After successful first season, Niumatalolo is full speed ahead

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer

Published 08/06/09

At this time last year, Ken Niumatalolo was an unproven head coach preparing to direct his first preseason camp. Naval Academy football fans had no idea what to expect out of Niumatalolo, who served 16 years as an assistant at three different schools before getting an opportunity to run his own program.

Niumatalolo's head coaching debut was made more difficult by the fact he had to follow the man who resurrected Navy football. Paul Johnson became somewhat of a folk hero while leading the Midshipmen to 43 wins and five bowl berths from 2003-2007.

Niumatalolo needed just one season to escape the long shadow cast by Johnson, his close friend and mentor. The Hawaii native led Navy to an 8-5 record and sixth straight postseason appearance in 2008, providing tangible evidence he was the right choice to succeed Johnson. The Midshipmen continued their dominance of service academy rivals Air Force and Army en route to capturing the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the sixth consecutive year.

One year later, there is no doubt this is now Niumatalolo's program. The memories of Johnson's tenure, while never to be forgotten by appreciative Navy fans, are fading. As year two of the Niumatalolo era kicks off this week, players and assistants alike say the unassuming head coach appears more comfortable in the role.

"I do see Coach Niumat is settling in more and more each day. I think it's inevitable that the longer you are in a position, the more comfortable you become," Navy senior linebacker and co-captain Ross Pospisil said. "At the same time, I think (Niumatalolo) came into this with a lot of confidence. He knew how he wanted to be as a head coach. I thought he did a great job last year. It was a real smooth transition from Coach Johnson to Coach Niumat."

Niumatalolo posted the most wins by a first-year Navy head coach since Tom Hamilton led the team to an 8-1 mark in 1934. He is the first head coach to lead the Midshipmen to a bowl game in his initial season at the helm. He is just the second head coach to capture the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy in his inaugural campaign.

There were numerous other milestones last season. Navy's upset of No. 16 Wake Forest marked the program's first victory over a team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll since 1985. The Midshipmen established a program record by beating four bowl teams.

"Those are all great accomplishments, but the credit goes to a lot of people other than me. We have 13 assistant coaches who bust their butts every day. We have 80-some players wearing helmets who are ultimately responsible for going out on the field and winning games," Niumatalolo said. "Football is truly a team sport. When you win, it's because of the efforts of many, many people."

It is Niumatalolo's nature to downplay his own contributions to Navy's success. The first Samoan collegiate head coach at any level has no ego and is truly humble. He has already put last year behind and is focused on keeping the Midshipmen moving forward.

"Sports is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately type of business. As a head coach at the collegiate level, you have to prove yourself every day," he said. "In this position, if you start patting yourself on the back you are asking for trouble."

Niumatalolo reiterated this week that a key component of continuing Navy's unprecedented run of winning seasons and postseason appearances involved maintaining the status quo. Many of the basic elements of how the program operates remain the same as they were under Johnson, who left a blueprint for success.

"From the beginning I said I wasn't going to change much and I didn't. It was a case of: if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it," Niumatalolo said. "As a head coach, I am not trying to be Paul. I learned an awful lot from Paul, but we are different people and thus different coaches. I am who I am. I can't try to be someone else."

There is no question that Niumatalolo has proven to be a different type of head coach than Johnson, both in terms of personality and style. He brings a different demeanor to the table and handles certain situations differently.

"Kenny has his own way of doing things. He has taken ideas and methods from various coaches he has worked with and created his own identity," Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper said.

Jasper played at Hawaii while Niumatalolo was an assistant and has worked with him a total of nine years since becoming a coach. Jasper is proud of how his close friend has handled the responsibilities of being a head coach.

"I think Kenny is doing a great job. He does his homework and brings a lot of wisdom to the position," Jasper said.

Niumatalolo has a fiery disposition and can yell at players just as loud and angrily as Johnson did. He was displeased with how some players performed during running tests on Monday and let the entire team know about it afterward.

"I think one of the most impressive things Kenny does as a head coach is get his points across without being negative or nasty," Jasper said on Media Day. "Earlier today, he chewed the team out real good without using one bad word."

