Sorry --- had to take advantage of the nicest day we've maybe had here all year, so I was out of communication range most of the afternoon and night.
I see that some of you have already posted a note found in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser today that UW fullback Kimo Makaula of Kailua, Hawaii is transferring to Idaho State (where he would be immediately eligible since it's an FCS school). There has been no confirmation yet from UW.
Makaula will be a redshirt sophomore in 2011, after redshirting in 2009 and then not playing in 2010. He was part of the first recruiting class for UW coach Steve Sarkisian, assembled in two months after he took over as UW coach in Dec., 2008.
Makaula played QB (among several other positions) in high school but was attempting to make the transition to fullback. However, he ended the spring third on the depth chart behind Jonathan Amosa and Zach Fogerson, and rarely saw the field during scrimmages. He would have faced more competition in the fall with the arrival of 2011 signee Dezden Petty.
If Makalua is leaving, it would obviously create one more opening for a scholarship for the Class of 2012. It already appeared as if UW wouldn't have any trouble fitting in the 21 signees from last February who are due to arrive in the fall into the 85-man limit.
UW had 66 scholarship players listed on its spring football roster, a total that included the walk-ons who were placed on scholarship a year ago such as Amosa and Daniel Kanczugowski. UW coach Steve Sarkisian also said at the end of the spring that the futures of OL Nick Wood and DT Chris Robinson, each battling injuries throughout the spring --- Wood missed the spring after having hip surgery while Robinson suffered another knee injury --- were in doubt.
UW has been recruiting JC linebacker Robert Atiga of Snow (Utah) College, who would be eligible for the 2011 season, and it appears the Huskies would have had room to fit him in. However, Atiga told Scout.com this week he is now considering only Arkansas and Oregon State after taking a recent visit to Arkansas. He visited UW last month.
Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State: Paea, a senior from Los Altos, Calif., anchored a Beaver defense that ranks fourth in the Pac-10 and 24th in the nation in sacks with 2.5 per game. He leads the team with six sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss. Last season he was co-recipient of the Morris Trophy presented to the Pac-10’s top defensive lineman as voted on by the league’s offensive lineman. Paea has amassed 129 tackles for his career, including 29.5 tackles for loss and 14.0 sacks, and has established a school record with nine forced fumbles.
First Team
DL Stephen Paea Oregon State
Second Team
DL Sione Fua Stanford
Has totaled 22 tackles on the season, including 4.0 sacks among his 6.0 tackles-for-loss
DB Nate Williams Washington
Had 100 tackles (62 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 4 pass break ups and deflections each.
Honorable Mention
RB Keola Antolin Arizona
KR Jordan Poyer Oregon State
ST Devin Unga Oregon State
DL Matthew Masifilo Stanford
TE Rhett Ellison USC
FB Stanley Havili USC
DL Alameda Ta'amu Washington
Third straight year named first team All-WAC. For the season Taua has rushed for 1534 yards in 12 games and 19 TDs. He also had 15 receptions for 216 yards and 3 TDs
LB Cory Paredes Hawai'i
Led the team with 144 tackles and ranked 11th nationally, averaging 11.1 tackles per game. The junior was a key member of a defense which led all FBS teams in turnovers forced with 36, including a nation-leading 23 interceptions.
DB Mana Silva Hawai'i
Silva ranked second nationally in interceptions with eight and set a new UH record with 14 during his career. He also finished second on the team with 76 tackles and had a team-high 14 passes defended.
Second Team
WR Kealoha Pilares Hawai'i
Pilares ranked in the Top 10 nationally in both receptions (7.3) and receiving yards (108.8) per game and had 15 touchdowns.
OL Laupepa Letuli Hawai'i
Anchored the line whose offense led the nation in passing (387.8) and ranked ninth in scoring (39.9).
OL Ailao Eliapo San Jose State
QB Bryant Moniz Hawai'i
Moniz is the nation’s leader in both passing yards per game (356.1) and total offense per game (361.9). He passed for 4,629 yards and 36 touchdowns during the regular season and had a passer rating of 161.9, which ranked 10th nationally.
DL Kaniela Tuipulotu Hawai'i
A transfer from Arizona, anchored a defensive line that did not allow a 100-yard rusher in WAC play.
DB Shiloh Ke'o Idaho
Keo earned recognition on the preseason Thorpe Award Watch List and wound up as Idaho's fifth leading tackler with 45 solo stops and 16 assists for a total 61. He also had three interceptions and finishes his Idaho career with 11 to tie for sixth all-time. His 358 tackles are fifth all-time for the Vandals.
First Team
Fullback Vai Tafuna (Weber State) Last year as a junior he had just five rushing attempts for 42 yards and did not score a touchdown. In the first six games of the 2010 season, he had just 49 carries for 138 yards and one touchdown, but in the final five games he carried 86 times for 413 yards and score nine touchdowns. In WSU's 30-21 win over 7th ranked Montana, he ran for 124 yards and four touchdowns. The week before vs. Portland State, he rushed for a career high 153 yards on just 18 carries. He ended the season with 140 carries for 593 yards and 10 touchdowns. He ranked 10th in the Big Sky in Rushing Yards per game.
Second Team
Special Teams Bo Bolen (Weber State)
Bolen was on every WSU special teams. He had three tackles on cover teams and was third in the Big Sky in Kickoff Returns. He had 35 returns for an average of 24.20. yards per return. Those 35 returns are the third most in a single season at Weber State. His best game in 2010 was four returns for 152 yards (38.00 ypr) vs. Portland State which included a season-long 65 yard return. Bolen now has 74 career kickoff returns, third most in WSU school history, and has averaged 24.39 yards a return.
Honorable Mention:
Center Tyson Tiatia (Weber State)
Quarterback Cameron Higgins (Weber State)
Running Back: Bo Bolen (Weber State) He led the Wildcats with 153 carries for 704 yards, scoring three touchdowns. He was WSU's third leading receiver as well with 32 catches for 256 yards and one touchdown. Bolen is leaving on December 8, 2010 for a two-year LDS Church mission to the Phillipine Islands.
Defensive Tackle: Jordan Monga (Idaho State)
Defensive Tackle: Kainoa Pe'a (Northern Arizona)
Defensive Tackle: Adam Sagapolutele-White (Weber State)
Punter Josh Kealamakia (Weber State)
University of Hawai‘i slot receiver Kealoha Pilares and safety Mana Silva were selected to the Academic all-District VIII first team, as selected by the College of Sports Information Directors Association. Both are now eligible for Academic All-America honors which will be announced later this season.
Pilares, a kinesiology and recreation science major, currently ranks seventh nationally in receiving yards per game (105.0) and 11th in receptions per game (7.11). He also shares the team-lead with running back Alex Green with 12 touchdowns.
The senior from Wahiawa, O'ahu is having a breakout year with four 100-yard receiving games and four multiple touchdown games. Earlier this season, he broke the school’s single-game record with 18 catches for a career-high 217 yards in a win over Louisiana Tech. He has recorded a touchdown in seven of nine games this season.
