Washington Redskins Sign Undrafted NT Vaughn Meatoga

The Washington Redskins have reportedly signed Hawaii nose tackle Vaughn Meatoga, according to Hawaiinewsnow.com. He was left undrafted, but has the size and tenacity to compete for playing time at the most important position on theRedskins' 3-4 defense.

Meatoga is a studious lineman who possesses tremendous balance and leverage. He uses his hands well and is aggressive enough to hold up at the point of attack and violently shed blockers.

At only 294 pounds, he is maybe a little too small for the modern prototype NFL nose tackle position. However, his ability to be active inside and use his initial quickness to shift along the line and create pressure, can be assets to the Redskins.

Some 3-4 schemes have benefited from a smaller player on the nose, and in some ways Meatoga can be compared to former NFL pro Jason Ferguson. Drafted in the seventh round of the 1997 draft by Bill Parcells, Ferguson enjoyed a highly productive career anchoring 3-4 defenses for the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.

Meatoga joins cornerback Chase Minnifield as the second marquee rookie free agent signed by the Redskins. Both additions are smart moves, adding depth and potential at key positions.

Meatoga will be given the opportunity to compete with 2011 seventh-rounder Chris Neild for playing time in a rotation with veteran Barry Cofield.

(Vaughn Meatoga 2012 NFL Combine Video Link)

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Warriors' Win Boosts Team Confidence

There was one thing that kept Hawaii defensive tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu from racing home Saturday night to watch the pay-per-view replay of the Warriors' 27-21 upset of Nevada.

"I don't have cable," Tuipulotu said. "I'm just a college student."

Instead, he will wait until today's defensive meetings to watch the video of the game.

"It's better to watch it with teammates," he said.

Tuipulotu exemplifies a football team that remains grounded while seeking respect. Even after defeating Nevada, which entered 6-0 and ranked 19th, and even after earning the 29th-most points in yesterday's Associated Press poll, the Warriors still want to be categorized in the underdog breed.

"You can tell (Nevada) underestimated us," Tuipulotu said. "That's what happens when you don't take your opponent seriously. We respect everyone because we know to everyone else -- other teams, the WAC -- they think we suck. We don't take anyone lightly. Every game, for us, is like the USC game."

Cornerback Jeramy Bryant said the Nevada game, during which the Warriors contained quarterback Colin Kaepernick and running back Vai Taua, was a "confidence booster."

"It was good to know we could play with teams like that, and not only play with them, but beat them," Bryant said. "It took a few games to show the nation we could be pretty good."

Tuipulotu said the Warriors felt "we had something special" back in spring training in April. In February, Nick Rolovich and Dave Aranda were promoted to offensive and defensive coordinators.

"We worked really hard in the spring," safety Mana Silva said.

Back then, Bryant said, the coaches would show videos of their practices, emphasizing how the schemes would be productive.

"From the spring, we knew we had a special team," Bryant said. "We worked hard, and the coaches kept preaching how we could be good."

Defensively, Aranda said the Warriors' multiple schemes would produce turnovers. But in the first three games, the Warriors had no interceptions.

On Saturday, the Warriors intercepted Kaepernick twice, giving them 10 picks in the past four games.

"Sure enough," Bryant said, "the turnovers started to come. We believed we could do those type of turnovers. We believe in ourselves."

Silva said the goal is to win the WAC title and qualify for a bowl game. The Warriors are atop the WAC with a 3-0 record. At 5-2, they need to win two of their remaining six regular-season games for a winning record and the accompanying berth in the Hawaii Bowl.

"We have to continue to improve overall, and hopefully things will fall into place," Silva said.

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Pilares Adds Power

Hawaii football player Kealoha Pilares' father knew best.

And this was before Pilares knew of Blaze Soares.

During the 2007 spring training, his first as a Warrior, Pilares, then playing running back, had to go up against heat-seeking linebacker Blaze Soares in several drills.

"He's a big bully," Pilares said, smiling. "Blaze is Blaze. That's how he is. He'll run you over if you're not ready for it. The same thing with the other guys. Over here, the defense is known for hitting. You'd better be ready to hit, or you won't play. I wanted to play."

That is when the off-to-college advice of his father began to crystallize.

"My dad told me: 'You'd better get your butt into the weight room,'" Pilares recalled.

After four years of intensive training, Pilares has gained 30 pounds of muscle and now is a 205-pound slotback.

