “We have a veteran offensive line, and while Jeremy will be missed, I expect this team to continue to make progress.”

Taliulu leads Tehachapi to 28-13 win

Senior linebacker Alek Taliulu led his team with 7 tackles in a 28-13 win over Garces last Saturday. Taliulu was second in the Central Section last year with 144 tackles.

Kemoeatu brothers among the few fired up over preseason finale

By The Associated Press
Thursday, August 30, 2007

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- For starters, the final exhibition game is usually a race to exchange your helmet and shoulder pads for a baseball cap so you can watch the reserves compete for the final few roster spots.

Things are different for Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu. He wants to play -- and play a lot -- Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers so he can go up against his younger brother Chris for the first time since they were college teammates at Utah.

"Don't be surprised if a fight doesn't break out out there," Kemoeatu said. "My mom is supposed to be in town to watch the game. She told me not to beat up on my brother too much."

While Maake Kemoeatu starts for the Panthers, his brother is a reserve guard for the Steelers. Last season Carolina also faced Pittsburgh in the final preseason game, but the Panthers pulled the starters after one series and brother versus brother never happened.

"Last year we lost to them so he was the one talking. So hopefully this year we get the edge on them and hopefully get the win," Chris Kemoeatu said.

The Kemoeatu brothers may be the only ones who remember Carolina won last year's exhibition finale. Thursday's game will be best remembered for what backups play well enough to survive Saturday's cutdown from 75 players to 53.

"These guys are pursuing dreams that they've been dreaming about for an extremely long time," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "You can sympathize with that. You have an understanding of what its about."

It's been a hectic week for the Steelers, with only three days to prepare after Sunday's 27-13 win over Philadelphia.

Tomlin said the starters will play about a quarter against the Panthers, but Ben Roethlisberger might play less than that after throwing for 247 yards and an interception against the Eagles.

Receiver Hines Ward (broken nose) may sit out, while Willie Parker, who has only 14 carries in the preseason after missing two weeks of camp with a sore knee, should get some work.

It will also mark the final chance to audition for roles on the starting offensive line, which Tomlin has refused to identify. Kemoeatu, who has been working with the second team at right guard, could get a boost if he knocks his 345-pound brother to the ground a few times.

"It'll be a good matchup," Maake Kemoeatu said. "He knows what I like to do and I know what he likes to do. So I'll try to change it up and try to do something that's not in my character, maybe a little shove after the play or something. But it will be fun going up against him."

The Panthers' defensive line did little in last week's 24-7 loss to New England. Tom Brady had plenty of time to throw and led the Patriots on three scoring drives against Carolina's first-team defense.

The Panthers' offense has also struggled, but expect to see little of the starters Thursday. Jake Delhomme, who grabbed his side in practice Sunday, did little in practice the next two days, although coach John Fox said it's not a serious injury.

Backup David Carr isn't expected to play much because of a toe injury, so it's unlikely the Panthers' first-team offense will get much chance to turn things around this week. Carolina's starters have scored one touchdown in two games.

But it will be a big night for undrafted rookie Dalton Bell, who was promoted from fourth-string when Brett Basanez suffered a season-ending wrist injury last week.

Until this week, Bell was best known for his quarterbacks coach at Division II West Texas A&M: former NFL washout Ryan Leaf. Now Bell will be trying to persuade coach John Fox to carry three quarterbacks.

"For me it was helping him with his fundamentals, especially if he wanted to play at the next level," Leaf said in Wednesday in a telephone interview. "He's got a strong arm. He's big and he's physically intimidating for a quarterback. He works his tail off."

Bell and Steelers third-stringer Brian St. Pierre will likely be taking the final few snaps Thursday night when the lone concern will be determining the final few roster spots on both teams.

Only the Kemoeatu brothers will be worried about the score.

"We always got into it when we were kids," Maake Kemoeatu said. "He always wanted to be better than me, and I always wanted to make sure he wasn't better than me. It'll be a good race.

"The winner buys the other guy dinner, so it'll be a pretty expensive dinner he'll be buying me."

Michah Kia starting for UCLA

Posted on: Wednesday, August 29, 2007

HOMEGROWN REPORT
Mililani grad Kia starting for UCLA

By Dennis Anderson
Special to The Advertiser

The consensus among UCLA Bruins watchers is that Mililani's Micah Kia is destined to develop into one of the best college football offensive linemen in the West.

All he needs is experience, they say.

