BYU Football Program Increases Efforts to Recruit Polynesians

Growing up in Samoa, Gabriel Reid was a decent football player and a member of the LDS faith. It was expected in Samoa that any player with talent who was a Mormon would play football at BYU.

"That's just the way it was back then," said Reid, who played for the Cougars from 2000-02 and the Chicago Bears from 2003-06. His brother Spencer also played for BYU.

Today, it appears BYU's football staff is trying take advantage of that interest by Polynesian families and their ties to the church. Many big and small college football programs have tapped into Polynesian athletic talent over the decades.

University of Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, who committed to BYU out of Bingham High, is projected by some to be the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Recruiting Polynesia? Local talent?

Nobody does it better than Utah and BYU.

It appears BYU is working hard to use its advantages and shift more attention to how it manages and approaches players of Polynesian descent.

Head coach Bronco Mendenhall recently dispatched offensive coordinator Brandon Doman to Samoa for a goodwill tour.

"They rolled out the red carpet for him," said Reid.

For BYU and Utah, recruiting South Pacific bloodlines has paid off big time and is a mainstay of their respective football programs. Of Utah's seven commitments for 2013 so far, it appears six recruits pledged are of Polynesian decent. Of BYU's 19, eight fall into this ethnic group.

For Mendenhall, recruiting the Polynesian community should be like fishing in a barrel because of the LDS tradition among two and three generations of immigrants.

If BYU fails to cultivate, manage and reap the benefits, it is a major failure.

Census records show in 1990 there were 3,904 Tongans in Utah. That number doubled to 8,665 in 2000. The next decade the Tongan numbers in the state increased by 52 percent to 13,235. While Samoan migration to Utah started much slower, it has caught up and an equal number from that country now reside in Utah.

Most Tongans and Samoans who moved to Utah did so because of the LDS faith. Both countries have LDS high schools and the church recently closed a similar campus in Hamilton, New Zealand. Combine that with popular BYU-Hawaii, and the church educational system has proved a major part of the lives of LDS faithful in the South Pacific.

It has been reported that 46 percent of the Kingdom of Tonga is LDS. There is a higher per capita of LDS in Tonga than any country in the world.

This past month, Mendenhall invited LDS leaders of Utah's Polynesian stakes to meet with him. "He reached out to stake presidents and other ecclesiastical leaders who were Polynesian. He explained his vision and how much he needs their help in making sure those who are interested in what BYU has to offer, has that opportunity. He explained the standards, academic policies," said Reid, a member of the Provo Wasatch Tongan Stake high council.

"It takes a village to raise a child," said Reid. "Mendenhall said if he has a football player who is struggling, he wants to reach out to their stake president, who can make some phone calls in the community to rally and help. This was a great move by Bronco."

There are three Tongan LDS stakes in Utah. The Provo Wasatch Tongan Stake stretches from Lehi to Santaquin in Utah County. It includes eight wards and two branches, and four of the units are Samoan.

Reid sees the recent hire of former Cougar running back Mark Atuaia as an assistant athletic director at BYU as a move by the school to reach out to the Polynesian community as a specialist, a liaison that is long overdue.

Atuaia, one of Hawaii's most celebrated high school stars while at powerhouse Kahuku High on the North Shore of Oahu, is Samoan and beloved from Laie to Provo. He has a best-selling CD as a singer in Hawaii and his wife was the lead singer for the Jets when that rock group was popular more than a decade ago.

This move followed the trip by Doman to Samoa, where he told gatherings of athletes and coaches and their parents the importance of Polynesian football players to BYU's program.

"For BYU, coming on the island to recruit is only a natural thing for us to do. Our roots and our foundation of Polynesian culture has been here for years and years at BYU," Doman told the Deseret News after his whirlwind trip to American Samoa.

"We have 37 Polynesian kids on our team, more than anybody in the country. It had been a few years since we had been (to American Samoa). It was very important that we return to the island. There are fans, alumni and former players on that island that are supportive of BYU football and BYU in general. If there's ever a place of great resource in the Polynesian community, that is the place. That was the reason for the trip out there. Hopefully we'll find a handful of kids over the next few years that will come here to BYU."

Whatever shortcomings BYU has shown in past years with Polynesian relations since LaVell Edwards left the program, it appears to Reid and others, the school is addressing those issues.

Mendenhall recently asked Reid and other former Cougar players to meet with a Polynesian prospect on campus and explain their experiences. "He ended up committing to Mendenhall," said Reid of the local prospect. "I think meeting with alums helped with him and his parents."

BYU just employed Jason Kaufusi, brother of D-line coach Steve Kaufusi, as a graduate assistant coach as Samoan Shawn Nu'a accepted a job at Navy after completing his graduate work on the football staff.

In staffing a major college football staff with Polynesians, few have done as well as Kyle Whittingham at Utah. Counting defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake, others with South Pacific ties include fullbacks/tight end coach Ilaisa Tuiaki, defensive line coach Chad Kauha'aha'a and strength and conditioning coach Doug Elisaia.