Silva, a senior from Hilo, Hawai‘i, leads the team with five interceptions this season and also ranks second with 56 tackles. Over his career, he has 11 interceptions, just two shy of the school record held by Keone Jardine and Kelvin Millhouse.
In order to be eligible for the all-district, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) at his current institution and have reached sophomore athletic eligibility.
DENVER – For the second straight week, University of Hawai‘i football players won the Verizon Western Athletic Conference’s Offensive and Defensive player of the week awards. Quarterback Bryant Moniz and safety Mana Silva were this week’s recipients after their performances in UH’s win over Idaho.
Moniz, a junior from Wahiawa, O‘ahu (Fresno City College), was 27-of-38 for 326 yards and three touchdowns in the Warriors’ 45-10 victory. He also rushed seven times for 43 yards and another score. After starting the game 1-of-7, he completed 26 of his next 31 passes and accounted for a touchdown in each of the four quarters.
Moniz, who also captured the award following UH’s win over Army earlier this season, is the first quarterback in the nation to reach 3,000 yards this season (3,247) and leads the country in total offense with 373.4 yards per game.
Silva, a senior from Hilo, Hawai‘i (Oregon State), had nine tackles (6 solo), including one for a loss of 13 yards, and intercepted a pass in the win. The interception occurred in the first quarter with the score tied, 3-3, and Idaho in Hawai‘i territory. The turnover led to a touchdown drive and a 10-3 lead for the Warriors. It was Silva’s 12th career interception, one shy of tying the school record.
Last week, running back Alex Green and linebacker Corey Paredes were the WAC’s offensive and defensive players of the week after the Warriors’ victory over Utah State. A UH defensive player has won the award three straight weeks.
On Saturday night, Kama Bailey will stand on the visiting sideline and feel right at home.
The Idaho running back will make his second appearance as a Vandal at Aloha Stadium, but unlike his four teammates from Hawaii, he'll feel just a little more comfortable with his surroundings.
The 2008 Damien graduate played the majority of his high school games at the stadium, and returns for what may be his final trot out of the stadium tunnel when Idaho takes on Hawaii in a Western Athletic Conference game.
"I played a lot of football games at Aloha Stadium with Damien and now this more than likely will be my last game there," Bailey said. "It'd be a fitting end to be able to go out with a win."
Bailey played primarily on special teams, returning kicks, when the Vandals last visited Hawaii in 2008. As a freshman, he set the school's single-season kickoff return yardage record with 955 yards on 41 returns.
Now that he's got a better grasp of the Idaho offense, Bailey is enjoying an expanded role as a running back and should see a larger amount of playing time.
"I've been able to get a better handle on our offense and it's good to get the opportunity," he said. "It's nothing like (my playing time) in high school, but I'm not trying to be greedy about it. If it's blocking, running a route, catching a ball or running it, I just want to be out there."
Bailey has scored touchdowns in three of his last four games, both carrying the ball and as a receiver.
The Vandals (4-3) will try to reverse a season-long trend of losing after each win. They've flip-flopped wins and loses in every game this year as they try to earn a repeat berth in a postseason bowl game.
"We're trying to take the steps necessary to go to another bowl," Bailey said. "We're going to have to come in and play our best to beat Hawaii."
To do that, the Vandals will need to rely on Bailey to help control the ball and keep the Hawaii offense off the field.
"We're going to have to establish a running game to have a chance," Bailey said. "We'll need to do that, keep throwing the ball, and maybe make a play or two on special teams to make it a good game."
Bailey played behind Hawaii senior slotback Kealoha Pilares for two years at Damien. The two combined to rewrite the Monarchs record books, amassing obscene rushing numbers.
Bailey was named the Honolulu Star-Bulletin Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 after setting a single-season state record with 2,098 rushing yards, averaging 10.9 yards a carry and scoring 22 touchdowns. He also holds the single-game Interscholastic League of Honolulu record with 370 rushing yards.
Bailey says he hasn't talked to Pilares much since high school, but isn't surprised by his success with the Warriors.
"He's having a great year representing Damien and has them at 6-2 or whatever and at the top of the league," Bailey said. "I knew (Hawaii) was going to be a top contender this year and that's why we have to come in and play our very best if we want to win."
Of the five kids from Hawaii playing for the Vandals, Bailey is the only one on offense.
Junior linebacker Robert Siavii (Leilehua '08) is a starter on defense and Jojo Dickson (Baldwin '07) was a starter and team captain, but won't play after breaking his ankle last week in a win over New Mexico State, ending his season and collegiate career.
"It's tough, but we've got guys that have to step up and fill his role," Bailey said. "He was a key to our defense and now other guys will have to make plays."
Sophomore linebacker Conrad Scheidt (Kamehameha '09) and freshman Chase Bell (Kamehameha-Maui '10) are also on the Idaho roster.
DENVER - Louisiana Tech quarterback Ross Jenkins, Hawai'i linebacker Corey Paredes and Boise State punt returner Chris Potter were named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference offensive, defensive and special teams players of the week, respectively.
Paredes, a junior from Kane'ohe, O'ahu (Castle HS), led the team with nine tackles (6 solo) and forced two fumbles in the 27-21 win over No. 19 Nevada. His first forced fumble came early in the first quarter and led to Hawai'i's first touchdown of the game. On the second, Paredes stopped Nevada from scoring a touchdown in the third quarter by stripping quarterback Colin Kaepernick of the ball just before he crossed the goal line. The Hawai'i defense held Nevada to 134 rushing yards, 180 below their season average.
Arizona running back Keola Antolin scored on a 33 yard TD run and a 12 yard TD reception in the 29-27 loss to Oregon State. Antolin rushed for 70 yards on 8 attempts and had 4 receptions for 40 yards.
Cal running back Isi Sofele had 13 rushes for 80 yards and 1 kick return for 29 yards in the 35-7 win over UCLA.
Colorado linebacker Michael Sipili had 6 tackles in the 26-0 loss to Missouri.
Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz was 29 of 49 for 376 yards and 2 TDs in 49-27 win over Fresno State. Linebacker Corey Paredes led the team with 11 tackles and cornerback Jeremy Bryant had 5 tackles and 2 interceptions.
Navy's defensive end Jabaree Tuani had 8 tackles including 3 for loss in the 28-27 win over Wake Forest. Slotback Aaron Santiago rushed for 66 yards and and 1 reception.
Nevada running back Vai Taua rushed for 3 TDs (1, 73, 4 yards) and 196 yards on 16 rushes and 2 receptions for 18 yards, in the win versus San Jose State 35-13. Taua has rushed for 100+ yards for 5 games in a row and 22 times in his career, the most of any active player in the NCAA.
New Mexico State linebackers BJ Adolpho and Boyblue Aoelua had 9 and 7 tackles respectively in the 16-14 win over New Mexico.
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o had 5 tackles in the 23-17 win over Pitt.
Oregon State safety Suaesi Tuimaunei had 7 tackles and 1 interception in th 29-27 win over Arizona. H Back Joe Halahuni had 5 receptions for 70 yards. Corner back Brandon Hardin had 6 tackles and 1 pass breakup.
San Jose State linebacker Tiuke Tuipulotu had 6 tackles in the 35-13 loss to Nevada.