Pilares is the current NCAA leader in receiver yards (682). After a school-record 18 catches for 217 yards in a 41-21 victory over Louisiana Tech, Pilares was named yesterday the Western Athletic Conference's Offensive Player of the Week.

"It's not anything special," Pilares said of receiving his first individual WAC award. "I didn't win the Heisman or anything."

Because of the intensity of the game, Pilares said, "You kind of forget about everything. I didn't know I was getting the ball that much, and I don't think (quarterback Bryant Moniz) knew he was throwing me the ball that much. He was throwing it to the open guy. We had a lot of open guys."

Pilares credited the other receivers, particularly left slotback Greg Salas, for drawing away defenders. He also praised Moniz, marveling at the quarterback's stiff-armed move on a scramble.

"I think that was his boxing skills, that jab," Pilares said. "You like to see your quarterback playing like that. It gives you goose bumps. Just watching Mo play is so exciting."

Pilares also has been entertaining, although he has been quick to embrace assistant coach Mouse Davis' advice.

"Coach Mouse said two things can happen to you right now: 'You can either get better or get worse,'" Pilares recalled. "We can't think about anything except working hard."

Such distractions include pondering a football future beyond the Manoa campus. During the Colorado game, four NFL scouts praised Pilares' post-catch abilities. Two weeks ago, a scout for the New England Patriots also gave a good review.

"If the opportunity comes, it comes," Pilares said. "I'm not going to worry about it now."

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Cabral Inspires CU`s Hawaiian Players

Brian Cabral

Today  Brian Cabral is a kupuna, a respected elder.

But 36 years ago, the legendary Colorado linebacker and long-time assistant coach was just a wide-eyed kid from Kailua, Hawaii, trying to adjust to college life in Boulder.

"I think for every freshman it`s the same, it`s hard being away from home. The farther away you go from home, the harder it is," Cabral recalled during a recent interview with the Camera. "When people don`t understand you when you`re trying to speak your version of English, we call it Pidgin English, they don`t know what you`re saying. They don`t understand you. The food is a little bit of an adjustment, the culture is a little bit of an adjustment. ...

"You feel like here in the mainland you`re on an island."

Cabral was able to adjust to his new surroundings under the Flatirons and began to thrive.

In 1976, he was a captain on CU`s Big Eight championship team, finishing that memorable season with 13 tackles in the Orange Bowl against Ohio State. He graduated in 1978 and began a nine-year NFL career that included winning a Super Bowl in 1985 as a member of the Chicago Bears.

For many young Hawaiian males, Cabral inspires hope as they attempt to use football to realize their dreams.

"I`m an island guy that left the island to go to college. I`m an island guy that went on to the NFL," Cabral said. "I`m a kid that grew up on the beach and ultimately got to where every football player wants to get to."

On Saturday, CU will host Hawaii at Folsom Field. The Buffs will open up the 2011 season in a rematch with the Warriors at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

  

The series means a lot to Cabral, who has always recruited his home state very well and coached some great players from Hawaii, including recent Buff standout Jordon Dizon. The All-American linebacker, who is now a member of the Detroit Lions, used to say hisNo. 1 motivation at CU was "not to disappoint my (position) coach."

Cabral explains what the game of football means to players from Hawaii this way:

"Football on the islands is bigger than life. High school football, Pop Warner football, it`s big. It`s a very physical culture and that`s why they love the game of football. ...

"We`ve brought the right guys to CU. They`re physical players, they love contact, they love the game. That`s why you recruit Polynesian kids, that`s why you recruit Hawaii."

Rainbows to Warriors

Hawaii began playing football in 1920. Then called the Rainbows, the program completed back-to-back undefeated seasons in 1924-25, outscoring their opponents 606-29 -- including a 13-0 victory over CU on Jan. 1, 1925, in Honolulu -- during the 18-game span.

Thomas Kaulukukui

In 1935, Hawaii running back and future coach Thomas Kaulukukui became the program`s first All-American. His No. 32 is the only retired number in the school`s football history. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II, the Rainbows did not play from 1942-1945.

In 1955, a year after a 50-0 loss to Nebraska in Honolulu, the Rainbows traveled to Lincoln and upset the Huskers 6-0. In 1975, Aloha Stadium -- site of many NFL Pro Bowls -- was built and became Hawaii`s new home field.

In 1992, Hawaii won a share of its first-ever WAC championship and also captured its first bowl game victory, a 27-17 triumph over Illinois in the Holiday Bowl.