Utah's staff has proved a great asset to Ute Polynesian players and the success is all over Utah's record since Whittingham followed Urban Meyer, although it is an emphasis that dates back to the Ron McBride era.

Both BYU and Utah have tapped Polynesian players for half a century. But there might be more of an onus on BYU to do so, noting its unique religion card. It must be a specialty.

In this regard, BYU has room to grow. The recent hire of Atuaia as an assistant athletic director to Tom Holmoe, speaks to that need.

"Former ASU star and Oakland Raider Junior Ioane has volunteered to help with the BYU football team," said Reid. "He loves BYU."

Officially, BYU doesn't utilize volunteers due to possible infractions, and although Ioane has been seen working out on campus, his presence is unofficial.

So, in the past six months since BYU defeated Tulsa in a bowl game, has BYU developed an enhanced strategy in recruiting Polynesian football players?

"Absolutely," said Reid. "No question."

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Toeaina Making His Brother Proud

Matt Toeaina's life changed forever when his brother was shot and killed.

''My kids made an oath,'' said Albert Toeaina, Matt's father. ''They wanted to do something for their brother. They changed their lives around. His passing was the turning point.''

This training camp is shaping up to be another turning point for the Bears defensive tackle. An afterthought when camp began, Toeaina has been steadily climbing the depth chart during practices at Olivet Nazarene University. Although he only has played in five games the last three seasons, the 6-2, 308-pounder is often finding himself sandwiched between Tommie Harris and Julius Peppers while taking snaps with the first team.
Asked about Toeaina's rapid ascent, coach Lovie Smith seemed pleased that somebody noticed.

''After a while, coaches start playing the guys we see making plays and taking advantage of the opportunity,'' Smith said. ''He's performed when we've moved him up, and he's shown up every day.

''He's exactly the type of guy that we need. There are a lot of stars around him, and he's that 9-to-5 guy who just does his job."

Abiel Toeaina was the oldest of five. He was playing basketball at a San Francisco recreation center in 1994 when a group of teenagers interrupted the game. A fight broke out. Abiel escaped the building but returned when he realized his cousin was still inside. A shot rang out. A bullet hit Abiel in the chest.

The family was devastated. While mourning, Matt's brothers and sister, as well as his cousins, made a pact.

They would live the best lives possible to honor Abiel and would hold each other accountable.

''He was big in sports,'' said Matt, whose younger brother Simi is a defensive lineman at Oregon. ''Everybody felt like he was going somewhere with his athleticism and the type of person he was. When he passed away, we felt we had to finish what he started.''

The family later moved to American Samoa. That's where his football career really began.

He was recruited to Oregon as a fullback and later switched to defensive tackle when he continued to grow and his weight ballooned. He was named honorable-mention All-Pac-10 as a senior.

The Cincinnati Bengals made him a sixth-round pick in the 2007 draft, and the Bears claimed him off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad late that season.

''The biggest thing for me when I went to college was the training table,'' he said. ''It was like a buffet. It was all you can eat. In Samoa, you had to work for your food. You had to climb trees or go to a plantation or go to the pig sty and kill the pig. Over here, you just stand in line, and everything is waiting for you.''

Matt got married in June. The entire family was there. Albert was surprised to hear his sons and daughter and nephews and nieces talking about the vow they'd made all those years ago.

''It wasn't just for the moment,'' Matt said. ''It's a lifetime pact for us to strive to better ourselves as people. We'll always share that pact together.''

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Manumaleuna Is Happy With Progress

The Bears player most familiar with Mike Martz’s high-volume offense is impressed with how his new teammates have grasped the system.

“The guys are picking it up well,” said tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, who played for Martz with the Rams and also was part of a similar scheme with the Chargers. “I’ve been in the same offense my whole career, so just to see the young guys picking it up and making plays is exciting.”

One of the NFL’s top blocking tight ends, Manumaleuna spent his first five pro seasons with Martz in St. Louis from 2001-05 before playing in San Diego the past four years.

With nearly a decade of experience in the offense, Manumaleuna knows that his teammates will need to press their internal “super speed” button in practice and games.

“I think the main thing is just having energy,” Manumaleuna said. “It’s kind of an up-tempo offense. It’s a little different for a lot of guys. They’re just used to running the play and getting back to the huddle. But it [requires] a different type of energy running this offense.”

Manumaleuna, who teamed with Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt in St. Louis, believes the Bears have the right type of players to operate the offense.

“The tight end position is deep,” Manumaleuna said. “The receiver position is young, but they’re picking it up well and they’re making plays. The running backs are proven. The quarterback is proven. I think we have all the pieces. We’ve just got to put it all together.”

Manumaleuna has been utilized primarily as a blocker throughout his career—he has caught more than 15 passes only once in nine seasons. But contrary to popular belief, the 6-2, 295-pounder insists that tight ends can be involved in the passing game in Martz’s offense.