Stanford receiver and returner Chris Owusu had 3 receptions for 73 yards, one rush for 20 yards, and 6 kick returns for 205 yards including a long of 88 yards, totaling 298 yards in the 37-35 win over USC.
Western Kentucky linebacker Orlando Misa'alefua had 6 tackles in the 28-21 loss to Florida International.
Virginia Tech linebacker Jeron Gouveia-Winslow had 5 tackles in the 45-21 win over Central Michigan.
Washington safety Nate Williams had 8 tackles and 1 sack in a 24-14 loss to Arizona State.
BYU free safety Travis Uale had 10 tackles (5 solo) in the 31-16 loss to Utah State.
Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz passed for 4 TDs and was 42 of 58 for 532 yards and 49 yards rushing in the 41-21 win over Louisiana Tech. Receiver Kealoha Pilares set a team record 18 receptions for 217 yards and 2 TDs. Linebacker Corey Paredes had 9 tackles (8 solo), safety Mana Silva had 2 interceptions and 6 tackles.
Idaho linebacker Robert Siavi'i had 9 tackles (5 solo) and safety Shiloh Ke'o had 7 tackles (4 solo) in the 33-13 win over Western Michigan.
Navy defensive end Jabaree Tuani had 6 tackles (3 solo) in the 14-6 loss to Air Force.
Nevada running back Vai Taua had 19 carries for 188 yards and three touchdowns and also caught a 22-yard touchdown pass in the 44-26 win over UNLV.
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o had 10 tackles (6 solo) in the 31-13 win over Boston College. Te'o has 64 tackles in 5 games including 4 tackles for loss.
Oklahoma State linebacker Tolu Moala had 8 tackles (7 solo) in the 38-35 win over Texas A&M.
Ole Miss quarterback Jeremiah Masolicompleted 9 of 17 passes for 90 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown in the 42-35 win over Kentucky.
New Mexico State defensive lineman Augafa Va'aulu had 6 tackles (2 solo) in the 59-0 loss to Boise State.
Oregon State defensive back Suaesi Tuimaunei had 9 tackles (3 solo) and defensive tackle Stephen Paea had 6 tackles including 2 sacks in the 31-28 win over Arizona State.
Stanford receiver and returner Chris Owusu had 6 receptions for 52 yards and returned 4 kickoffs for 69 yards in the 52-31 loss to Oregon.
Texas Tech linebacker Sam Fehoko had 6 tackles (4 solo) in the 52-38 loss to Iowa State
Washington free safety Nate Williams had 8 tackles (3 solo) in the 28-26 win over USC.
New Mexico State starting linebackers BJ Adolpho and Boyblue Aoelua had 9 and 7 tackles and each had a 1/2 tackle for loss in the 26-14 loss to Kansas.
Utah running back Matt Asiata rushed for 51 yards and 1 TD, running backs Shawn Asiata and Tauni Vakapuna added touchdowns in the 56-3 win over San Jose. Defensive tackle Star Lotulelei added 5 tackles including a 1/2 sack.
UNLV starting LB Starr Fuimaono had 6 tackles and starting DT Isa'ako Aaitui had 5 tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss in a 45-10 win over New Mexico. Mike Clausen who started at quarterback this season switched to defensive back and had 3 tackles and an interception.
Oregon State H-Back Joe Halahuni had 3 receptions for 56 yards and recovered a ball in the end zone for a touchdown in a 37-24 loss to Boise State. Kick returned Jordan Poyer returned 5 kicks for 125 yards including a 40 yard return.
USC fullback Stanley Havili rushed for a 59 yard TD and had a 22 yard TD reception finishing the game with 80 yards on 4 attempts and 5 receptions for 107 yards in the 50-16 win over Washington State.
Weber State quarterback Cameron Higgins passed for 248 yards on 19 of 33 attempts and passed for 1 TD in a 20-9 win over UC-Davis. Running back Bo Bolen rushed for 88 yards on 17 rushes and had 4 receptions for 24 yards. Starting DT Adam Sagapolutele-White had 7 tackles including 1 for loss.
BYU defensive players Eathyn Manumaleuna had 6 tackles, Travis Uale 5 tackles, and Vic So'oto had 4 tackles including 1 interception for 14 yards in a 23-21 loss to Nevada.
Idaho starting linebacker Homer Mauga had 9 tackles (7 solo) including a sack in a 36-34 loss to Colorado State. Safety Shiloh Keo had 5 tackles, linebacker Robert Siavi'i had 5 tackles, and Jojo Dickson had 5 tackles. Running back/kick returner Kama Bailey rushed for a touchdown, 2 receptions for 42 yards, and averaged 23.5 yards on 2 kick returns.
Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz passed for 6 TDs in the first half, finishing the game 19-27 for 395 yards in the 66-7 win over Charleston Southern. Receiver Kealoha Pilares had 4 receptions for 68 yards and 2 TDs. Linebacker Corey Paredes had 14 tackles (5 solo) including 2 pass break ups and 2 quarterback hurries.
Colorado State fullback Zac Pauga had 5 receptions for 60 yards in a 36-34 win over Idaho.
Wyoming starting defensive tackle Mike Purcell had 5 tackles and 1 for loss in a the 20-14 loss to Air Force.
Nevada running back Vai Taua rushed for 133 yards on 29 carries and 1 TD in a 23-21 win over BYU. Taua is second on the team with 320 rushing yards and 4 TDs in 4 games.
Fresno State backup tight end Tapa Taumoepeau had a 1 yard TD reception in the 55-38 loss to Ole Miss.
San Jose State linebacker Tiuke Tuipulotu had 9 tackles and defensive end Foloi Vae had 5 tackles, including 1 for loss.
Virginia Tech starting OLB Jeron Gouveia-Winslow had an interception, pass break up and a tackle in a 19-0 win over Boston College.
Nebraska starting I-Back Roy Helu Jr rushed for 59 yards on 19 carries in a 17-3 win over South Dakota State. In 4 games Helu Jr has rushed for 305 yards and 4 TDs.
San Diego linebacker Loka Kanongataa had 10 tackles, 5 for loss and 1 forced in a 24-0 win over Butler
North Carolina State starting DT Natanu Mageo had 4 tackles including a sack in a 45-28 win over Georgia Tech.
Ole Miss quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was 8 of 12 for 153 yards and 2 TD passes of 30 and 4 yards in 55-38 win over Fresno State. Masoli added 59 yards including a 56 yard run that set up the opening touchdown.
Georgia State linebacker Louie Muasau had 5 tackles in the 24-21 over Campbell.
Gardner Webb defensive end Preston Pemasa had 6 tackles including 1 sack in a 30-14 loss to Sam Houston. Pemasa a true freshman leads the Big South with 4 sacks for the season.
Southern Utah receiver and returner Fesi Sitake had 9 receptions for 97 yards and 1 TD and 118 yards on 6 returns in a 42-28 loss to Texas State. Receiver JaredUrsua had 3 receptions for 82 yards including a 70 yard TD pass.