The experience building begins Saturday when UCLA opens its season at Stanford (9:30 a.m. on Fox Sports channel 31).

Kia, a true sophomore, beat out 2006 Freshman All-American Aleksey Lanis in spring practice and will start at left tackle. Kia is No. 73 and his curly black hair, cropped close at Mililani, is now shoulder length and flows out behind his helmet, like the Steelers' Troy Polamalu.

UCLA offensive line coach Bob Connelly urges fans to go slow annointing Kia to stardom, but rattles off a string of attributes that could take him there.

"Micah is a talented young man with great athleticism and a bright future," Connelly says. "He is big (6 feet 6, 299 pounds), has exceptional feet, great quickness and good explosion.

"Once he learns the game and grows out of thinking mode and turns loose, his ability will show up in a hurry."

Thinking mode, the coach explains, is when a player has to think about what to do next instead of doing it by instinct. That's where experience comes in.

Accelerating Kia's learning curve is his daily practice partner — preseason All-America defensive end Bruce Davis. Kia has to try to block Davis about 20 times a day.

"At the first of the year, I was really getting beat up," Kia said, who now is doing better. "Blocking Davis has done a lot for my growth, and off the field he gives me lots of tips and pointers. It's helped a lot."

Davis is solidly on the Kia bandwagon: "He's a good athlete. He has good feet, he's smart and he knows the offense. He's not a guy that is going to make a mental mistake," Davis told a Los Angeles Daily News reporter.

Even though his senior season at Mililani High was shortened by a leg injury, Kia was rated the No. 1 prospect out of Hawai'i and the eighth, 11th, 17th and 28th best offensive line prospect in the nation by various recruiting Web sites.

However, he acknowledges "high school was different because I was a giant among boys, just based on my size. This is a lot different."

Last season he played on the field goal/PAT team and got in for a handful of offensive plays in three games.

As starter, there is "a lot more urgency and pressure to do things right and a bigger burden if you don't want to let your teammates down," Kia says.

Line coach Connelly is not concerned about that. "Micah has an exceptional work ethic," he says, "and natural leadership ability.

"He will grow in confidence and knowledge as he gets quality reps (playing time). That will get him playing faster and let his athleticism show up."

"It's a little early to say he'll be one of the best. That's a long-term statement," Connelly cautions. "But he's got a huge upside."

EXTRA POINTS: Also on the UCLA roster from Hawai'i are redshirt freshman Dylan Rush (Konawaena '05) of Na'alehu, who switched from defensive end to fullback in spring practice, and redshirt junior strong safety Matt Culver (Punahou '04) of Kailua, who played at Grossmont JC before he came to UCLA last season. Neither was on the traveling squad to Stanford.

Kia chose UCLA over Tennessee and also visited Oklahoma, which offered him a scholarship, and Oregon State. Oregon, Washington and Hawai'i, where his older brother Aaron plays, invited him to visit. ... Kia had a 3.8 grade point average at Mililani and earned a place on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll last fall at UCLA.

Kia's father, Malcolm, was an All-State offensive lineman and is a member of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Hall of Fame. Micah's middle name is Kamuela.

Colt Brennan, Michael Lafaele, and Hercules Satele named UH Captains

Farrington High's Michael Lafaele and Long Beach Poly's Hercules Satele have been named senior captains for the University of Hawai'i football team along with preseason All American and Heisman Trophy Candidate Colt Brennan.

Kane, Alualu picked to join Davis, Malele

Rusty Simmons, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Mika Kane and Tyson Alualu joined already appointed defensive line starters Rulon Davis and Matt Malele on the first depth chart of the regular season, which Cal released Monday.

Malele, a defensive tackle, is the lone returning starter, and after two showcase scrimmages, Davis emerged as a starter at end. Kane and Alualu have been getting the majority of the reps with the first team, but Cody Jones, Tad Smith and Cameron Jordan also have been pushing for playing time.

Ta'ufo'ou sighting: Eleven days after starting fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou sprained his MCL in a training-camp scrimmage and it was projected that he would miss 4 to 6 weeks, he was on the field in full pads.

Ta'ufo'ou didn't participate in contact drills, but he walked without a hitch and even knelt on the sideline for a period. Tedford said the fullback is progressing quicker than originally thought.

"He's coming along real well and doing a good job," Tedford said before bumping Ta'ufo'ou up to day-to-day status.