"As long as I`ve played here or coached here we`ve never played Hawaii," said Cabral, who wore his lava lava wrap to celebrate his 300th game as a Buff last season during CU`s 35-34 win over Texas A&M.

"We`ve played in Hawaii for a bowl game, but we`ve never played Hawaii. That`s a different challenge. Hawaii has a great history."

More recently, former Hawaii head coach June Jones (now at SMU) and quarterback Colt Brennan (NCAA career touchdown passes leader) led the Warriors to their first outright WAC title in 2007 and an appearance in the Jan. 1, 2008, Sugar Bowl, where they lost 41-10 to Georgia.

"In high school, I did start following the Warriors," said CU offensive lineman Sione Tau, who is from Honolulu. "The Warriors have been doing a lot of good things, so I`m pretty excited about the game, it`s going to be awesome. First of all, to play against friends and old rivals from high school will make it a pretty exciting game. I`ve also heard lot of people from Hawaii are coming in for the game."

Hawaii opened up the season with a 49-36 loss to USC in Honolulu and pulled off a dramatic 31-28 victory on Saturday against Army, 4,995 miles away in West Point, N.Y.

With the WAC scheduled to lose Boise State, Fresno State and Nevada to the Mountain West, there is talk about Hawaii perhaps going independent in football as BYU will next season. Despite the fact that major programs are willing to make the trip to paradise, Cabral believes it would be tough for the Warriors to compete at a high level without a conference affiliation.

"I`m not sure about that. It`s very difficult for them on the islands financially, although the support is very awesome," Cabral said. "Independently, I don`t know the plusses and minuses. Hawaii is a hard place to live economically, it`s a hard place educationally, it`s even harder athletically on a football program."

Hawaii is scheduled to visit Boulder again in 2014 with the Buffs traveling back to Honolulu in 2015.

The next generation

B.J. Beatty

Michael Sipili

Two of the Buffs` best defensive players this season, linebackers B.J. Beatty and Michael Sipili, are from Hawaii. They will see a lot of familiar faces on Saturday, considering the Warriors` 2010 roster includes 46 players from the Aloha State and a handful of others from American Samoa.

"For me and some of the guys from there, it`s exciting. Back when I was home for the summer I was laughing because when I left I didn`t think I`d ever play against anybody from home or anybody that I knew. It`s going to be an exciting event for both teams," said Beatty, a senior from Kaawa, Hawaii. "I never really got into Hawaii football. When I went to high school I knew teammates and guys I competed against who went there, but I really never became a fan. But Hawaii football for the state is always a good thing. There are no professional sports out there, so that`s what they always have to look forward to."

Chris Naeole

Beatty won two state championships at Kahuku High School. Chris Naeole, the former CU All-American offensive guard, is an uncle of Beatty`s on his mother`s side of the family. His father Byron played linebacker at Brigham Young in the late 1980s after a standout high school career on Oahu.

  

"It can get down to the wire. I`ve been in some games where my heart has probably stopped once or twice out there," Beatty said when asked about the atmosphere under the Friday night lights on the islands. "It`s always pound the ball and big heavy dudes. The physical side, coaches never have to worry about us. We love to get physical. We love to come down here and hit each other head to head. It`s always good fun."

Sipili, the Buffs` starting middle linebacker, ran into some serious off-field trouble early in his college career. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in 2007 for his involvement in an attack on another student and was sentenced to four days on a  Boulder County Jail work crew, 80 hours of community service and two years of probation. CU`s Office of Judicial Affairs suspended him from school for the fall semester that year.

  

Not surprisingly, Cabral didn`t give up on Sipili, who has rewarded his coach by maturing. He will likely have an opportunity to play in the NFL after graduation.

  

"Coach Cabral helps so much. He is a big influence in my life," said Sipili, who grew up in Honolulu. "He has been a big help and support for the guys who come from the island. He makes it more comfortable for us to be here. ...

  

"He has always been by my side and he has always told me to take my mistakes head on and move forward. You can`t do anything else but move forward."

  

Freshman outside linebacker Kaiwi Crabb, also from Honolulu, is the fourth current Buff from Hawaii. Even though CU`s current head coach is on the hot seat after a miserable 52-7 loss to future Pac-10 foe Cal, Cabral -- who lettered three times for Bill Mallory and has worked for Bill McCartney, Rick Neuheisel, Gary Barnett and  Dan Hawkins -- will likely be there to mentor Crabb throughout his collegiate career.