Notre Dame starting LB Manti Te'o had a career high 21 tackles (8 solo) and 1 quarterback hurry in a 37-14 loss to Stanford. In 4 games Te'o leads the Irish with 54 tackles including 3.5 tackles for loss.
Houston starting NG Matangi Tonga had 4 tackles including a 0.5 tackles for loss in a 14-6 win over Tulane.
The legend goes as such: There would be a great king who would one day unite the islands of Hawaii, and his birth would be foretold by a fire in the sky. This great king would usurp the high chief and all the rival chiefs of the other islands. He would be strong, it was said, and he would lead. Well, Halley's Comet shot through the heavens on Dec. 25, 1758, and a child - Paiea - was born soon after to Chief Keoua Nui and Chiefess Keku`iapoiwa. Alapa`inuiakauaua, the ruler of the land, was warned of the birth by his high priests, and grew angry. He ordered the child to be killed. Keoua Nui and Keku`iapoiwa became worried, so they gave Paiea to the Nae'ole tribe for safekeeping, and the Nae'ole protected the child until he was able to be returned. Paiea would then become King Kamehameha, the first king of Hawaii, the legendary leader who would unite the eight islands, whose life is celebrated by Hawaiians every June 11, whose image is on the back of the state quarter. The Nae'ole tribe continued on, until one merged with a member of the Kia tribe, protectors, hunters, warriors. They risked their lives protecting a king. Their descendant, Micah Kia, risks his body protecting a Prince. And the legend grows as such.
The Painted Warrior
The sun glistens on Kia's bare shoulders, working into the curves of the ink that covers his tanned skin. Kia is 6-foot-5, 321 pounds, bronzed and broad. He is UCLA's starting right offensive tackle, a redshirt senior, charged with blasting running lanes and ensuringthe safety of quarterback Kevin Prince. UCLA's offense goes nowhere without the Prince, and he has appeared fragile on this field.
Kia stands on Spaulding Field after the Bruins practice, long hair cascading in the wind, tongue out, eyes bulged, arms prone in warrior stance.
He tells a story. His pose tells a story. His body tells a story.
They are all over, these etchings of stone, triangles, spears, shark's teeth, night bats.
They tell of Kia's forefathers, his tribesmen, the warriors who passed their stories from generation to generation, the stories gathering on Kia's chest and shoulders.
"From the forearm to the elbow is the warrior band," Kia says, poring over his own body. "Over here is the shark-tooth spearheads. That's my weapon, it kind of flows into my fist. The symbol of the night bat? That's speed. These are octopus tentacles, and they suck in mana'o, or good spirits.
"Over here is the mo'o face, which is the ancient society of peace and serenity.
"The birds flying are the trilogy, the past, present and afterlife. This is the seed that I leave behind. This is kind of like the yin and yang for balance in the universe. All these here are armor, solid colors with the shark tooth, that's the armor. This is the lauhala, the symbol of the woven mats, because when you weave them together, they're extremely strong. Lot of guys would wear it as armor. From my shoulders to my chest was designed by the elders in my family."
He goes on, and you're transported to the islands, to the past, watching Kia's heritage shine through his eyes.
It is a legacy he carries with him everywhere.
In every block, on every run, every time he protects his Prince.
The Gridiron Warrior
There is a thought today that the emerging culture in football, and particularly college football, is the Polynesian culture.
Hawaiian, Samoan, Tongan, Maori — they have taken the warrior mentality, a mentality that protected them on the battlefield, and brought it to the football field. Troy Polamalu, Lofa Tatupu, Junior Seau, Jesse Sapolu, Rey Maualuga.
Micah Kia.
"You see Polynesians on every football team in the country, right?" said UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who was born in Honolulu and is the staff's chief recruiter in Hawaii. "They lend a certain toughness. They pride themselves on that."
Kia believes the attitude has been passed from generation to generation, and he celebrates that on his body.
He has the Nae'ole-Kia family symbols on his chest, as did his great-grandfathers and as do his grandfather and his father, Malcolm, who was an all-state offensive lineman in high school, and as will his brother, Aaron Kia, a former University of Hawaii offensive lineman who was recently in training camp with the New York Jets.
He believes they are with him on the field.
"All football players have that killer instinct, that tenacious side of them," Kia said. "The Polynesian style has a way to show it.
"Not all cultures have a way to physically show that. You don't have to be Polynesian to be a warrior; obviously, there are warriors in every culture, but people embrace symbols in our culture. If you have a way to display that ferocity inside of you, you're going to embrace it. People know when it's real and when it's fake. If it's fake, they'll brush it aside. 'These guys are just making noise.' But it's the feeling behind the Polynesian culture, that love, that desire to prove yourself, the love of battles past and battles present and battles future.
"It all culminates on the field."
Until it doesn't.
The Wounded Warrior
Micah Kia was penciled in to start on UCLA's offensive line last season as a senior, with 15 starts under his belt at three positions. He would have been the line's most experienced returner, its mouthpiece, the leader of a unit that would feature three sophomores — Jeff Baca, Kai Maiava and Mike Harris — a junior college transfer in Eddie Williams, and true freshmen Xavier Su'a-Filo and Stan Hasiak.
On Aug. 19, 2009 — two weeks from the season opener — Kia's season ended after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
He contemplated retiring soon after.
"I took a few weeks to figure out if I wanted to come back or not," Kia said. "It wasn't an automatic: next step, recovery. I had to weigh my options — this wasn't my first injury. Fractured back in high school, broken shin, broken hand. Is it really worth putting my body through this? When I realized it was possible to make a full recovery, the question was, 'Is this something I want to do?'
"But you know, this sport has taken precedence in my heart. Football has become my warrior identity. Letting it go, with the knowledge I could keep fighting, didn't sit well with me."
He had his moments.
Picture this mountain of a man with his leg up, walking boot constricting every movement, pain jolting through, tears flowing down, asking his father, a strong pillar of a man, for a glass of water.
A mountain that cannot move, asking a man who once separated his shoulder during a game and popped it right back in, for a glass of water.
The warrior mentality lends itself to stubbornness, and when it is taken away — injury or otherwise — it can be an impossible pill to swallow for most.
"He's a titan of a man in my head, someone I've always strived to be like," Kia said of his father. "Having to ask him for more and more, even though I know in his heart he's more than willing to give, that hurt. It's my turn. It's my turn to give to him. It shouldn't be the other way around anymore. He's given his all to me, and now it's time for me to start repaying him."
After his father left and his mother — Wallis — came and went, Kia went to work on himself. He worked tirelessly to regain the strength in his leg, though he admits he lost a step, and refined his upper body, returning for this season a few shirt sizes bigger.
"As far as my body goes, I feel a lot stronger," Kia said. "I definitely lost a step, I'm not going to lie about that. I'm not as fast as I was before last year, and I'm trying my best to get my wheels back underneath me — nothing is more intimidating than a big boy who can move — but mentally I feel like I'm back where I was."
Mentally, yes.
Physically, maybe.
Spiritually?
"The spiritual body has the most mystery surrounding it," Kia said. "It's really one big question mark. I would say the spirit is the hardest thing to work on. The body is one thing and the mind is another, and the mind controls the body — strong mind, eventually the body will follow. But to have a strong spirit is a completely different thing.