LA Times Name Preseason All Southland Team

The Los Angeles Times named its top Southland Players which include Tongans Hamani Stevens (OL, 6'4, 290, Sr) of Hemet High School and Uona Kaveinga (LB, 6'0, 230, Sr) of Leuzinger High in Lawndale.

Seattle Times Preseason All State Team

The Seattle Times announced their preseason All State Football Team which includes Samoans
Alameda Ta'amu, Everette Thompson, and Senio Kelemete.

OL Alameda Ta'amu, Rainier Beach, 6-4, 330, Sr. State's top-ranked uncommitted lineman casts huge shadow

DL Everette Thompson, Kennedy (Burien), 6-5, 250, Sr. Recruiters project speed rusher will grow to 290-300 pounds

DL Senio Kelemete, Evergreen (White Center), 6-4, 270, Sr. Versatile Huskies recruit also

Seattle Times: Kennedy Thompson

By Matt Massey
Special to The Seattle Times

Few question Everette Thompson's talent. But there's still one nagging query the senior standout from Kennedy High School can't avoid — virtually the only one he can't answer with an emphatic yes.

"Are you a relative of Jack Thompson?"

He isn't. But the common threads start with raw talent, the Samoan heritage and the same last name. Two football stars from different generations went to high schools 2 miles apart and played home games at Highline Memorial Stadium in Burien.

The fast, talented defensive end doesn't mind being asked if he's related to Jack Thompson, the former quarterback at Evergreen High School of White Center and Washington State dubbed "The Throwin' Samoan" in the 1970s.

"It's flattering, because I respect everything he accomplished," Everette Thompson said of the question he hears so often, particularly from college recruiters.

Thompson, stirred by the prospect of an NCAA Division I scholarship and attention after a banner junior season, is out to make a name for himself now.

"He's the quietest, nicest kid off the field, but when he gets on the field, he's not nice," Kennedy coach Bob Bourgette said of his 6-foot-5, 250-pound star speed rusher. "I think he's a great tight end, but he wants to play defense and colleges want him to play defense.

"With his frame, colleges project he'll be 290 or 300 pounds. They love his foot speed, so they'll just put him in the weight room and watch him grow."

He's the next in line for the most famous Thompson hailing from the state. The Kennedy standout has been pursued by many major programs and narrowed his list from 12 schools to five — Washington, Oregon, Oregon State, California and Boise State.

"It's been fun getting a lot of attention," said Thompson, who was All-Seamount both ways as a sophomore and a junior and was Class 3A all-state as a junior on defense. "I've been enjoying it."

During the recruiting period, when coaches could contact Thompson, text messages seemed to come nonstop from head coaches, including Washington's Tyrone Willingham and Oregon's Mike Belotti, and assistants.

"Texts in the morning and the afternoon, and they'd call at school," said Thompson, who visited Boise State last weekend. "I never thought I'd be in this position, because I just played for fun at first."

Thompson, who can bench-press 350 pounds and squat 500, anchored a defense that helped the Lancers to a 13-1 record and a spot in the Class 3A state-championship game, which they lost to unbeaten state power Bellevue 21-14 in overtime. The Lancers from Burien held Seamount opponents to 10.9 points and 160.8 yards per game in winning the league title at 7-0. As a tight end on offense, Thompson caught 10 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns.

Kennedy is likely to pass less this season, with speedster Nolan Washington moving to quarterback, so Thompson might do most of his damage on defense as a senior.

"I like playing defense, because it's more instinctive to me," said the fourth-year starter. "Defense is definitely more natural for me."

That's surely what college coaches see, even if he isn't related to another talented Thompson from a generation ago.

Seattle Times: Patrick Tepea

By Sandy Ringer
Seattle Times staff reporter

AUBURN — Pat Tepea left stormy surroundings and a lot of sunshine when he moved from Hawaii to Auburn as a junior last year.

He had his reservations, as any 16-year-old would. Deep down, though, he knew change would be good.

Tepea says drugs were common at his old school and even players on his former team would be high at practice.

"There was a lot of bad stuff that went around," Tepea said of Kailua High School on Oahu near Honolulu. "There were a lot of drugs going around. I remember a lot of people coming to practice on stuff and crazy things like that."

Plenty of good stuff happened to Tepea at Auburn High School last fall as he was a key part of a 12-0 ride that took the Trojans to the Class 3A state semifinals before losing to eventual champion Bellevue.