  

"I made the same trip, I took the same plane over the ocean and stepped onto the mountains. I understand the transition, I understand the culture, I understand where they`re coming from," Cabral said. "That has been fun for me. One of the reasons why I do like bringing kids from Hawaii is to give them the same opportunities and experiences that I had. ...

  

"The neat thing about it is to see them get accustomed, to see them starting to thrive. The people like the island kids because they`re colorful, they`re fun loving, and the players on the team respond to that. To see that happen is a lot of fun for me to see."

  

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Say Aloha to Hawai'i

Texas, Florida and Louisiana are known as the traditional high school football factories.

But none produces talent quite like Hawaii. Neither does any other state.

On a per capita basis, Hawaii produced the most players on Football Bowl Subdivision rosters in 2009, a Tulsa World analysis shows.

The Aloha State sent 3.8 players on to major college football teams per 1,000 boys age 15-19. That’s 50 percent more than the No. 2 state, Louisiana (2.5). Per capita, Honolulu is the top producing metro area (4.6), with almost 40 percent more than second-place New Orleans (3.2).

“Football is a big part of the Polynesian way of life,” said Jeremy Crabtree, the national recruiting editor for Rivals.com. “That’s why we see how well they support things.”

The top states producing recruits per capita

1.		Hawaii
2.		Louisiana
3.		Florida
4.		Alabama
5.		Georgia
6.		Texas
7.		Ohio
8.		Mississippi
9.		Nebraska
10.		Washington, D.C.

The top cities producing recruits per capita

1.		Honolulu
2.		New Orleans
3.		Birmingham, Ala.
4.		Dallas-Fort Worth
5.		Miami
6.		Jacksonville, Fla.
7.		Youngstown, Ohio
8.		Baton Rouge, La.
9.		Atlanta
10.		Lakeland, Fla.

Like football at the University of Hawaii. The Warriors averaged 36,725 fans at home games this year. With a state population of 1.2 million, that’s the equivalent of Oklahoma averaging 105,000 fans at Memorial Stadium.

The state’s football offerings extend to the Hawaii Bowl and a high school all-star game, the Hawaii/Polynesia Mainland Bowl.

The Polynesian love of football comes from a few aspects of their culture, said Steve Lineweaver, the head football coach at Euless (Texas) Trinity High School, which has a large Polynesian population and does a traditional Haka war dance before games.

The Pacific Islands’ warrior history lends itself to physical sports like rugby or football.

Their culture also values family — which is perfect for a team sport like football.

“It’s just what you ordered,” Lineweaver said.

Add in a great climate that allows year-round practice, and Hawaii has the seeds to become the most fertile football recruiting ground in the country.

“In our neck of the woods, Hawaii isn’t what we think about,” Crabtree said, “but it’s something recruiters have known for quite some time.”

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Peters Does Rugby: Changing Lanes

 The transition from American Football to rugby hasn't been an easy sprint for former Chicago Bears player Peters.

The Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens proved to be a surreal experience for Leonard Peters, the USA player who five months ago had never even watched a rugby game on TV.


American Football was what kept the 27-year-old busy and the only connection he shared with rugby was through his Samoan father.

Fast forward to December, Peters returns to America with "very good memories" from his debut international rugby outing.

Speaking to XPRESS, he said: "I had no expectations of playing at all coming into it. But I got to play all the games, I scored my first try, so I'm just enjoying every­thing about rugby right now."

Peters' love affair with rugby began soon after his zing for American Football started to evaporate upon being released by NFL side Chicago Bears last year.

He said: "When I was done playing American Football, coach [Al Caravelli] called me and asked if I wanted to play rugby. He told me there's a lot of running and hitting so I said, "OK, sign me up".

Describing the transition as "very difficult", the American Samoa-born Peters said: "Besides the fact that in rugby you can pass only backwards. I think the hardest thing is the fitness. In NFL, you run for nine seconds, then you rest 30 seconds. In rugby, you run for seven minutes straight. And if you get tired in American Football, you can come out and go back in later whereas in rugby you can't."

But Peters said he hardly misses donning the pads and helmet and would like to be an ambassador for rugby to American Football players currently out of work.

"Hopefully it sparks an interest in America to make rugby popular because I think it will be better for the whole world. There are a lot of football players who aren't playing now so instead of getting a regular job, they can come play rugby and try it out," he said before revealing his appreciation of the fanatical Dubai crowd.

"There's a lot more people in terms of a crowd in the NFL where the other team's fans will tease and heckle you. But they're not as crazy as the people here, in a good way. Here everyone's cheering for you whatever team you play for. Everyone's having fun, it's like a big party outside like Halloween. I'd love to be back. I've taken a lot of pictures which I'll take home to share with everybody in America," he said.