"One day I hope to find that oneness. Haven't found it yet. But it's something I've seen in others."
And the legend grows as such.
Matt Asiata led Utah with 65 yards rushing and 1 TD to help the Utes defeat Pittsburgh 27-24 (OT). Defensive end Junior Tuione had 5 tackles including 1 sack.
Kansas State starting left tackle Manase Foketi helped the Wildcats run for 313 yards and 3 rushing TDs in a 31-22 win over UCLA.
UNLV Linebacker Star Fuimaono had 5 tackles in a 41-21 loss to Wisconsin.
BYU nose tackle Romney Fuga had 5 tackles (including a 1/2 sack) in Cougar's 23-17 win over Washington. Huskies strong safety Nate Williams finished with 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry.
Shiloh Keo led Idaho with 9 tackles and 2 tackles for loss in a 45-0 win over North Dakota. Homer Mauga added 5 tackles including 1 sack.
Natanu Mageo started at defensive tackle for North Carolina State including 3 tackles and 1 sack in 48-7 win over Western Carolina.
Starting weakside inside linebacker Orlando Misa'alefua had 6 tackles versus Nebraska. Cornhusker I-back Roy Helu rushed for 29 yards and 1 TD in the 49-10 win.
Hawai'i quarterback Bryant Moniz was 18-36 for 269 yards and 1 touchdown before leaving the game with an injury in the 49-36 loss to USC. Receiver Kealoha Pilares had 5 receptions for 176 yards and and 3 touchdowns. Safety Mana Silva led the Warriors with 10 tackles and 1 fumble recovery.
Defensive tackle Mike Purcell finished with 6 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in Wyoming's 28-20 win over Southern Utah. Thunder Birds receiver Fesi Sitake led with 8 receptions for 63 yards and returned 3 kicks for 76 yards.
Colorado starting linebackers Michael Sipili had BJ Beatty had 4 and 3 tackles (all 3 for loss including 1 sack) in 24-3 win over Colorado State.
Cal running back Isi Sofele rushed for 52 yards on 9 carries in the Bears 52-3 win over UC-Davis.
Iowa State starting linebacker Matt Ta'ufo'ou had 6 tackles (3 unassisted) in a 27-10 win over Northern Illinois.
Starting linebacker Manti Te'o led Notre Dame with 9 tackles (6 solo) in a 23-12 win over Purdue.
San Jose State linebacker Tiuke Tuipulotu led the team with 9 tackles and 1 pass break up in the 48-3 loss to Alabama.
Oregon State safety Suaesi Tuimaunei had 14 tackles (including 8 solo) and corner back Brandon Hardin had 7 tackles in a 30-21 loss to TCU.
LOS ANGELES – In the cool shade of a group of trees, UCLA offensive tackle Micah Kia rolled his jersey up over his shoulder to reveal a centuries long path that has delivered him to this place and time.
"The symbol of a young warrior going into adulthood," Kia said as he began to slide a finger up a tattoo that runs from his right wrist up and around his arm to his shoulder.
The tattoo designed by the Hawaiian native's family elders is an account of past battles, victories and disappointments, a road map of the physical and spiritual paths that carried his family from Tahiti to Hawaii and now Kia to the eve of a 2010 UCLA season in which he hopes lead the Bruins in a new direction. A story that is more than just skin deep.
"It's part of my identity," the fifth-year senior from Mililiani, Hawaii, said looking down at the tattoo. "It's who I am."
A young warrior and inspiring elder, determined that the next chapter in his and his family story will be one of triumph.
"I would like to make a positive impact," Kia said.
Kia's return from career-threatening knee injury is already a source of inspiration in Westwood. He made eight starts at tackle as a sophomore in 2007, played in all 12 games in 2008, making seven starts at three different positions on the line.
But Kia tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in presseason drills last Aug. 19. The injury required reconstructive surgery and kept Kia out of contact drills this past spring. By this Tuesday he was back in the first team, this time at right tackle, his place the result of 2009 starter Mike Harris' one-game suspension and Kia's own determination.
"He's a great role model for the young guys and the old guys as well," guard Jeff Baca said.
"He has an awful lot of experience and we certainly missed him last year," offensive line coach Bob Palcic said. "I just hoping he's totally recovered from his knee reconstruction and it appears that he's totally healthy. He's taken a real leadership role and I think he's going to have a real good season."
Through a long and painful rehab Kia found inspiration in the story written in his skin. And now as he prepares for the 2010 season, he believes it also reveals a timeless lesson.
Kia shrugged when the conversation turned to the Bruins being picked to finish eighth in the Pac-10 by media covering the conference.
"There's more than one way to get to your destination," he said, "and the underdog is one way."
No wonder Charlie Wedemeyer was called "the Hawaiian eye." He never missed a thing at Los Gatos High School's football practice, certainly not a teachable moment.
Even after his final game as the school's head coach in 1986, he would come to practice every day, and players would flock to him afterward as he sat in his golf cart.
"For the next 30 to 60 minutes, he'd work with us individually," former receiver Craig Williams said. "He'd remember every single thing each one of us did in practice. He'd tell me to run a pattern, and he'd say, 'When you get to 12 yards, you need to lower your hips, get your hands up and watch the ball into your gut. Don't just watch the ball. Watch the stripe on the ball.' "
Each of the other players would receive a lesson with the same exacting detail, no matter which position he played.
Many high school football coaches leave lasting lessons with their players. Many are inspirational. But you'd be hard-pressed to find a coach who meant as much to his players as Mr. Wedemeyer, who was still a head coach even when he couldn't move a muscle, barely could speak and needed a respirator because he could no longer breathe on his own.
Mr. Wedemeyer died of pneumonia Thursday at age 64, more than three decades after doctors told him his days were numbered because of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
"It was a fascinating, courageous battle that he fought," his widow, Lucy, said Friday. "He didn't dwell on the loss of a day or what was going to happen tomorrow. Every day at practice, the endorphins would take over, and he would focus on what was going on."
What drove him to persist through the myriad physical traumas, she said, was his joy in being on the field and his faith. "He was needed here in Los Gatos, and it was (a role) where he could make a difference. He always knew God had a purpose for his life."
Quarterback Trent Edwards, who went from Los Gatos to Stanford and now is with the Buffalo Bills, called him "a huge influence on me. I didn't know what work ethic meant until I learned it from Charlie and Lucy."
Brock Bowman quarterbacked Los Gatos in 1984, when the players were distraught they didn't win a title because it appeared Mr. Wedemeyer wouldn't make it to the next season. Now a doctor in Atlanta, Bowman said it was because of the ailing coach that he chose a career in medicine.
"In many respects, playing for him was the defining experience of my childhood," Bowman said. "The respect and courage he demonstrated was something we felt at every practice and game. We never knew if he would be back for another game.
"What he was doing, for somebody who had difficulty breathing or speaking, was astonishing. It's something that every player who played for him will have for the rest of his life. You knew you were part of something bigger than scoring a touchdown that day."