On a team anchored by Kellen Kiilsgaard, an all-state defensive back and versatile quarterback now at Stanford, Tepea (5 feet 10, 175 pounds) wound up as Auburn's third-leading rusher with 445 yards on 38 carries and scored seven touchdowns, earning second-team honors in the All-South Puget Sound League 3A voting. He also was a valuable backup to Kiilsgaard at safety. A hard hitter with good speed, Tepea has drawn college interest.

"I expect him to be the best defensive back in the league," Auburn coach Gordon Elliott said.

That's one reason Tepea's mom and stepfather decided to move here for a job. Tepea was hesitant, but older brother Nicholas, who now plays football at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif., helped persuade him.

"Nicholas told him he was going to get more opportunities and be seen by more schools," said their mom, Andra Phithamma.

She also wanted Pat in a better environment. Hitting on the football field was never a problem for him. Fighting away from the field, however, had gotten him in trouble — so much so that his mom sent Pat to live with his father for part of his freshman year.

"I was getting into fights and messing around with the wrong people," Tepea said. "After my mom sent me to live with my dad to clean my act up, I came back my sophomore year and actually did very well. I kept out of trouble and I've been out since."

Phithamma said Pat seemed a bit "lost and confused" after his parents divorced and she ultimately decided he needed to spend time at his father's.

"He came back a changed person," she said.

Tepea moved up to the Kailua varsity team by the end of his sophomore year, but knew the task would be tougher at Auburn. He was excited and uneasy.

"When I first came here, I was nervous," Tepea said. "I had to fit in with people, for one. It was kind of hard. I had to sacrifice a lot and work my way up. A lot of people would test me to see if I was fast and if I could hit."

He is and he can.

"He's an explosive, dangerous player," Sumner coach Keith Ross said. "He's one of those kids who can change a game."

Tepea, who also runs track, expects Auburn's success to continue despite heavy graduation losses.

"People can say we lost a lot of people, but I can say we have just as strong players as we did last year, just not as big a names," he said.

Tepea made a name for himself last season and should be an even bigger part of the story line this year.

Bulldogs draw their lines with Stevens brothers

By: NATHAN MAX For The Californian

HEMET ---- Rivals.com rates Hemet senior lineman Hamani Stevens as the No. 1 high school center in the country, though that's slightly peculiar considering the 6-foot-4, 290-pound two-way starter actually plays strong-side tackle for the Bulldogs' offense.

Rivals rates high school recruits based on projected college positions, not their current high school positions. Nevertheless, the point is made. It will be all about Stevens this year at Hemet, which is looking to improve upon its 8-3 record in 2006.

Last season, Hemet tied Elsinore and Paloma Valley atop the Sunbelt League before falling to Moreno Valley Canyon Springs in the first round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

Stevens will anchor the line on both side of the ball. Offensively, he will be the Bulldogs' most fearsome blocker. Defensively, he plans to make life miserable for the opposition from his nose-guard position.

Stevens hasn't yet made his college decision, but he's a sure-fire NCAA Division I player. Hemet coach Andy Boynton said Stevens has been offered scholarships so far to San Diego State, BYU, Colorado, Michigan State and all but three PAC-10 schools.

"It's hard to practice against him," said Boynton, who is entering his 12th season with the Bulldogs. "When he's on defense, we don't have anybody that can block him. When he's on offense, we don't have anybody that he can't just absolutely crush.

"I've been a high school coach going on 15, 16 years, and he's the best I've ever seen. He is absolutely dominant on both sides of the ball."

Mighty Thor, Sanford join forces in Las Vegas to face Aggies

By Jay Hinton
Deseret Morning News

Published: August 29, 2007

Thor Pili is no stranger to UNLV football coach Mike Sanford.

Sanford pursued the 6-foot-3, 265-pound defensive lineman out of Orem's Timpanogos High School while he was a coach at the University of Utah.

Sanford now has his man.

After two years at the University of Oregon and one year at Snow College, Pili and Sanford are together in Las Vegas.

"We're glad to have him," said Sanford.

Pili, a junior, is a proven winner coming out of Snow College, where he registered 9 1/2 tackles for loss for a Badger team that finished 11-1. They won the Western States Football League and defeated Coffeyville Community College in the Top of the Mountain Bowl last year. The Badgers were ranked No. 2 in the final NJCAA poll.

"We had a need to fill at strong-side defensive end, and Thor is a perfect fit," Sanford told Rebel Nation at scout.com. "He possesses a great mix of size, strength, speed and ability and will compete to be a starter."

Currently, Pili is listed as the backup on the depth chart. He is nursing a broken hand but will wear a cast and play when the Rebels face Utah State on Thursday in Logan. The game kicks off at 6 p.m.