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Niumatalolo Falls Short in Return

Those same deafening cheers he heard as a high school player for Radford and as a University of Hawai'i quarterback and assistant coach reverberated through Aloha Stadium last night in the Warriors' 24-17 win against Navy.

But this time, it was different for Hawai'i son Ken Niumatalolo, Navy's second-year head coach. Those same cheers that inspired him to play hard were now backing his opponent.

"Feels weird," said Niumatalolo, just after listening to another familiar sound: UH's alma mater.

Trailing by seven, Navy just made a fourth-and-1 stand against the Warriors at the Navy 16 with 5:41 left in the game. Niumatalolo was on the line of scrimmage on his sideline to see the crucial play and pumped his right arm.

The Midshipmen would drive to UH's 39, but the Warriors preserved their lead on sacks on third and fourth downs as time ran out.

"Very emotional game," Niumatalolo continued. "To come back here to the stadium, it was different for me. I love these kids that I coach. Our guys on our team, I love them. It's unfortunate we came up short. I give Hawai'i all the credit in the world."

This is the same Niumatalolo who once sold newspapers with UH game lineups as a kid at Aloha Stadium.

It was the stadium where he would help Radford High — just in the shadow of Aloha Stadium — to the 1981 O'ahu Prep Bowl title that culminated an emotional season in which his coach John Velasco had passed away a few weeks earlier.

It was the same place he played collegiately for UH and graduated from in 1989. He also would help his college alma mater as a graduate assistant and assistant coach from 1990 to 1994.

Adding to the emotion was the presence of family.

On the Navy sidelines were cousins Thor and Fred Salanoa. Thor was his teammate at Radford and Fred, now Radford's football coach, was the team's waterboy.

Although his family lived in La'ie, Niumatalolo stayed with the Salanoas near Radford.

"I'm so proud of him," Thor Salanoa said. "Every week we talk to each other. In college (Thor went to Brigham Young), we were always calling up each other, still keeping in touch."

Also on the sidelines were Niumatalolo's sons, Va'a and Ali'i. It was extra special for Va'a, a 16-year-old linebacker for a Maryland high school. He said this was his first return to his father's home since he was about 1.

"It was great to come out there and see family and everyone," Va'a said. "This is the first time I've seen a game in here. Well, a second time. I saw the Kahuku (vs. Farrington state semifinal) yesterday."

He was impressed by the UH crowd.

"It's a lot louder than I thought it would be," he said. "Inside the stadium, it was as loud as Notre Dame and Ohio State. It got pretty loud. I was impressed."

Another family member was on hand and wished him well before the game. Mayor Mufi Hannemann greeted the nation's first college coach of Samoan ancestry as Navy left the field from its final pregame warmups to the locker room.

"It's very special because his mother and I are cousins," Hannemann said. "I'm so proud of him. He achieved what so many people just dream about."

Hannemann said Niumatalolo is a role model for coaches from here and those of Polynesian ancestry. He saw leadership ability when Niumatalolo was a youth.

"He was always a leader," Hannemann said. "He was always very intelligent; he was very disciplined. It's not surprising that he's doing so well."

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UH Gets Prep Linebacker: T.J. Taimatuia

The Warriors defied the odds by securing a commitment from a top California high school linebacker.

"I'm excited to go play for the green and black," said T.J. Taimatuia of Artesia High.

Taimatuia is 6 feet 4 and 225 pounds. He is capable of running 40 yards in 4.7 seconds, and squat-lifting 410 pounds.

Last season, he amassed 95 tackles and five sacks in nine regular-season games. He was named the Suburban League's 2008 Defensive Player of the Year. He also was selected to the CIF Southern Section all-star team.

But this year, Artesia has struggled, and a coaching change recently was made. Still, Taimatuia received strong interest from Arizona, California, UCLA, Utah and Washington.

But Taimatuia said it was an easy decision to pick his favorite college team.

"Ever since I was 9 or 10, I've watched Hawai'i," Taimatuia said. "I've always liked the way they've played and the way their coaches coach."

Taimatuia has several relatives living in Hawai'i.

Taimatuia's cousin is David Katina, a defensive end who plays for Fa'asao Marist High in American Samoa. Last month, Katina made a verbal commitment to play for the Warriors in 2010.