A native Hawaiian, Mr. Wedemeyer was the youngest of nine children. Brother Herman was an All-America running back at St. Mary's who later played Duke on the TV series "Hawaii Five-O." Mr. Wedemeyer was a wide receiver and blocking back at Michigan State even though he stood just 5-foot-7, 164 pounds.
Stricken in his early 30s with ALS, he was told he had a year to live. "We've been on borrowed time for so long," Lucy said. "He's outlived his doctors."
He nevertheless continued to coach a high-powered program at Los Gatos. He would call the offensive plays from his golf cart via Lucy, who would read his lips and relay the call to assistant Butch Cattolico, who would use hand signals to direct the players.
"To do all that and get the play off in 30 seconds was amazing," Bowman said. "And we had one of the more complex offenses in the country at the time."
In 1985 - the year his final Los Gatos team won the sectional title - he was rushed to the hospital when he stopped breathing. The doctors told Lucy he'd have two weeks to live even if he were put on a ventilator because of the threat of pneumonia. Put him on it, she said.
Many years later, he would give inspirational speeches in the United States and abroad, always through his wife and frequently through an interpreter. Famed physicist Stephen Hawking, paralyzed by a disease related to ALS, had the couple over for tea and crumpets at his home in England.
Mr. Wedemeyer's message has hit home with the infamous as well as the famous. After a speech at San Quentin State Prison, according to Lucy, an inmate confided in him, "I was thinking of ending my life. Your story showed me that God has a plan for me."
The story is almost too big for Hollywood. It involves a legendary film director, an exotic setting, football heroes, a chance meeting that leads to love; even World War II is part of the plot.
All these divergent elements come together in one man, who at 63, is just now learning of his provenance.
It started with a UH football game, when Hawai'i was still a territory and much of the Mainland was still segregated.
Seventy-one years ago, the UCLA Bruins football team boarded the ship Matsonia for a 4 1/4-day trip to O'ahu to play the University of Hawai'i.
On coach Bill Spalding's team were Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, two of the first African-American athletes who would go on to integrate the National Football League. Jackie Robinson, who would integrate professional baseball, joined the team later that fall.
Also playing for UCLA were two brothers from Hawai'i, Francis and Conkling Wai.
The Wai boys, as everyone called them, were close friends of Washington and Strode. Though the team was the most diverse in the country, there was still discrimination in daily life, and the Hawaiian-Chinese-Caucasian Wai brothers banded together with their African-American teammates in a kind of shared outsiderness.
Playing for the University of Hawai'i team was the great Tommy Kaulukukui, the Rainbows' first All American. The coach was Otto Klum, for whom Klum gym was later named.
UCLA Blowout
The "Pineapple Bowl" was played on Monday, Jan. 2, 1939. According to The Advertiser's story the next day, 18,000 people came out to Honolulu Stadium (not yet called the Termite Palace) to watch the game. It was a blowout. UCLA won 32-7. But Advertiser sports editor Red McQueen wrote:
"The score in no way indicates the closeness of the battle. Hardly a match physically for the towering invaders and frontiersmen, the plucky Rainbows remained a constant threat with their fast-breaking plays and devastating serious bombardment. From whistle to gun, it was a thrilling battle, one that will long remain in the memory of the fans."
The game was special to Kim Wai, the boys' father. The boys had to make their own money to buy passage to the West Coast, so the assumption was that they would not come home until they finished college. But this trip was paid for by UCLA, so it was a grand homecoming for Wai's two oldest sons.
The story goes, though, that sending talented Hawai'i athletes to Mainland colleges was frowned upon, and that UH planned its revenge, which got Strode angry.
"On the first play of the game, they ... lost Conkling Wai, who received a painful injury to his nose that forced him to retire for the afternoon. A short time later, the other of the two local Wai brothers, Francis, went out of the game with an old shoulder injury, never to return.
"Midway in the second period, Woodrow Wilson Strode, stellar visiting end, was chased from the field and the Uclans penalized half the distance to the goal for using his dukes too freely."
THE Lū'AU
Kalaeloa Strode always knew that his parents met at a lū'au when his father came to Hawai'i to play in a football game, but he wasn't sure where the lū'au was held and he didn't know the Wai family was so prominent in the story.
He had heard the story many times while growing up, but he had never heard it told by the Wai family.
"My father always thought the Wai boys' father was a wealthy businessman and he hosted the lū'au for the team," Strode said.
Lambert Wai, 89, laughs at the idea of his father as a rich man. "Oh no! My father wasn't wealthy. But he had rich friends."
One of Kim Wai's rich friends was Advertiser sports editor McQueen, who hosted the lū'au for the UCLA team at his beachfront home in Kāhala.
The Kalaeloa sisters were hired to dance hula as part of the evening's entertainment. Luana Kalaeloa spotted handsome, muscular Woody Strode and set her sights on him.
"My mother always said she thought he looked like Kamehameha," Strode said. At the end of the evening, the dancers had the custom of giving away the leis they were wearing. "Her sister was aiming for him but my mother got to him first and put her lei around his neck."
The football team was to sail out of Honolulu on Jan. 6, 1939.
Luana Kalaeloa was late to the pier to see them off. When she finally got there, she saw Woody Strode with a bunch of leis from other girls around his neck.
'promise me'
"She took all the leis off him and threw them into the water. Then she put her lei around his neck," Strode said. She lingered and they talked until the boat was leaving and the gangplank was raised. "My dad was getting nervous, but my mom wouldn't leave, saying 'Promise me we'll see each other again.' When he finally said, 'I promise', she said, 'That's all I wanted' and dove off the boat and swam to the pier."
Four years later, they met by chance again.
Luana Kalaeloa had moved to Hollywood, where she was performing in a Hawai'i-themed night club show.
One night, Woody Strode walked into the club, and Luana recognized him instantly.
She jumped off the stage, went up to him and asked, "Remember me?"
He did.
Six months later they were married in Las Vegas in a union that broke barriers. Woody Strode was African American and Native American, Luana Kalaeloa was pure Hawaiian. They always said theirs may have been the first interracial marriage in Las Vegas. That was in 1940.
Woody Strode was drafted into World War II, and Kalaeloa, a true baby boomer, was born in 1946 when his father came home.
At one point, all four Wai brothers, Francis, Conkling, Robert and Lambert, lived in Los Angeles together, sharing a room the size of a two-car garage.
Lambert is the youngest. He was still in school at Punahou when that infamous 1939 Pineapple Bowl was played. Lambert attended Santa Monica Junior College and was set to transfer to UCLA. But then Pearl Harbor was bombed, and he had to come home. Brother Robert Wai, who is about to turn 91, also played for UCLA.
In those college days, the brothers got by on what little money they could earn. Lambert remembers cleaning the schoolyard, cleaning the clubhouse, cleaning the gym.
"At Christmas, my father sent $100. That was for the four of us, and that was the only money we got for the whole year," Lambert said.
Woody Strode was a frequent guest in the Wai brothers' close quarters.
"We invited him to our house because he loved music. We would sneak in beer on the side," Robert Wai said.
Strode nods hearing this about his father. Sounds just like him.
"My dad loved to sing," he said. "He would play guitar. After a few drinks, he would go into a falsetto."