Sanford is expecting the same from Pili as he showed with the Badgers.

"He's a really good football player and has a tremendous attitude and work ethic," Sanford said. "I expect big things out of Thor Pili."

Thor isn't the only Pili on the roster, however. His brother Tolu is a freshman offensive lineman.

"Tolu Pili is developing," Sanford said of the 6-0, 320-pounder. "He's a young offensive lineman, and we look forward to more of him in the future."

Out of high school, Thor Pili was ranked among the nation's top 25 defensive linemen, while Tolu graduated from Timpanogos High in 2006, where he was a four-year letter-winner.

Tampa Bay cuts Owens and Tuiasosopo

The Tampa Bay Bucaneers have cut wide receiver/returner Chad Owens and fullback Zach Tuiasosopo.

Washington Redskins Release Joe Salave'a

By Gary Fitzgerald Redskins.com

August 28, 2007

The Redskins have reduced their roster to the league-mandated 75 players by releasing four players, including veteran defensive tackle Joe Salave'a.

The team also waived fullback Pete Schmitt and placed offensive lineman Ross Tucker and wide receiver Jason McAddley on injured reserve.

Salave'a's release comes as a mild surprise--the native of American Samoa was a popular players in the locker room and among fans.

"We felt like it was real crowded at the tackle position and if we let Joe go now, in the first cut, then he would have a chance to catch on with another team," head coach Joe Gibbs said. "It's awful tough.

"But it's something where you have to do what's best for the team. Sometimes there are some real tough decisions in there."

Salave'a is a 9-year NFL veteran who entered the league as a fourth-round draft choice with Tennessee. He also played one season with San Diego before joining the Redskins in 2004.

When assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams was the defensive coordinator at Tennessee, he helped draft Salave'a. In 2004, Williams then recruited Salave'a to come to Washington as a free agent.

Said Williams: "We have some young guys here that were doing better, so we decided to make that move and we wanted to make sure Joe had a chance to hook on someplace else. I wish him the best, because he and I are real close."

This preseason, the Redskins have uncovered some quality, young depth along the defensive line. Last year, Salave'a was replaced in the lineup by Kedric Golston, a sixth-round draft pick who started 13 games.

Jeremy Perry Pre-Season SI All American

Sports Illustrated has named Oregon State Offensive Lineman Jeremy Perry to it's preseason All American team. Perry is a graduate of Kahuku High School on the North Shore of O'ahu.

OL: Jeremy Perry
Jr., Oregon State
Three-year starter is widely considered America's top guard

Vikings continue win streak against Sharks

by Brian Vitolio

Faga'itua continued its dominance of Samoana with yet another win last Saturday in week two of ASHSAA varsity football, beating the Sharks 29-8.

The win improves the Vikings to 2-0, tied for first with Tafuna after the Warriors beat the Nu'uuli Poly-Tech Wildcats (0-2) 20-0 last Saturday.

In other games, the Leone Lions (1-1) came out hungry for their first win of the season last Saturday against the Fa'asao/Marist Crusaders (1-1), and that hunger was evident as they racked up 46 points.

Also, last Friday, the Samoana Sharks (1-1) got off to a good start in defending their junior varsity football title by beating the Tafuna Warriors (0-1) 15-8. In the second game, a defensive battle saw the Vikings (0-0-1) and Lions (0-0-1) match end in a stalemate, 0-0.

This Friday Leone plays Tafuna in the first match at four p.m. while Faga'itua takes on Samoana in the second match scheduled to start at six p.m. for junior varsity action.

VIKINGS 29, SHARKS 8

Samoana has not beaten the Vikings in quite a while now, and their losing streak against Faga'itua was extended last Saturday in a 29-8 loss that has the Sharks winless two weeks into the season.

William Chan Kau twice broke away for long touchdown runs in the second half to turn a 17-8 game into a big win for the Vikings. Once he broke out into the open, there was just no catching Chan Kau.

His first long run was a 50 yarder, the first play of the third quarter that made it 23-8.

The next one came in the fourth period with 9:55 remaining on the clock, a 66-yard touchdown run that deflated the Samoana fans.

That touchdown made it 29-8.

Samoana had some good drives during the game but never did seem to finish them off with scores. Ailao Tualaulelei Jr. provided some spark for them with his excellent running, as he has done for the junior varsity the last two years, but penalties by Samoana and an excellent defensive stance by Faga'itua combined help to negate any scoring threat from the Sharks.