"I used to sleep over at his house," Taimatuia said. "I never thought that, years down the line, it would play out like this. I thank God for everything that's happened in my life. Every day, I work hard and thank the Lord. I give him all of the glory. I'm thankful for this opportunity to play for Hawai'i."

Taimatuia's parents still live in American Samoa. He stays with an aunt, Laurie Saleaeaga, in California.

"I miss the island life and the beach," Taimatuia said.

He said White Plains is his favorite beach.

As for hobbies, he said, "I'm Samoan. I love to eat."

Ryan Zerbel, Artesia's assistant principal and assistant football coach, praised Taimatuia as a student and athlete.

"He's a natural linebacker," Zerbel said. "He has a real nose for the ball. He has a tremendous natural talent. He's a great kid. He's hardworking, respectful. He'll be a good future player for the Warriors."

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UH Gets Defensive End David Katina

Tonight, the Hawai'i football team opens its season against Central Arkansas.

Yesterday, the Warriors made a down payment on its future, securing a commitment from the top defensive end in American Samoa.

"I'm going to be a Warrior," 6-foot-2, 225-pound David Katina said.

Katina attends Kanana Fou High, which does not field a football team, but plays for Fa'asao Marist High.

"He's an awesome player," Fa'asao coach Time Fitala said. "He's the best defensive end on the island."

Katina also plays offensive tackle, offensive guard, defensive tackle and linebacker. The Samoa News named Katina as the defensive player of the week after he amassed 12 tackles, including four for losses, and two sacks against powerful Samoana High.

"With a little more technique and a little more muscle, he'll be another Fonoti," Fitala said, referring to UH defensive end Fetaiagogo "John" Fonoti. "He's about the same size, same height, same body structure. But he's a younger version."

Katina's siblings are the Katina Brothers, a musical group based in Tennessee.

His father, David Katina Sr., is a pastor and musician who recently moved to Hawai'i.

Katina attended Word of Life Academy as a freshman and Campbell High as a sophomore. He moved back to American Samoa for his junior year. He lives with his grandmother.

He considered attending Campbell this year, but decided to remain in American Samoa to graduate from Kanana Fou.

Katina also plays basketball and volleyball. American Samoa does not have facilities for track and field events.

Katina can run 40 yards in 4.8 seconds, and bench press 315 pounds.

He is scheduled to take a recruiting trip to Hawai'i in November. But he decided to make an early commitment to UH.

He turned down offers from Southern Methodist and Oregon State.

"I always wanted to be a Warrior," he said. "Most of my family went there."

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Fonoti Improves Endurance

For defensive end Fetaiagogo "John" Fonoti, the playground was the proving ground.

Because of school and family obligations — he has a young daughter — Fonoti made the most of his limited training time. To complement his weight training and conditioning workouts, Fonoti played basketball, volleyball and rugby at various parks.

His volleyball position?

"Outside hitter, of course," he said, smiling.

He also enjoyed rugby.

"There's a lot of running — and no pads," he said. "I see people a lot shorter than me, but they're tough."

The pick-up games proved to be beneficial. Fonoti said he lost 15 pounds, and now weighs 250.

He also improved his endurance.

When he reported to training camp Wednesday, he thought he would be "out of shape" compared to many of his teammates.

But during drills, he noted, "I kept up OK."

McMackin said: "He's in real good shape. He looks good. He runs to the football. He makes plays. He's strong. And he's done well in his classes. He's on track to graduate.That's exciting. He's ready to have a great year."

Fonoti said Taase Faumui, a former UH and NFL defensive end, played in some of the pickup basketball games and volleyball matches. Both are Farrington High alumni.

"I asked him about certain things, and he gave me a lot of tips (on playing defensive end)," Fonoti said.

His stress has been relieved by the birth of his daughter and his mother's improved health. She has completed treatment for cancer.

"She's doing good," Fonoti said. "She's getting better. She had a chance to go to Samoa. She had an awesome time."

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The Sack Man Scareth

Al Noga struck fear in the hearts of everyone, often with just a glance.

Al Noga sacked quarterbacks with his stare. He was a pitbull in pads. His bark was spine-chilling, his bite was bone-crunching.

His swim technique would make Michael Phelps blush. He stunted on the field, grunted off of it. I'm scared to even write about this guy. Hopefully, he doesn't read the paper. If he does, he needs to know that it was the Star-Bulletin, not me, who didn't pick him No. 1.

Noga is still the only UH football player to be named as a first-team Associated Press All-American. Pro Football Hall of Famers Michael Irvin and Rod Woodson were on that team. So were Deion Sanders and Brian Bosworth, a pair of colorful characters who would surely turn pale if Noga lined up opposite of them.