“Blocking is a big part of it,” Manumaleuna said. “But I think coach Martz is the type of coach where if you block and you block well, he’ll throw you a bone. And if you continue to make plays, he’ll keep feeding you the ball.”

Manumaleuna isn’t surprised that Martz has thrown a lot of information at Bears players from Day 1.

“He  makes it tough on you,” Manumaleuna said. “I think his philosophy is if you pick it up now at a fast tempo, when the game comes you’ll react well. You won’t be thinking about it once the game comes.”

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Asiata Has Been On Amazing Journey

From New Zealand to Hawaii to UNLV, Asiata now hoping to stick with Bears 

Earlier this offseason, Johan Asiata was so engrossed in his present that he didn't fantasize about his future.
The Bears guard, who was undrafted in 2009, watched veterans such as Olin Kreutz and Roberto Garza in the weight room, peppered defensive tackle Tommie Harris with questions and soaked in all the teaching from new offensive line coach Mike Tice.

Yet over and over again, at practices during minicamp and organized team activities, Asiata discovered himself in a most unexpected position.

''I'm down in my stance, and I see Jay Cutler behind me,'' Asiata said. ''Then I'm looking next to me, and there's Chris Williams.

''I was like, 'Whoa!' ''

Asiata's ascension defies convention, whether he does or doesn't start the season at left guard. He didn't start playing football until his freshman year at Yuba Community College in California, and he didn't start mastering the intricacies of the sport until he transferred to UNLV in 2006.

''It's incredible to see how he's progressed as a football player,'' said former UNLV offensive line coach Gary Bernardi, who developed standout linemen such as Tony Boselli and Jonathan Ogden. ''The first three to six months, he didn't know how to watch film.''

Added agent Joe Palumbo, ''A lot of times, the chips have to all fall into place, and they often don't.
''But in his case, it did.''

Technique notwithstanding, Asiata always could do one thing: Move men.

''You could tell he didn't know what he was doing sometimes,'' Bernardi said of Asiata's film at Yuba, ''but he was literally throwing guys around.''

Born in New Zealand, Asiata initially played rugby as a boy. But after he moved to Hawaii with his father and three siblings, Asiata strayed and surrendered to what he described as the ''street life.''

But his life changed during a six-month stint in Honolulu at the Hawaii Youth ChalleNGe Academy, which is designed for ''at-risk/ non-traditional students,'' and he realized his passion shortly thereafter.

''I just like to hit people -- that's basically it,'' Asiata said of football. ''I don't get arrested for hitting people, so thank God for that.''

 

Turning point approaches

Francois Asiata said he and his younger siblings had ''a good life'' in New Zealand.

But their parents had marital problems, and a judge in Samoa gave custody of the children to their father, Taeao.

''Back home in New Zealand, I wasn't really close to my kids,'' Taeao said. ''I was so angry and emotional in my life and marriage.''

But he uprooted his family for Hawaii because of the opportunities.

''I wanted to see them grow, and see what they wanted to do in life,'' he said.

Taeao was strict --''he was no-nonsense, and he would spank us Samoan style,'' Johan said -- but he couldn't closely track his kids. He needed two full-time security jobs to support his children, working one shift from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and then starting his second from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. He couldn't afford a car, so he rode the bus to their home in the projects, made his children dinner and then slept for three hours before starting the cycle all over again.

But despite the financial challenges, Taeao would cook grand feasts like Samoan chop suey and baked garlic and ginger chicken for his children while often taking two slices of bread to work for lunch.

''As long as we had food on the table, I didn't think we were struggling,'' Johan said.

Taeao was shocked when a high school counselor called him and informed him of Johan's long list of transgressions -- which included cutting class and disrespecting teachers -- and recommended Hawaii Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

''To be honest, I wasn't aware of a lot of stuff that was going on,'' Taeao said. ''That really hurt me so much, when I found out.

''The school never called before. This could have been corrected earlier.''

But Johan experienced a first when his father dropped him off at the academy.

He saw his father cry.

''That hit me hard,'' Johan said. ''I said, 'Man, I'm going to do my best to be better.' ''

The school, encircled by 20-foot-high barbed-wire fences, demanded responsibility and accountability, with students waking up at 5:30 a.m. and running from Point A to Point B.

''It was hard,'' said Johan, who had his long hair chopped short. ''Sergeants just yelling at you, trying to break you down.

''Everything you do, you had to ask first.''

 

It's time to try football

But Johan thrived, being appointed a leader of his squadron. And while there, Johan's brother made a bold prediction to a friend who worked at the academy.

''Out of nowhere,'' Francois recalled, ''I told him, 'Dude, my brother is going to the NFL. Just trust me.' ''

Yet no one in their family -- including Johan -- had seriously played football. They were a rugby family.