Niumatalolo was promoted to head coach on Dec. 8, 2007, one day after Johnson departed for Georgia Tech. He's had plenty of time to put his own stamp on the Navy program while steadily developing as a head coach.

"I've definitely seen Coach Niumat grow over the last year. He certainly seems more confident there's no doubt he has a firm handle on what he wants to do and how he wants this program to run," Navy starting quarterback Ricky Dobbs said. "I'm sure a lot of fans were shaky when (Niumatalolo) first took over. They just didn't know how things would work out. I don't think that's the case anymore. Coach Niumat has proven that he can get the job done."

Fertile ground for All-Poly

By Paul Honda

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 03, 2009

It was a first.

He hopes it won't be the last.

Alema Te'o brought the All-Poly Football Camp to Hawaii for the first time this week. The camp, a mainstay in Utah that is in its ninth year, continues to draw big-name coaches from the college ranks — even with the economy struggling.

Planning for the first Hawaii camp went back several months, with Te'o securing a field at Kapiolani Park in January, anchored in a faith that Hawaii's top players would come out. Many did, and even Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona spoke to the campers on Wednesday.

Te'o's relationships with prominent coaches is a big reason for the consistent success. UCLA assistant Norm Chow was among the instructors this week.

"When our coaches came here, Norm Chow was probably our strongest advocate for coaching our best," Te'o said. "You gotta earn every rep."

Another speaker was Rex Ryan, new coach of the New York Jets. Their advice was taken well.

"They talked about football affecting your life. Each coach really stressed education," Saint Louis running back Sean Valente said, noting a talk by Boise State assistant coach Viliami Tuivai in particular.

"Coach (Brian) Cabral said the best athletes are the ones who work the hardest," Saint Louis receiver Jordan Fukumoto said of the Colorado assistant who prepped at Saint Louis.

Before donning full pads and banging heads, campers were bused to Kaimuki Middle School, where they took a practice ACT test. It's all part of All-Poly's push for young student-athletes to prepare for college sooner rather than later.

"Our focal point is to get as many kids into college as possible," Te'o said. "It's gotta be a collaborative effort. Parents and kids have to be proactive and work with their counselors."

For every athlete who isn't recruited by an elite program, there are others who can establish themselves at camps like All-Poly.

That scenario is quite common, particularly for athletes who don't fit the mold just yet. Andrew Togiai, a free safety from Taylorsville (Utah) High School, is 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds.

Showing his considerable skills at multiple camps is key, but the trip to Hawaii gave his family a chance to visit family in Laie. His parents, Gina and Kaio, are Kahuku graduates.

"It's a big deal to come here and perform for coaches," Kaio said. "Kids here have heart and pride from wherever they're from. This is the only place where the small guy can beat the big guy because of heart."

Some new scholarship offers were made this week. Texas Tech, which landed former Farrington standout Sam Fehoko two years ago, made offers to 'Iolani defensive tackle Sealii Epenesa and King Kekaulike lineman Elvis Matagi, according to Fehoko's mother, Linda. Louisville offered scholarships to Punahou defensive end Jonathan Sani Fuimaono and Sam Fehoko's younger brother, V.J., who now has 16 offers.

Coaching rivalries put aside at All-Poly Camp

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

VIDEO: Polynesian college coaches and prep players gather for All-Poly football camp

In the midst of college football's increasingly intense, dog-eat-dog world of recruiting wars exists an ohana-like fraternity that willingly shares secrets about diamonds in the rough.

While sometimes in the running for the same coveted prospects, they also tip each other off on hidden gems and make suggestions on how to get them on campus.

They also serve as mentors, job counselors and friends-in-need.

"It's a great brotherhood," said Brigham Young University defensive line coach Steve Kaufusi, referring to the Polynesian Coaches Association. "We have a great network, and there's a lot of camaraderie."

Nowhere is that more evident than at the nationally renowned "All-Poly Camp," which is being held in Hawai'i for the first time this week after eight highly successful years in Utah.

The three-day camp — featuring more than 300 mostly local high school players instructed by coaches representing more than 20 colleges — wraps up today at Kapi'olani Park with a full-pads scrimmage followed by an awards ceremony and barbecue lunch.