This week Samoana faces Leone in the second match.

Faga'itua takes on Nu'uuli Poly-Tech this Saturday in the first match of the day.

WARRIORS 20, WILDCATS 0

Despite the score, it was a nail-biter for Tafuna as they struggled against the Nu'uuli Poly-Tech Wildcats last Saturday.

They scored a touchdown each in the first and second quarters, and then led 12-0 for most of the game until the closing seconds of the match when they finally scored their third touchdown and added the two-point conversion to make up the game's final score.

Scoring for Tafuna was last week's Offensive Player of the Week Maka Leapaga, Fa'afetai Saelua and Jonathon Wright.

After torching Samoana for 188 yards rushing two weeks ago, Leapaga was held to 88 yards on 13 carries by the Vikings.

Tafuna prepares for the Crusaders this week while the Wildcats play a tough one, facing the undefeated Vikings.

LIONS 46, CRUSADERS 0

Leone was sharp, methodical and down right hungry for their first win of the season. They were not at their best against Faga'itua during the opening week, so last Saturday they took it out against the Crusaders by coming four points short of hitting the century mark.

The man of the match was Afasene Tasi, exploding for 106 yards rushing on 14 carries and then completing a hat trick in touchdowns scored with three.

With 27 seconds remaining in the first half, Leone induced the mercy rule with a touchdown that gave them 33 points. Once a team gets ahead of another by scoring 30 or more points to zero, the mercy rule is applied to the game.

At this point it is up to the other team if they want to stop the game with the mercy rule in effect or continue playing. If the game is to continue, then the clock runs non-stop with the exception of a timeout.

So if the ball falls incomplete in a pass attempt, or the ball is taken out of bounds, the clock will continue running. Fa'asao/Marist did not want to give up when given the choice before the second half was to start, so the game continued.

In the first quarter, Leone's defense started things off by giving their offensive unit great field position when they made a 14-yard sack on the second play of the game. This took the Crusaders inside their 10-yard line, then recovering a fumble on the next play at the Crusaders' three-yard line.

A play later Tasi punched it in from three yards out for the first score, and after the successful PAT, Leone was up 7-0 with 9:51 left in the first.

The defense held the Crusaders to a three-and-out on the next possession, and it took just three plays for the Lions to score again. Tasi came up with his second TD of the match, scoring it from a yard out after setting up his own touchdown with a 48-yard run. The extra point made it 14-0 with 5:37 left in the first period.

Another three-and-out by the Crusaders and this time their defense came up with a stop. They had allowed Leone to score on two straight possessions and were on the verge of allowing another one, but they came up big by recovering a fumble on the eighth play of Leone's possession.

However, the defense made up for their offensive unit's turnover by sacking the Crusaders' quarterback, and forcing a fumble in the process, and then recovering it and running it into the end zone for a score. Sale Fatu recovered the loose ball for the Lions and scored it from three yards out. The kick for the extra point made it 21-0.

In the second period, another fumble recovery by Leone's defense allowed Tasi to complete his hat trick with a 19-yard dash into the end zone to make it 27-0 with 4:24 left before the half.

The last score of the first quarter that also induced the mercy rule was a two-yarder punched in by Fa'agati Uta. Tasi helped set up the score with a 21-yard gain on the ground and another for six yards. The latter rush put the Lions at the four and two more yards were tacked on after the run because of a face-mask penalty against Fa'asao/Marist.

This latest score made it 33-0.

In the second half, Suka Saifoloi caught an eight-yard pass from quarterback Vince Ponausuia, and the PAT made it 40-0.

Completing the game's final score was a 51-yard heave by new quarterback Beck Coulter to Willie Ponausuia. Vince and Willie are twin brothers.

Leone prepares this week for Samoana while the Crusaders will play Tafuna this Saturday in the last match of the day.

Life challenges prepare Vol: Church mission, brother's accident strengthen Mapu

By BRYAN MULLEN
Staff Writer

KNOXVILLE — J.T. Mapu shouldn't be majoring in sociology.

He should be teaching it.

His background and travels have allowed him to hear different languages (Hawaiian and Creole), taste local delicacies (gumbo and Texas barbecue), and experience unique traditions (Mardi Gras and the Vol Walk).

The Tennessee defensive tackle is expected to be a force for the Vols this season. Fans will study his on-field production, but Mapu will concentrate more on the time he's spent away from football. And how it's made him better, in every respect.