Bob Hope almost swallowed his tongue after the University of Hawaii defensive lineman stared him down on national television. The elderly comedian had merely made a harmless joke at Noga's expense while introducing him as part of the All-America team.

The Samoan Sack Man burst onto the national scene during Hawaii's 1986 season, his junior year. He didn't tackle whoever had the ball, he undressed them. Aside from his AP recognition, Noga was the Western Athletic Conference defensive player of the year in '86. That's the same year BYU's Jason Buck won the Outland Trophy, awarded to the best college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. Noga should have won it. Snubs like that are part of the chip that sat upon Hawaii football's shoulders for so long. Noga did his best to knock that chip off by knocking out opposing players.

As for his own players ...

"I think his teammates all feared him," is how Bob Wagner, Noga's coach at Hawaii, remembers it. "Not feared him in a crazy way, but in a tough way with respect."

That respect was evident in Noga's teammates electing him as a team captain prior to the 1987 season. Then again, as Wagner recalls, they may have had little choice.

"Al comes to me prior to his senior year and says he wants to be captain. I tell him the players elect the captain. Al says, 'They'll vote for me.' ... I believe it was pretty unanimous."

Even the coach himself was not immune to Noga's steely determination. Former Hawaii player Shawn Ching recalls a film session during the 1987 season when Wagner called out Noga for loafing on the field. Wagner told Noga to stand, and then told Noga he wanted him to lose weight and get in shape. "Coach, I'm not losing weight," was Noga's response. He then sat down ... end of conversation.

Ching was a true freshman during Noga's senior season, 1987. An offensive lineman on the scout team, Ching found himself paired up against Noga on a consistent basis.

"I had an Al Noga baseball card on my bulletin board ... with an X across his face," says Ching, who admits he would scheme up ways to (legally) work over Noga in practice. "Never happened."

"He abused the crap out of me ... showed me no mercy," said Ching, who remembers wondering if he would survive to make it to the training table on one particular practice day.

It was during a Noga audition before a large gathering of NFL evaluators. They had heard the stories, read the press clippings, studied the game film.

Here's some of the noise Noga was making that brought the scouts to Manoa:

This recap from Hawaii's 1986 win over UTEP: "Al Noga led the fierce Rainbow pass rush which knocked out two of UTEP's quarterbacks with serious injuries. In all, Noga had nine tackles and three sacks."

After the game, UTEP coach Bob Stull coined a phrase for what Noga did to his team. Stull said UTEP got "Noganized."

Two weeks later, Noga and company sent New Mexico's quarterback to the hospital, where he stayed overnight. He did not play again the rest of the season.

On the first weekend of November 1986, Noga was named WAC defensive player of the week after making just three tackles against Utah. The Utes ran away from Noga all night, but so great was his presence that he still won the award. Utes coach Jim Fassel would later say of Noga, "His athletic ability and intensity on the field makes him one of the premier defensive players in the country ..."

A week after Utah and before 50,000 at Aloha Stadium, Al and brother Pete Noga combined for 28 tackles and three sacks against BYU. The Cougars' two eventual first-round NFL draft picks, Shawn Knight and the aforementioned Jason Buck, combined for 10 tackles and one sack. Hawaii lost the game, but Al Noga was named the game's outstanding lineman for the fourth time in eight games.

"One of the great pass rushers we have ever played against," was then-BYU coach Lavell Edwards' assessment of Noga. The highest of compliments considering the pass-happy offense employed by Edwards' Cougars.

Former Fresno State coach Jim Sweeney echoed those sentiments, saying Al Noga is "the most exciting defensive lineman I know in college football."

Noga's own assessment of himself as told to the Star-Bulletin in 2002: "(I) never had loads of talent, but I was a hard worker and a quick learner. ... I had to push myself over and over with hard- core training and hard-core conditioning."

Part of that motivation came from his brothers, Niko (1980-83) and Pete (1983-86), who also played for Hawaii. It was Niko Noga whose inspired play led to the UH fan chant of 'No-ga, No-ga, No-ga.' Al Noga has said that Niko was the "complete package" and Pete "had the most natural ability."

All three brothers would eventually carve out jobs in the NFL. After Noga's senior season, 1987, the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the third round of the NFL Draft. He played for the Vikings, Redskins and Colts before finishing his NFL career back in Minnesota in 1992.