''I played rugby for a few years, but I used to get penalized for high tackles,'' Johan said. ''I just ran and hit people.''

After getting high marks on an Armed Forces multi-aptitude test, Johan planned to join the Air Force following his graduation from the Youth ChalleNGe Academy. But during the summer, he bumped into a church friend named Lorgan Pau who was playing football at Yuba Community College.

''When he came back, everyone talked about him,'' Johan recalled. ''I just looked at that like, 'Wow.'

''People would say, 'Man, you're pretty big; you should play football, too.' ''

So Johan purchased a one-way ticket to Sacramento, Calif., for $450 and left with about $300 in cash and a duffel bag of clothes. When 49ers coach Ted Hoal asked him where he wanted to eat, Johan picked Denny's, where he ate plate after plate of pumpkin pancakes.

''He was just going to town,'' Hoal said. ''They just kept bringing them out.''

Countless young men come to Hoal looking for a chance to play on his football team, but many are rebuffed after that initial meeting.

''If it doesn't go well, there are four or five hotels around the airport, and you send them back home," Hoal said.

But Hoal was impressed by Johan's candidness about his past and his willingness to do ''what you want me to.''

Even special teams.

Johan didn't know what he was doing, but he liked to hit people.

''Pummel -- no technique or nothing,'' Johan said. ''Just pummel.''

He helped the 49ers win consecutive conference titles, and he drew interest from several major programs. But only UNLV was willing to persevere in dealing with Asiata's academic eligibility issues. He red-shirted his first year there, focusing on academics, lowering his body fat and learning the nuances of the game.

Bernardi worked closely with Johan, guiding him on and off the field, and he projected his NFL potential.

''I didn't believe in myself,'' Johan said. ''People [in Hawaii] thought I was in jail or doing some bad things.''

Composure a big plus

Taeao is proud of Johan's turnaround, though he never has seen his son play in a football game.

''That's something I really want to do this year,'' Taeao said.

Tice said the battle to start at left guard is ''wide open,'' noting that Josh Beekman and Lance Louis weren't afforded a chance to make an impression at the position this offseason. But Tice said he's already been impressed with Asiata's composure.

''The thing that jumps out at me the most, for a young player who hasn't played, he's shown amazing poise,'' Tice said of the 6-4, 300-pounder. ''He makes mistakes -- and all young guys do -- but he doesn't get rattled.

''Most of the time, when young guys make a mistake, they compound that and rattle off three or four in a row. But Johan hasn't done that.''

Johan knows there are no guarantees, but he's grateful to the Bears for even giving him a chance.

''To be a part of their team means a lot,'' he said. ''I'm thankful, but I'm not going to take it for granted. I'm going to go hard -- or go home.''

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Bears Pick Unga in Supplemental Draft

 

The Chicago Bears selected running back Harvey Unga in the seventh round of the supplemental draft.
Unga led BYU in career rushing yards, and he led the Mountain West Conference with 1,087 rushing yards in 2009.

As a result of today's pick, the Bears will forego a seventh-round

With Matt Forte and Chester Taylor penciled in atop the Bears' depth chart at running back, Unga is expected to compete with Garrett Wolfe, Khalil Bell and rookie free agent Brandon Minor for a backup spot on the roster. The Bears currently have two fullbacks under contract: Eddie Williams and Will Ta'ufo'ou, after releasing veteran Jason McKie earlier in the offseason. The Bears were one of 20 teams to attend Unga's workout in front of NFL scouts prior to the supplemental draft.

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Manumaleuna Owes Succes to Dad

You can't tell Brandon Manumaleuna's story without starting with his father, because the proud Samoan football legacy that Brandon brings to Chicago starts with him. So, before you can begin to know the mammoth tight end the Bears signed on the first day of free agency, you first must realize what happened at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 7, 1974.

Less than a month after President Nixon resigned, UCLA linebacker Frank Manumaleuna was named Chevrolet Player of the Game after being credited with 25 tackles in a 17-17 tie with Tennessee. But that isn't the most amazing part. What makes it such a memorable performance even after all these years is that Frank was a true freshman playing in his first collegiate game.

Sadly, it also would be his second-to-last -- or so it seemed after the devastating diagnosis of a spinal condition.

''He was the finest linebacker I ever coached at any level,'' ex-UCLA and longtime former NFL coach Dick Vermeil said. ''He was physically mature as a freshman and a gifted athlete. He was unbelievably graceful -- but when he hit you, you went down. He was so strong, he didn't even flinch. He would've been an All-Pro linebacker.''

Today, it's Brandon, the son, who is having the type of career his father never had. Manumaleuna is the sort of tight end who rarely shows up in final statistics. At 6-2, 295 pounds, he was brought in primarily to help protect quarterback Jay Cutler and add toughness to the Bears' running game. The toughness he brings, and the perseverance that has allowed him to be an impact player despite averaging 12 catches per season during his nine-year career, is rooted in his father and the South Pacific islands of his ancestors.