He is from Hawaii, lives in Knoxville, and recently spent two years on a church mission in Texas and Louisiana.

His travels have taken him all over the world.

But it's the trip he took exactly four years ago today that matters most, an emotional flight home to Hawaii to see his older brother who was struck and nearly killed by two vehicles while he was protesting against drugs.

Mapu's travelings and
triumphs and tribulations are enough to make anyone's head spin. Now, as a senior, as a 23-year-old man, it's helped prepare him for things beyond blocking gaps and footwork and schemes.

"I've learned a lot of things that I can apply to more than just football," Mapu said.

On a mission

It's taken time to get to this point.

Mapu, a room-filler at 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, started 11 games as a sophomore for the Vols in 2003. He made his presence known with strong showings against powerhouses Florida, Alabama and Miami.

But after the season he had a decision to make. Coming from a deeply religious family, Mapu had to decide whether to go on a church mission.

It wasn't an easy choice. He was playing well and knew it would hurt his chances of playing professionally one day. In the end, the big picture outweighed the big risk.

The letter arrived in late May 2004 at the Mapu home in Kahuku, Hawaii. It was from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The family gathered. The letter read, "You have been called to serve in the Texas Houston East Mission. You will be prepared to teach the gospel in the Spanish language."

One year later, Mapu completed the mission. Then he was off to another one in Louisiana. Two football seasons were gone, but a lot of respect was gained.

"To me it's just a great sacrifice that a young guy makes," UT defensive line Coach Dan Brooks said. "He started for us the whole year as a sophomore, and to leave in the middle of that and go, that's a tremendous sacrifice. I think our team and our staff has a lot of respect for him as a person."

Wakeup call

It's been four years to the day since Mapu received an early morning phone call from a family member in Hawaii.

Something terrible had happened.

His older brother, Daniel, was standing on the side of a road in Ka'a'awa, Hawaii, with about 20 friends protesting the use of crystal meth and promoting the area as a drug-free community.

According to police reports, a white pickup truck was weaving in and out of traffic and struck Daniel, sending him into onto the road, where he was hit by another vehicle.

Daniel was in critical condition. He had suffered serious head injuries. He was in a coma.

With the help and support of UT Coach Phillip Fulmer, Mapu was on a plane that afternoon for the half-day trip to Hawaii. When Mapu arrived, his heart sank. His older brother — one heck of a high school football player back in the day — was helpless. Daniel eventually showed signs of recovery. He woke up from the coma. He could blink. But he couldn't speak and was far from being out of danger.

A special walk

Mapu returned to Knoxville a week later for the South Carolina game.

His heart still heavy, he tried to think of something, anything, to make his big brother smile.

Then it dawned on him: If his brother couldn't walk, then his brother would experience one of the best walks in the country.

During the players' traditional Vol Walk to Neyland Stadium before the game, Mapu called his mom on his cell phone. He had a family member press the phone to his brother's ear.

Daniel Mapu heard thousands of fans screaming, the band playing, and Rocky Top blaring.

"That was the day he was supposed to see my first game here," J.T. Mapu said. "My family told me later he was smiling listening to it."

Hear and now

This story doesn't have a happiest of endings. Daniel Mapu still suffers seizures. His parents still care for him at their home. He is still unable to talk.

But in two weeks UT will host Southern Miss.

It will be the first Vol Walk of the season.

And someone in Hawaii will push a phone to Daniel Mapu's ear.

And Daniel Mapu will smile.

Life of Brennan: Hawaii's QB discusses the Heisman, surfing and his hair

Excerpt from a recent article on Colt Brennan in Sports Illustrated

On having dreadlocks this summer

Half my team is Polynesian with hair to their shoulders. The other half -- including our starting receivers -- have dreadlocks. So they helped me get it braided. I don't have a girlfriend, and the dreadlocks weren't helping me get one. Girls hate it.

On speaking Samoan on the field

When I got to Hawaii, I was getting into it, and we have a lot of players who speak Samoan. I started showing off what I'd learned. Next thing you knew, we were implementing Samoan in audibles. I'm afraid to give much away, but we use one word that sounds like pizza. Everyone [on the other team] thinks I'm yelling, "Pizza, pizza ... pepperoni and cheese...." They don't know what to do.

Panapa Now a Forceful Leader

By David Lassen (Contact)
Saturday, August 25, 2007

Ryan Panapa didn't take long to make an impression on St. Bonaventure High football coach Todd Therrien — in a practice, or a game.