The Wai boys knew Woody Strode and Luana Kalaeloa before they ever met each other.
They knew Woody Strode before he became a movie star.
And they knew John Ford before he started making movies with Woody Strode.
THE DIRECTOR
The other common thread running through this epic is legendary Hollywood filmmaker John Ford, the man Orson Welles called the greatest American director. Ford won six Academy Awards and directed classics such as "The Grapes of Wrath," "Stagecoach," "How Green Was My Valley" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Val-ance."
The Wai brothers' father was having drinks with friends on Waikīkī Beach when he saw a lonely figure wander past on the sand. Kim Wai called out to the man and invited him to have a drink.
John Ford accepted the invitation and a deep bond between the families was forged.
Later, when the Wai boys lived in Los Angeles, John Ford looked out for them, even sending his Rolls Royce and chauffeur to take them around.
When Ford's son attended Punahou, he lived in the Wai house. Ford's daughter also went to Punahou, and she was a friend of Luana Kalaeloa.
"I'm still in touch with John Ford's grandson almost daily," Lambert says.
Woody Strode acted in many of John Ford's movies, including starring in the title role in the film "Sergeant Rutledge." More than that, he was Ford's dear friend. Late in his career, Ford was injured in a fall on a movie set and Woody Strode took him in for months while he recovered.
"My dad slept on the floor at the foot of his bed," Strode said. "Every night, they would read two or three books."
All these connections, and the Wai brothers had never met Woody Strode's son.
Then Kalaeloa Strode decided to run for Congress. Though he was not a top vote-getter in yesterday's special election, a story about his campaign led Lambert Wai to contact him.
"My brothers Francis, Conkling and Robert all played football with your father and Kenny Washington and Jackie Robinson," Wai wrote in his introductory e-mail. "... I and my three brothers knew your father quite well."
Wai invited Strode to lunch and said, "I am 89 and still drive and my brother Robert is 91 and he still drives."
Last Saturday, Strode took up the "younger Wai boys" on their offer. Over sandwiches and photo albums, they connected threads of the story that made up a larger-than-life tapestry.
memorable people
Conkling Wai died in San Francisco 25 years ago. Francis Wai died young. He was killed in 1944 in Leyte and received a posthumous Medal of Honor. Woody Strode died in 1994.
"The last time I saw your father, John Ford was opening a home for disabled veterans in Simi Valley," Lambert Wai told Strode.
Ford died in 1973.
But Lambert and Robert Wai have long, sharp memories, and Woody Strode, Luana Kalaeloa and John Ford were memorable people.
And so the stories were passed around the table about a movie star, four brothers, a football game and the connections between people that may always be there but take a lifetime to be revealed.
"And now, I've only just met you and I'm 63," Strode said. "I've had so many untied knots in my life, and here we are."
There is no exact science to choosing a post-season all star team of Polynesian football players. The team was selected with the assistance of handful of coaches, many former players, and those who are attuned to the Polynesian student-athletes in NCAA FBS football.
In addition to the first team a large amount of student-athletes were noted for their achievements on the field this past fall.
Keep an eye out for brother Jodatoa's blog he may create a multi-media display of the all star team below.
First Team Offense
QB Jeremiah Masoli (Oregon) 5’11, 220, Jr
Second Team All-PAC 10 selection. Versatile quarterback led team to Rose Bowl versus OhioState. Passed for 2147 yards and 15 TDs and also rushed for 668 yards and 13 TDs.
RB Roy Helu Jr (Nebraska) 6’0, 215, Jr
Starting I-Back rushed for 1193 yards on 220 carries and 10 TDs in 14 games. Helu also had 19 receptions for 149 yards and was a Second Team All-Big 12 selection.
RB Harvey Unga (BYU) 6’0, 237, Jr
First Team All-MWC selection led conference with 1087 yards and 11 TDs. Also had 16 receptions and 1 TD. Will return for senior season.
FB Stanley Havili (USC) 6’1, 230, Jr
Rushed for 142 yards, 22 receptions for 298 yards and 2 TDs.
WR Chris Owusu (Stanford) 6’2, 201, Soph
Third team All-American (Walter Camp) kick returner. First Team All-PAC 10 kick returner. Averaged 31.5 yards a return on 37 returns and 3 TDs for the season. Also started 9 of 13 games at wide receiver finishing with 37 receptions for 682 yards and 5 TDs.
WR Kealoha Pilares (Hawai’i) 5’11, 200, Jr
Converted running back had 66 receptions for 690 yards and 4 TDs.
TE Tony Moeaki (Iowa) 6’4, 250, Sr
Finished his career with 4 catches for 75 yards in leading the Hawkeyes (11-2) to a 24-14 Orange Bowl over Georgia Tech (11-3). In 10 games, Moeaki had 30 receptions for 387 yards and 4 TDs. Moeaki, a Big 10 First Team selection is a likely NFL Draft selection in April.
C John Estes (Hawaii) 6’3, 300, Sr
Set NCAA record for most career starts with 54, every game of his career since his freshman year and was a three-time first team All-WAC selection.
G Mike Iupati (Idaho) 6’6, 325, Sr
Selected First Team All-American by the Associate Press, Walter Camp, American Football Coaches Association, and American Football Writers Association. Senior guard did not allow a single sack all season and was an All-WAC first team selection.
G Senio Kelemete (Washington) 6’4, 241, Soph
Honorable Mention All-PAC 10 Selection. Started 11 of 12 games at right guard after switching from defensive tackle last year.
T Shawn Lauvao (ArizonaState) 6’3, 305, Sr
Second Team All-PAC 10 selection. Started 13 games at left tackle and 33 in career at both guard and tackle.
T Michael Philipp (OregonState) 6’3, 313, Fr
Left tackle was the first true freshman to start every game on the offensive line since 1997. Named Freshman All-America by College Football News and Phil Steele.
First Team Defense
DE Koa Misi (Utah) 6’3, 263, Sr
Third on team with 71 tackles, 9.5 for loss, including 5 sacks. First team All-MWC .
DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim (Washington) 6’4, 263, Sr
Second Team All-PAC 10 selection. Finished season with 37 tackles, 14 tackles for loss (11 sacks), and 2 fumble recoveries.
DT Tyson Alualu (Cal) 6’3, 295, Sr
First Team All-Pac 10 selection. Was third on team with 65 tackles including 11.5 tackles for loss (7.5 sacks).
DT Stephen Paea (OregonState) 6’1, 285, Jr
First Team All-Pac 10 selection. Finished the season with 43 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 4 forced fumbles.
LB David Pa’aluhi (OregonState) 5’11, 233, Soph
Starting middle linebacker and Honorable Mention All-PAC 10 selection. Second on team with 77 tackles and 8 tackles for loss.
LB Blaze Soares (Hawai’i) 6’1, 245, Sr
First Team All-WAC selection. Outside linebacker led team with 107 tackles (fourth in WAC), starting 13 games at outside linebacker. Also had 2 sacks, 1 interception, and 5 quarterback hurries.
LB Manti Te’o (Notre Dame) 6’2, 244, Fr
True freshman started 9 of 11 games totaling 63 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. Te’o will forgo an LDS mission and return for his sophomore year under new coach Brian Kelly.