''I would hear about him from other people when they found out who I was,'' Brandon said of his father. ''But he never talked about [his football career].''

NFL and college football players haven't always been American Samoa's leading export. Frank was one of the pioneers. He was 6 when his family moved to Southern California to be closer to a Shriners Hospital because Frank's older brother, John, had been disabled by polio. Despite the handicap, ''Big John'' became a mentor to kids in the neighborhoods where many Polynesians settled.

He urged Frank and others to use football as a means of obtaining a free education. Frank's talent made it an easy choice. He was one of the top recruits in the country when he chose UCLA.

''He lined up with the fourth team on his first day in pads as a freshman,'' said Dick Tomey, who coached Frank as a UCLA assistant and later coached Brandon at Arizona. ''After that practice, all the guys who played his position went to see [Vermeil] because they wanted to play another position. They realized this guy was tremendous.''

He suffered what he thought was a harmless stinger against Tennessee. Then it happened again. He would be diagnosed with what then was described as a congenital deformity of the spine, not unlike spinal stenosis. Because of the risk of paralysis, UCLA doctors would not clear him to play. His career appeared over.

''I thought it was a regular pinched nerve,'' Frank said. ''I had them in high school and kept playing. In the second game it happened again, and that's when they got serious. I thought I would sit out and get better, but as time went on I kept going to all these doctors and neurosurgeons. I got down. My parents said football wasn't important. They wanted me to go to school, but I wanted to play.''

His desire to play never waned. Unbeknownst to their parents, ''Big John'' later helped enroll him in a junior college, where he resumed his career. San Jose State later cleared him to play as long as he wore equipment that kept his head immobilized. Frank went on to become one of San Jose State's all-time greats, and although he played for the Chiefs for three seasons, those who remembered how he performed that day against the Volunteers said the apparatus he had to wear to protect himself robbed him of much of his athleticism.

''He was never the same,'' Vermeil said.

You won't hear any bitterness in Frank's voice when he talks about the career he wishes he had, and he's not reliving his dream through Brandon -- not while he had 10 other children to raise, including five boys who played football at the high school level.

He's just glad Brandon has received the opportunity to play uninhibited by straps, collars and the constant fear of a life-threatening injury.

He's just thankful his son is having the type of career he was denied.

''I did whatever I could just to have the opportunity to play at that level,'' Frank said. ''Looking back on it now, it could've been great if [the injury] never would have happened.''

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Tinoisamoa Expected to Return w/ Bears

Nothing is official at this point, but the Chicago Bears are expected to bring back veteran linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, who is slated to be an unrestricted free agent.

Tinoisamoa, a surprise cut by the St. Louis Rams last spring, landed with the Bears and quickly earned the starting position on the strong side. But a right knee injury suffered on the first series of the season opener at Green Bay sidelined him and when he returned the next month at Atlanta he re-injured himself, leading to surgery and a spot on the injured reserve.

The belief is that Tinoisamoa, 28, will return at full strength. The Bears were plagued by injuries at the position last season, losing middle linebacker Brian Urlacher for virtually the entire season. The team used six different starting lineups at linebacker.

Tinoisamoa was a good fit in the defense he starred in earlier in his career in St. Louis, and meshed well with the coaching staff and his new teammates. He signed a $1.5 million, one-year contract last year. What terms he will receive this time around are unknown, but he’s viewed as a valuable commodity by the team.

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WHAT'S IN YOUR LOCKER: Afalava Has Brush With Fame

Who knew that football players were so hygienic? Well, maybe not every football player, but Bears safety Al Afalava certainly fits the description if his locker is any indication.

Afalava, 22, has registered 39 tackles and two sacks as a rookie starter for the Bears. The sixth-round draft pick out of Oregon State received no promises that he would make the team this summer, but he has earned the respect of his coaches and teammates with a quiet confidence and a devoted work ethic.

Bears reporter Tom Musick spoke with Afalava before a recent practice.

OK, so the first thing I notice when I look in your locker is the toothpaste on your top shelf.
Toothpaste?

Yeah, right there. So what’s the story? Do you brush your teeth after practice?
Oh, yeah. I brush my teeth after practice, after I shower. I don’t know [why]. I just like brushing my teeth.

Where did that start? Did that come from your mom or dad emphasizing that all the time? Not everybody brushes their teeth in the middle of the day.
Yeah, I started it during college and just carried it through with me. If I take a shower, I might as well freshen up and brush my teeth again.

Do your teammates give you grief for that?
No, I mean, a lot of guys do it. I see a lot of guys, they’ll be brushing their teeth after practice.

Maybe you could turn this into a big endorsement with Crest or something.
(Laughs and shakes his head)

So is that your favorite brand?
Oh, I mix it up.

Based on whatever’s cheapest?
Whatever my wife buys. (Laughs)

How about your little guy? Did you have to teach him to brush his teeth, too? (Afalava has a 2-year-old son, Darius.)
Oh, yeah. My son is already doing it on his own, so he doesn’t need any help from me.