There are several, maybe dozens of NCAA Division I prospects attending the camp, and no doubt some will receive added recruiting attention after it is over.

But since its inception eight years ago, with only eight coaches and about 40 athletes attending the inaugural event, the All-Poly Camp is not so much about "who will go to what college" but more about all of them continuing their education, period.

"The bottom line is we want all of these kids to go to college," said Colorado associate head coach Brian Cabral, a former standout at Saint Louis School who played eight seasons in the NFL. "We'll pass names around, a lot of it is finding a place for all of them. Division I is not for everybody, but there can be a college for anybody ... We want them to leave this camp a better football player and understand the importance of academics."

The PCA network extends from coast to coast and beyond — from Annapolis, Md., (Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo) to Louisville, Ky., (Louisville graduate assistant Abu Ma'afala) to Jonesboro, Ark., (Arkansas State defensive backs coach Corey Batoon) to Logan, Utah (Utah State defensive line coach Chad Kaha'aha'a).

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Football camp offers high exposure

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

The nationally renowned "All-Poly" high school football camp made its Hawai'i debut yesterday, in the shadow of Diamond Head and a couple long kickoffs away from Waikiki Beach.

And with it came coaches from over 20 NCAA Division I programs, representatives from three major recruiting Web sites and the promise of unprecedented exposure for about 300 local football prospects.

"This is the biggest thing we've had here," said former Kealakehe High School coach Sam Papali'i, who also had stints as an assistant at the University of Hawai'i, Utah, Nevada-Las Vegas and Iowa State. "There hasn't been anything better for the prospects of this state."

The three-day camp at Kapi'olani Park features such notable instructors as UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow, Colorado assistant head coach Brian Cabral and Brigham Young defensive line coach Steve Kaufusi, along with several others with strong Hawai'i ties, like Oregon State defensive line coach and Radford High graduate Joe Seumalo, Utah State defensive line coach Chad Kaha'aha'a (Baldwin) and Central Arkansas defensive backs coach Corey Batoon (Saint Louis).

Hawai'i associate coach Rich Miano and director of football player personnel Tony Tuioti also are serving as instructors.

Since its humble origin in Utah eight years ago, the All-Poly Camp has grown into a nationally recognized hotbed that has attracted dozens of top DI prospects and coaches. Past Hawai'i standouts like Punahou's Manti Te'o and Kahuku's Spencer Hafoka and Paipai Falemalu participated in the All-Poly Camp in Bountiful, Utah, but camp founder and organizer Alema Te'o decided to bring the camp to Hawai'i to make it more accessible to local players.

(The camp is rooted in the aim to help high school athletes of Polynesian ancestry, but is now open to students of any ethnic background.)

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Amosa Amosa has always effected change, beginning with his prep days at Campbell

By Mike Wise / Special to the Star-Bulletin

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jun 28, 2009

n early 1984, Dick Tomey lured an 18-year-old lineman from Campbell High School into the memorabilia room of his house. Amosa Amosa, attending a recruiting barbecue held by the University of Hawaii's coach at the time, looked in awe at the gleaming trophies, signed footballs and yellowed newspaper clippings.

When Tomey plucked a jersey from a shelf and held it up -- Jesse Sapolu's old No. 76 -- the kid from Campbell was sold.

"You come here, this is your number," Amosa was told by Tomey, who clearly did his homework more than 25 years ago.

See, you leave Western Samoa at age 12 and your athletic hero isn't Joe Montana or Walter Payton. It's someone who looked like you, a future Pro Bowler of Samoan ancestry, who would block for Montana and Steve Young and win Super Bowls for Bill Walsh's 49ers.

"Jesse Sapolu was my idol, I was almost shaking," Amosa recalled. "I called home that night and said, 'Dad, I think I'm going Hawaii already.' "

Condolences were quickly sent to BYU, Utah, Washington and Portland State, which, now it can be told, was never in the running.