DB Shiloh Keo (Idaho) 5’11, 211, Jr
Starting free safety led team with 113 tackles (72 solo), 4 tackles for loss, and 3 interceptions. Also averaged 10.2 yards a punt return. First Team All-WAC selection.
DB Mana Silva (Hawai’i) 6’1, 220, Jr
Starting free safety led team in interceptions with 6 and had 74 tackles for the season.
DB Patrick Tafua (Ohio) 6’0, 187, Sr
Started 13 games at strong safety, finishing third in tackles with 72 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 7 pass breakups, and 4 fumble recoveries.
DB Nate Williams (Washington) 6’0, 221, Jr
Started 11 of 12 games at free safety, finished season with 62 tackles and 5 tackles for loss.
Returner Chris Owusu (Stanford) 6’2, 201, Soph
Third team All-American (Walter Camp). First Team All-PAC 10 Kick Returner. Averaged 31.5 yards a return on 37 returns and 3 TDs for the season. Also started 9 of 13 games at wide receiver finishing with 37 receptions for 682 yards and 5 TDs.
Special Teams Suaesi Tuimaunei (OregonState) 6’1, 207, Jr
First Team All-PAC Special Teams player. Had 41 tackles for the season and also started 4 games.
Honorable Mention
QB Bryant Moniz (Hawai’i) 6’0, 190, Soph
Sophomore walk-on started 8 of 10 games, passing for 2396 yards and 14 TDs in addition to rushing for 117 yards and 1 TD.
RB Keola Antolin (Arizona) 5’8, 186, Soph
Led team with 637 rushing yards and 4 TDs. Also had 9 kick returns for 256 yards.
RB Vai Taua (Nevada) 5’10, 220, Jr
Rushed for 1345 yards and 10 TDs in 11 games, averaging 122.3 yards a game. Also had 12 receptions and 2 TDs out of the backfield. All-WAC First Team selection.
FB Zac Pauga (ColoradoState) 6’0, 240, Jr
Starting fullback used primarily as a lead blocker and caught 25 receptions for 219 yards and 3 TDs.
FB Manase Tonga (BYU) 6’0, 238, Sr
Lead fullback for all conference running back Harvey Unga. Rushed for 148 yards and 4 TDs and 30 receptions for 271 yards and 4 TDs out of the backfield. Tonga will likely follow in the footsteps of fellow former BYU fullbacks Naufahu Tahi (Minnesota Vikings) and Fui Vakapanua (Cincinnati Bengals) of the NFL.
WR Aiona Key (Utah) 6’4, 195, Sr
Had 26 receptions for 227 yards and 1 TD.
WR Jon Medeiros (Hawai’i) 5’9, 185, Sr
Slotback finished the season with 47 receptions for 589 yards and 3 TDs.
WR Levasier Tuinei (Oregon) 6’5, 200, Soph
Finished season with 24 receptions and 217 yards.
TE Joe Halahuni (OregonState) 6’2, 249, Soph
Backup tight end finished the season with 35 receptions for 486 yards and 3 TDs.
C Trask Iosefa (San DiegoState) 6’0, 290, Jr
Has started 36 consecutive games since his freshman year. Was preseason Rimington Watch List.
C RJ Willing (BYU) 6’5, 308, Sr
Honorable mention All-MWC selection. Started every game at center.
G Joshua Taufalele (New Mexico) 6’2, 313, Sr
Started 12 games at right guard. Led team with 98 knockdown blocks.
T Xavier Su’a-Filo (UCLA) 6’4, 310, Fr
Honorable Mention All-PAC 10 Selection. Started 12 games at left tackle as a true freshman, a UCLA record.
T Aaron Kia (Hawaii) 6’5, 290, Sr
Starting 13 games at left tackle in 2009 and 24 in his career. All-WAC Second Team selection.
T Ako Poti (PennState) 6’3, 303, Sr
Started 8 of the last 13 games at right tackle.
DE DeQuin Evans (Kentucky) 6’3, 260, Jr
Junior college transfer started 13 games at defensive end, finishing with 38 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss including 6 sacks.
DE Jabaree Tuani (Navy) 6’1, 265, Soph
Starting left end finished the season with 54 tackles for the season, including 5.5 for loss, and 2 forced fumbles helping coach Ken Niumatalolo and the Naval Academy finish 10-4 and #26 in the nation.
DE Will Tukuafu (Oregon) 6’4, 262, Sr
Second Team All-PAC 10 selection. Finished season with 36 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss.
DT Sione Fua (Stanford) 6’2, 305, Jr
Honorable Mention All-PAC 10 Selection. Finished season with 24 tackles, 3 for loss, and 2 quarterback hurries.
DT Romney Fuga (BYU) 6’1, 295, Soph
Had 40 tackles and 3 tackles for loss in 13 games, 7 of which he started at nose tackle.
DT Sealver Siliga (Utah) 6’3, 300, Soph
All-MWC Honorable Mention selection had 49 tackles including 6.5 for loss.
DT Christian Tupou (USC) 6’2, 285, Jr
Honorable Mention All-PAC 10 Selection. Starting 10 of 12 games at nose tackle, finishing season with 25 tackles and 4 tackles for loss.
LB Jojo Dickson (Idaho) 6’2, 229, Jr
Second Team All-WAC. Starting linebacker was second on team with 79 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two touchdowns on a fumble and interception return.
LB Star Fuimaono (UNLV) 6’0, 210, Jr
Starting strongside linebacker finished third on team with 67 tackles.
LB Kepa Gaison (Utah) 5’10, 220, Sr
Starting Stud linebacker finished the season with 44 tackles and 7 tackles for loss.
LB RJ Kiesel-Kauhane (Hawai’i) 5’11, 225, Sr
Second on the team with 85 tackles and 9 tackles for loss.
LB Luke Laolagi (San DiegoState) 6’1, 225, Sr
Starting middle linebacker finished the season with 46 tackles (fourth on team), a sack, and 2 interceptions.
LB Robert Siavi’i (Idaho) 6’2, 209, Soph
Starting weakside linebacker finished the season with 58 tackles, 3 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles.
LB Michael Sipili (Colorado) 6’1, 240, Jr
After sitting out the 2008 season, Sipili started 3 of 10 games at MIKE linebacker, finishing the season with 39 tackles.
LB Vuna Tuihalamaka (Arizona) 6’2, 230, Sr
Starting middle linebacker was fourth on the team with 72 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1 interception. All-PAC 10 Honorable Mention selection.
DB Orlando Misa’alefua (Western Kentucky) 5’10, 206, Jr
Started six of eight games at strong safety, finishing the season with 48 tackles.
DB Manu Ngatikaura (San JoseState) 6’0, 180, Jr
Had 43 tackles for the season.
DB Tiuke Tuipulotu (San JoseState) 5’10, 205, Soph
Starting safety had 52 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1 interception for the season.
ST Kama Bailey (Idaho) 5’9, 200, Soph
Averaged 20.6 yards a kickoff return totaling 453 yards on 22 returns.