The practice was during Panapa's freshman year, when the linebacker was brought up to the varsity for the playoffs.

"We run a screen at him," recalls Therrien, who steps into St. Bonaventure's head coaching job this year while remaining defensive coordinator. "The offense gains about 15 yards. So we coach him up, and they try to run that screen again. He kills it.

"He is one of those guys — you're not going to get him twice."

Sometimes, you're not even going to get him once. That was illustrated in his varsity debut the following year, when the Seraphs opened the season against Burroughs of Ridgecrest.

On the second play of the game, Therrien says, "They run a blast toward him. He goes through the fullback and lifts the tailback up. The tailback's helmet ended up sideways. We just said, Hey, you know what? That guy's pretty danged good.' "

The assessment has proved to be more than accurate. As he enters his senior season, the 6-foot-2, 256-pound Panapa comes into the season as a captain, a mentor and an undeniable force on the field. He led the Seraphs a year ago with 98 tackles, after collecting 70 — fourth on the team — as a sophomore.

As his impact has grown, so has his stature as a team leader, according to Therrien.

"Phenomenal leader," says Therrien. "In the first couple years, it was by his play. Now he's a vocal leader as well.

"We don't really tell guys to get vocal. It started with Cory Finnerty (a Seraphs linebacker now at Navy). He was a very quiet player, and then his senior year, he stepped up and was a vocal leader. Ryan's done the same thing. He knows it's his time, his year, and he's stepped up and is leading now."

For Panapa, leadership means thinking of the team first — and not just this year's team.

"I've stopped with personal goals," he says. "I just mainly want to help out all the younger guys now, so they can continue all the tradition and become better than this team."

In that, he both honors past teammates and fulfills the desire and design of his head coach.

"When I was a sophomore, I had Dwight Roberson (that season's tackle leader) and he helped me a lot," says Panapa. "I just want to pass it on to these younger guys, who actually are really good — Dylan Davis, Brent Maddox and Art Galbreath."

This is exactly what Therrien wants.

"When we get a guy like that, he knows what he's got to do," says the coach. "So his reps (repetitions in practice) get cut, and he becomes more of a coach, because we've got to get someone to replace him for next year.

"Not only does he rep himself, but he starts coaching up the other guys. And they say you retain 95 percent of what you teach."

Early in his football career, Panapa was a quarterback and running back. But as he grew, his father suggested he move to linebacker. After some initial resistance, he grew to love the position, for one very good reason: "We get to hit," he says. "That's the main thing I like. At running back, you hit or mostly get hit, but at linebacker, you get to hit. It's just fun."

(Not surprisingly, this is why — even though he recognizes its value in terms of learning and perfecting coverages — he's not fond of the summer 7-on-7 season: "We can't hit," he says. "All we can do is tag.")

Loving it and doing it well isn't always the same thing, but as illustrated by the early impression Panapa made on his coach, they are in this case. Beyond that, Therrien says, he's also smart about the game. He's been in charge of calling defensive signals — relaying Therrien's calls to the other players — since his sophomore year.

"I had two seniors doing it," says Therrien. "We had some mess-ups, so Ryan took it over and he's been doing it ever since. He's a student of the game."

That would seem to be confirmed by the degree to which Panapa has come to be in sync with his coach's calls.

"When I walk up to the huddle," Panapa says, "I'll be telling a friend, We should run this,' just based on what I've learned from Coach T. And then we end up running it."

With the help of a player like Panapa, whatever the defense is running, it's usually going to be run well.

Eteuati eager to step up to the pass

OGDEN — A year ago, Bryant Eteuati was teasing and tantalizing Weber State fans with his blazing speed and lightning-quick cuts during kickoff and punt returns.

This year, the junior from Northridge High is hoping to do the same as a receiver.

"We had some pretty good guys last year and I had to kind of wait my turn," Eteuati said. "Now, I think I'm ready to step in and help the team. I think I can be that kind of player."

Eteuati earned first-team All-Big Sky honors last season as a return specialist. The diminutive player averaged 27.94 yards per kickoff return and 12.07 yards per punt return. He took one kickoff 100 yards from end zone to end zone against Montana for a touchdown.

He has only 13 receptions during his two seasons with the Wildcats, but that has been largely due to playing behind established players such as Wiley King, Terry Larsen and Marky Filipe. With Larsen and Filipe graduating last year, Eteuati is one of a handful of receivers Weber State will look to when trying to move the ball downfield.

Continue