What about the rest of your locker? Am I missing anything else unique in here?
No, I mean, it’s just a mess right now. Just clothes and stuff. Nothing big.

I see your playbook up there.
Yeah, I take that home with me.

Is this locker room a lot different than college? Was your locker room a lot more crowded there?
No, our locker room was rebuilt. We did it in numerical order, though. (The Bears assign lockers according to positional groups.)

Have you brought your kids into the locker room yet to show off their dad’s office?
(Laughs) No, not yet. I’m a rookie, so I’ll try to get some years under my belt before I can start bringing my kids here.

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Tommie Harris Punches Deuce Lutui

Tommie Harris has been sent to the showers before he had time to break a sweat.

Harris, the Bears' defensive tackle, was ejected from today's game against the Arizona Cardinals just 1:05 into the game for punching Cardinals offensive tackle Deuce Lutui.

The punch came in a pile-up after a Cardinals running game, with Harris and Lutui tangled up on the ground. Harris hit Lutui in the face; there was no indication of whether Harris was reacting to something Lutui did.

Referee Ed Hochuli saw the punch and ejected Harris in addition to giving the Bears a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

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Afalava Ready for Big Moment

Chicago Bears strong safety Al Afalava has flown under the radar this week -- never a bad thing for a rookie expected to start Week 1.

Playing on the road against Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay's talented offense would a be a tough assignment for any first-year player, but the Bears coaching staff hopes Afalava can keep building on a strong preseason.

"It's going to be a very special game," said Afalava. "They said my college rivalry game [Oregon] was nothing compared to this. Plus, it's going to be my first NFL game, so just watching the film and noticing the speed of the game is a big deal. Aaron Rodgers is a great quarterback, and I've seen how fast the ball comes out, so we'll see how it goes."

Will there be some butterflies?

"I don't know," smiled Afalava. "We'll see how it is when I get out there in warm-ups."

Butterflies shouldn't be an issue for veteran Danieal Manning, who is expected to start at nickel and receive plenty of work -- since the Packers are known to favor sets of four and five receivers.

"They're moving the ball well," said Manning. "I think in one preseason game they didn't even punt. They look pretty impressive."

Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and Donald Lee are the givens on the Green Bay offense, but keep an eye on second-string tight end Jermichael Finley. The 2008 third-round pick led the Packers with nine receptions in the preseason, one more than fellow second-year player Jordy Nelson, who caught 33 balls as a rookie. Finley, Nelson and James Jones gives Mike McCarthy plenty of options to compliment his skill position starters.

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Afalava Impressing Those Who Count

While he may have a last name that's a bit difficult to pronounce, that's not keeping Al Afalava's name from being on a lot of people's lips these days.

A sixth-round draft choice and seventh selection overall by the Bears, the former Oregon State standout has had an outstanding training camp thus far.

Most importantly, he's impressed the guys who make the decisions about who plays and stays, and who gets cut and goes home: the Bears' coaching staff.

"He's making plays," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said. "A lot of times when rookies come in, especially in the secondary, they're quiet. But he has a little bit of confidence, he talks because he knows what's going on, has good skills, good size, good quickness, good raw speed and his strong suit is hitting."

Afalava showed just how much he likes to hit by recording six tackles in the Bears' preseason opener Saturday at Buffalo, one of the few Bears' highlights in an otherwise disappointing 27-20 loss.

A Hawaiian native, Afalava is currently listed as the Bears' No. 2 strong safety, behind Kevin Payne and in front of fellow rookie and undrafted free agent Dahna Deleston.

But with free safety Danieal Manning still bothered by a lingering hamstring issue, Afalava's stock has gone up considerably, mainly due to his versatility. While he is primarily a strong safety, he can also play free safety with equal aplomb.

That means Afalava can not only fill in for Payne, but could take over as No. 1 strong safety if Manning's hamstring problems continue. Some published reports have Afalava ready to be promoted to starting strong safety, with Payne likely being shifted to No. 1 free safety to at least temporarily take Manning's position.

But on the flip side, the quick and speedy Afalava could also switch from strong to free safety, if needed. That gives the Bears greater versatility and depth in the secondary and plays to one of Afalava's strengths, that of being a roamer who has a knack to be drawn to plays.

Not bad for a sixth-round pick who could wind up being one of the biggest steals of the draft if he continues to improve and becomes a fixture of the secondary.

"We really like our depth and getting a player like Al Afalava to come around," Smith said.

Saturday's display by Afalava against Buffalo wasn't a total surprise. He's shined during training camp practices and has shown he's not intimidated by opposing quarterbacks, even the likes of Pro Bowl teammate Jay Cutler.

"[Cutler] looks at me when I try to disguise [coverage], and says 'ah, he's nuts,'" Afalava said with a laugh. "But I just have to execute. It's knowing his reads and stuff, just studying him and what he does. It's really a privilege."