Noga also played in the Arena Football League.

Noga's name is still atop several statistical categories in the Hawaii football record books. In 1986, he set the Hawaii single-season record for forced fumbles (6), tackles for a loss (31), and sacks (17). Those, as well as the career marks for forced fumbles (15), and tackles for loss (70) belong to Noga. If they kept a stat for knockouts, the record would be retired under Noga's name.

"That 1986 squad had one of the best defenses the WAC has ever had ... to this day," says Wagner, who was the defensive coordinator that season. "We played Al wherever he could have the most impact."

Noga's impact on that 1986 defense helped Wagner land the head coaching job the next season when Dick Tomey left. While Wagner can't remember the last time he saw Noga, he says he knows what'd he'd do if they cross paths.

"I'd give him a hug."

There are plenty of Hawaii fans who would like to do the same. First, you have to find Al Noga. Then, you have to muster up the courage.

ESPN "SportsCenter" anchor Neil Everett covered University of Hawaii football in the 1980s and 1990s as KGMB's sports director.

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UH Star Peters Crosses Over to Sevens

Eight weeks ago Leonard Peters was an American Football player possibly nearing the end of his NFL career. Today he is an international rugby player with a new lease of life and fresh ambitions in sport.

Peters was born in American Samoa and knew about rugby from an early age, but only because it was how his father filled his Saturday afternoons. Peters junior was not allowed to take up the sport and was never even taught the rules. Instead, his enviable athleticism and natural ability were successfully channelled towards the NFL.

Having made a name for himself in college Football at the University of Hawaii, Peters did well to recover from a knee injury in 2005 and win contracts with the New York Jets and, most recently, the Chicago Bears in American sport's most notorious playground.

At the age of 27 his career was at something of a crossroads, though, until he was approached by the USA Sevens coach, Al Caravelli.

LISTEN TO PETERS ON TOTAL RUGBY RADIO >>

"First of all I was really grateful - for any athlete trying to cross over to any sport it is very hard, no matter which sport, but I was happy that coach Al (Caravelli) took me under his wing, taught me the sport and it's been going great for me," said Peters, who has since competed for the USA after only six weeks in the game.

"Being an athlete helped a lot because obviously I could already run, jump, catch the ball, do all of that. It was learning the rules that was hard.

Cameraderie of Sevens rugby

"I was thinking that nobody was going to help me because you're competing for a spot on the team, but my eyes were really opened by how the guys would help me, teach me how to run angles and the plays.

"I was really drawn to the cameraderie on the team, really pleased that happened and I'm 100 per cent into rugby now."

Making it into Caravelli's team in such a short space of time is no mean feat. Once the whipping boys of world Sevens, the USA have developed a steely core over the last two seasons under the Argentine-born coach.

During the most recent IRB Sevens World Series, they reached two Cup quarter finals and a first ever Cup semi final with seasoned players like Todd Clever, Chris Wyles and Takudzwa Ngwenya. Although that trio has used the exposure to secure full time contracts overseas, they leave behind a healthy legacy.

Any new player coming into the squad is expected to meet the same lofty expectations, and rigorous fitness demands.

"I don't think I was prepared for all the running in Sevens," admitted Peters. "The conditioning was the biggest part for me coming over from (American) Football.

"In Football you run around for nine seconds and then you can rest for 45 seconds, whereas in rugby they told me 'we have to play for seven minutes', and I said 'seven minutes? I can play for seven minutes..'

Peters: "I was looking to the side line begging for coach to take me off"

"After the first minute I was looking towards the side line begging for coach to take me off, I was so tired. I wasn't prepared for that, but I've got used to it now."

Having impressed enough at the training camps to make the squad, Peters' international baptism came at the recent eight-team World Games Sevens tournament in Chinese Taipei. For the first time in his career, 'World' meant the world and he found himself playing against other countries.

"That was the one thing that really got me pscyched into rugby. In the NFL you play other states in the USA, not other countries, but rugby is on a global scale.

"You basically compete against the best athletes in the world and that really opened my eyes as to how many athletes are out there.

"It was such a great experience - never in my dreams did I think I'd go to China (Chinese Taipei) to play any sport and never before had I played in an arena where the opposing team was cheered as much as the home side.

"The people in the States haven't really caught on to rugby yet, not because they don't think it's a great sport but because they don't know the rules, and I think if we get the bid to go into the Olympic Games it would send it over the edge.

"I told coach Al while we were still in Chinese Taipei that I caught the bug, I've really been drawn in."

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