"As a senior at Campbell, I didn't even know where Portland was," Amosa said. "I was like, 'Portland, is that a state?' "

We laughed over the phone, catching up for the first time in more than two decades. Once my teammate on an inglorious Campbell football team in 1982, Amosa, two years behind me, would succeed me as the Sabers' starting center on the basketball court and become the school's most accomplished student-athlete of his era.

While I crisscrossed the mainland to finish school and start a journalism career, Amosa stayed home -- becoming one of the 100 greatest players in the annals of UH football, an accolade that has genuinely humbled him.

"All those great players, I just didn't know if they would put me on that incredible list," he said. "I am so honored, I can't even tell you."

His football accomplishments -- first-team All-Western Athletic Conference, named twice to the prestigious Warrior Club and to the 1988 Hula Bowl, member of the first all-Polynesian line in NCAA history -- cemented his credentials for UH's top 100. If he wasn't snapping the football and then nimbly using his 6-foot-2, 285-pound frame to pull his blocks in a triple-option offense -- if he didn't play on a UH team that knocked off No. 9 Iowa his senior season and was probably the best 9-3 squad never to go to a bowl game -- Amosa doesn't join honorees ranging from Larry Price to Colt Brennan, from Tommy Kaulukukui to Jason Elam.

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Not even cancer can put Uperesa on defensive

By Dave Reardon

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jun 28, 2009

He sounds strong.

But how does he feel?

And how do you ask that question of a man who fended off prostate cancer, only to get hit by diabetes and then, just a few weeks later, another form of cancer -- this time in his throat, his thyroid?

In the end, you just do it. How are you feeling?

"How am I feeling?"

A fluffy conversation icebreaker on most occasions now bears the weight of total relevance.

Keith Uperesa pauses before speaking again. Not an awkward pause, but a thoughtful one.

"If you ask each day, it's different each day. Mostly up and down."

The former Punahou and NFL football player sounds strong and optimistic. He speaks clearly and confidently, just as he did four years ago when I sat with him in his office at UNLV, where he coaches the offensive line.

This time it's his health we discuss, not how the Rebels look, not how he balances his religious beliefs with raising a family in Vegas.

"It's a very aggressive form," he says. "A cyst and two nodes. After biopsies and an MRI, it was determined I needed surgery."

It went 7 1/2 hours.

"It turned out well. They didn't have to crack my chest open. That would've constituted waking up with a tracheotomy tube."

The next step is rehab, including radiation treatment, starting next week.

IF THERE'S fear, I can't hear it. Frustration, though, abounds. Uperesa is supposed to be here today, getting ready for the first All-Poly football camp in Hawaii that starts tomorrow. This is his baby, nine years and going strong on the mainland -- now, finally here in Hawaii, his home.

"My doctor told me, flat-out. No travel for three months. I'm going to miss being at the camp, but more so not being there with the family, for my nephew Dane's wedding. There's enough coaches for the camp, but family, that's a whole different matter."

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UNLV football assistant Uperesa undergoing treatment for cancer

UNLV interior offensive line coach Keith Uperesa underwent surgery for thyroid cancer last month, but there is hope the disease was discovered early enough.

"The prognosis is good, but you never know with something like that," coach Mike Sanford said Wednesday. "The effect on his future and his status is unknown at this time, because he has more treatment coming up. We are understanding of his situation, and we're going to encourage him to do what he needs to do from a treatment standpoint."

Sanford said he expected Uperesa to be able to resume his duties for the season.

"I think there are going to be times he will be gone and do his treatments," Sanford said.

An attempt to reach Uperesa, who turns 54 next month, was unsuccessful.

Sanford said Uperesa's cancer diagnosis was made recently, and he underwent surgery in May at UCLA to remove cancerous nodules and lymph nodes.

His treatments will take place in Salt Lake City.

According to WebMD.com, thyroid cancer is not common but is highly treatable and often caught early.

A benefit golf tournament is planned for Wednesday in American Fork, Utah, by the Polynesian Coaches Association.

Uperesa was an All-Western Athletic Conference offensive lineman at Brigham Young from 1974 to 1977. He graduated from BYU in 1984 and received a master's degree there in 1986.

He has been at UNLV since 2005, following Sanford from Utah.