With comments like that, you can quickly tell that Afalava is somewhat of a soft-spoken type. He's not boisterous like Tommie Harris or a bull like Brian Urlacher. Rather, he's the studious type who lets his actions -- rather than his words -- speak for himself on the field of play.

"It's all about thinking," Afalava said. "I've just got to go out there, bear down and play."

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Will Ta'ufo'ou Leaves Mark on Cal Football Program

Fullbacks Vie for Starting Job While Striving to Meet Ta'ufo'ou Standard

In Will Ta'ufo'ou, the Cal football team lost a 6-foot, 255-pound fullback who could bulldoze a linebacker, surprise you with his speed, catch a pass out of the backfield and -- despite guiding 1,500-yard rushers in back-to-back years -- probably go unnoticed on campus.

In Ta'ufo'ou's replacement, the Bears are looking for somebody who can do all of those things (the latter is probably optional) and fill what running backs coach Ron Gould right now calls a "void" in the backfield. Fortunately for an offense riding a streak of seven straight seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher, Ta'ufo'ou taught his potential replacements quite a bit before he left.

"I learned a lot of things from Will, man," says senior Brian Holley. "Playing fullback, it's not glorified, its not anything. Just be humble, go in there and get the job done. That's what I learned from Will. He did that every day."

Ta'ufo'ou played in 11 games in 2007 and all 13 contests in 2008, the primary lead blocker for tailbacks Justin Forsett and Jahvid Best, respectively. Forsett and Best combined for 3,126 rushing yards in those two years. This season, with Best's explosive running being one of the biggest factors in the potential for Cal to unseat USC atop the Pac-10, whoever replaces Ta'ufo'ou is going to be crucial to the Bears realizing that goal.

Holley and sophomore Will Kapp appear to be the top candidates for the job a week into fall camp, with sophomore John Tyndall and redshirt freshman Eric Stevens in the discussion as well. Holley has taken most of the first-team reps with Kapp mixing in intermittently.

Neither Holley nor Kapp is quite the physical anomaly that Ta'ufo'ou was. Each gives up a significant amount of weight to Ta'ufo'ou, with Holley listed at 235 pounds and Kapp at 216. But Gould says that doesn't lower the expecations or change the way that the Bears run the ball because playing fullback is all about establishing leverage under a defender.

"Will, at his weight, he could move extremely well," says Holley. "I don't know if I could beat 255 and move as good as he does. But the thing about fullback, it's all about technique and pad level stuff, and Coach Gould's been shaping all the backs with getting pad level down, feet and striking. You can be 300 pounds and 6-foot-5 and still not be a good fullback."

Right now, Tedford characterizes the fullback play as "hit and miss," which is normal for early practices but falls below the Ta'ufo'ou Standard. Tedford has said that the depth chart will be finalized a week and half before the Maryland game, which gives the each fullback just under two weeks to lay claim to the starting job -- as Gould says, become the guy who's going to "take the bull by the horns and run with it" -- and start replacing Ta'ufo'ou.

"Just the way Will played, his play and his actions spoke tons about him," says Kapp. "He worked so hard in the weight room, which nobody saw, and in practice every rep he took was a quality rep, full intensity. We've seen that. We've seen what it takes. We know how high the bar is and we just have to keep working at it and try to get there."

That's the irony of the situation. For two years, Ta'ufo'ou played in relative obscurity while the guy running the ball behind him soaked up the stats and the recognition. It's now that he's gone that his name seems like a popular one, mostly popping up in the form of, "How is Cal going to replace ... ?"

Holley, Kapp and company, by following Ta'ufo'ou's lead, just need to make people forget him again.

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Afalava to Start @ Strong Safety?

Al Afalava took a giant step in proving he belongs in the NFL.

The rookie did miss a few tackles, but was always around the ball Saturday night, and proved himself with an open-field stop for a loss on a dump-off pass to Marshawn Lynch. I like the aggressive way Afalava attacks the run, but he's still an unknown commodity in pass coverage. The longer Danieal Manning misses with a hamstring injury, the more likely Afalava retains a spot in the starting lineup. Of course the flip side is that Kevin Payne is forced to play free safety. So just like in the offseason workouts, the Bears essentially are playing with two strong safeties.

Bears Hope Pisa Tinoisamoa Bounces Back in '09

The biggest moves the Bears made on defense -- or at least the ones getting the most attention -- were the changes on the coaching staff. Rod Marinelli was hired to coach the defensive line, and Lovie Smith will call the plays instead of defensive coordinator Bob Babich.

But I discussed the two biggest personnel changes on defense -- the acquisition of linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa and the loss of safety Mike Brown -- with Bill Barnwell, the managing editor of Football Outsiders. Its mean projection gives the Bears a 49 percent chance to have 11 or more victories -- the highest figure for any NFC club.

First, I asked Barnwell about Tinoisamoa, who's projected to be the starter on the strong side after signing a one-year contract. The St. Louis Rams cut him loose after they failed to trade him. He became the first rookie in franchise history to lead the defense in tackles when he played for Smith and Babich in 2003.

''It really depends on Tinoisamoa and how he fits into their scheme and how quickly he catches up on things,'' Barnwell said. ''I understand he's had experience in the system.''

Football Outsiders looks at a stat it calls the ''stop rate,'' the average yards for running plays when the linebacker makes the tackle. It's not a perfect system, but it has other stats, one of which is called ''defeats,'' defined as the number of times the defense makes a play behind the line of scrimmage, creates turnovers or stops the offense from gaining first downs on third or fourth down.

Tinoisamoa, who played weak side for the Rams last season, was credited with 48 stops, 32 fewer than Lance Briggs. Tinoisamoa ranked 93rd out of 99 linebackers against the run. But as Barnwell pointed out, these statistics can change depending on the team and the system.

''The Rams didn't have a great defense,'' Barnwell said. ''You look at his run numbers, and they were atrocious. He made a lot of tackles, but they were seven or eight yards from the line of scrimmage. You have to put the scheme in context. He could be better this season.''

Tinoisamoa will have more talent around him this season, and it's reasonable to expect he'll be a different player. Of course, the Bears expected the same with Adam Archuleta in 2007.

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The Toughness of Olin Kreutz

Olin Kreutz's name has come up a few times in recent months, and typically always in the same context: team leader, enforcer, tough guy. Kreutz has been the anchor of the Chicago Bears line for more than a decade, and his presence always precedes him.

We have discussed whether to bring in a wide receiver with a sketchy past... Kreutz would put him in his place. We talked about Cutler's antics in Denver... that's okay, Kreutz will whip him into shape in Chicago.

And today, we saw Kreutz featured on ESPN's All-Decade Offense. All of this talk reminded me of a "situation" that occurred in 2005 between Kreutz and Fred Miller. Here is an excerpt from an article I found:

Kreutz and Miller were having some fun in November 2005, shooting at an FBI firing range, when the fun took a bad turn. After the shooting, they had some drinks and barbeque. What kind of FBI firing range allows men to drink and eat on the property? Good question. Ask someone else. Me, I'm still trying to figure out how Olin Kreutz beat the crap out of Fred Miller, and did it so thoroughly that it was Miller who ended up apologizing afterward.

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Chicago Bears Getting Used to a Little Island Flavor

Center Olin Kreutz has been a staple in the Chicago Bears organization since the team drafted him out of Washington St. 12 years ago. Kreutz, a leader both on the field and in the locker room, leads by example through hard work and determination. He keeps players in line and commands respect from not only his teammates, but opposing players as well.

Kreutz was raised and played high school football in Hawaii for St. Louis High, a team consistently playing for the island title, where he was all-state in both football and wrestling. Hawaii was his kickoff point for a prosperous and productive NFL career.

And Kreutz isn't the only one to bring the island madness to the team.

The Bears selected safety Al Afalava in the sixth round of the 2009 draft. Afalava grew up in Laie, located on the north shore of Oahu, and played high school for the Kahuku Red Raiders, a perennial powerhouse, before moving on to Oregon St.

If you look closely, there are quite a few connections to the pacific islands throughout the Bears roster:

Undrafted free agents Will Ta'ufo'ou (FB from Cal) and Johan Asiata (OG from UNLV) are both in contention for roster spots. Asiata, originally from New Zealand, actually grew up in Hawaii.

Reserve defensive tackle Matt Toeaina played high school football on the tiny island of American Samoa, which is located east of Fiji and North of Tonga before he moved on to play college ball at the University of Oregon.

Newly acquired linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa played for the University of Hawaii for four years. He made first team all WAC his senior year and was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams.

The Bears even have had a couple Hawaii players represented on the practice squad and in training camp. Safety Leonard Peters, also a Kahuku graduate, was on the Bears practice squad for the 2007 season. And former UH standout wide receiver Ryan Grice-Mullens was added to the Bears roster last season in training camp to add some depth, but failed to make the final cut.

And it doesn't end there, lets kick it back a little further.

Anyone remember tight end Gabe Reid? He played four years for the Bears from 2003 through 2006 and recorded a total of seven receptions—okay, not exactly stellar numbers but Reid was also a product of American Samoa and was a competent third stringer for the team.

And if you want to go old-school, how about Lakei Heimuli? Heimuli was a running back out of BYU who grew up in Tonga and played one season for the 1987 Chicago Bears. He only made it into three games that year, but to be fair, his numbers weren't terrible: 34 carries for 128 yards (for a 3.8 average), and five receptions for 51 yards and one lone touchdown.

So really, this island theme from the Bears is not a new one. And judging from recent trends, look for more and more of these Polynesian products to follow in the footsteps of Kreutz, Pisa, Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu, and Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

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