High school freshman receives UH offer

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Saint Louis School freshman Faatuiolemotu “Tui” Tuitele has yet to play in a varsity football game.

His resume is limited because the Crusaders’ JV team plays a four-game regular season.

But Tuitele is 6 feet 3, 270 pounds, strong, agile and smart — combined assets that caught the attention of Craig Stutzmann, UH’s pass-game coordinator/quarterbacks coach, and linebacker coach Sean Duggan. Stutzmann knows talent and he knows Saint Louis (as an alumnus and former Crusader JV coach).

UH coach Nick Rolovich recently offered 15-year-old Tuitele a scholarship. Tuitele is set to graduate in May 2019.

“Watching the UH games on TV growing up, it was always a dream to play for UH,” Tuitele said. “When I got this offer, it was a blessing for me.”


Tuitele is part of the Fantastic Four, a quartet of freshman defensive linemen who will advance to the Crusaders’ varsity this season. Nose tackle Tupu Alualu (5-10, 250), defensive tackle Isaiah Filifi (6-4, 265), and ends Gino Quinones (6-2, 240) and Tuitele also are close friends.

Tuitele has soared academically this freshman year, with GPAs of 4.1 in the first quarter, 4.0 in the second, 4.1 in the third, and 4.1 this quarter.


“I’m very determined every day I go to school,” Tuitele said. “My motivation is my family. I want to do my best because they’ve given me their best. I want to give back to them.”

The Warriors appear to embrace the lay-away plan. They recently offered a scholarship to 14-year-old Noah Sewell, an eighth-grader at Desert Hills Middle School in St. George, Utah.

COMMENTS

  1. letsgowarriors May 17, 2016 7:01 am

    looks like Rolo also offered Punahou 2019 recruits Noah-Falcon Kaumatule and Marist Liufau?


  2. Shoko May 17, 2016 7:29 am

    Pretty big boy who stands 7′ and weighs 440 lbs.

    “In the project’s infancy, John Robert Krahn III was a mere 6’3” and 325 pounds. His father had him by two inches; his uncle had him by more than a half-foot. But Krahn, known as “Junior” since birth, was only 13.”

    Feel sorry for all the kids that got pancaked by this behemoth.
    Video: http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/john-krahn/DxfrghAcEeOZ5AAmVebBJg/videos.htm

    http://thelab.bleacherreport.com/the-largest-football-recruit-on-the-planet/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national


  3. Boolakanaka May 17, 2016 7:54 am

    RIP to Andy Kafenztis–what a great life. Much aloha to the entire ohana.

    Oh, a little bird says my former teammate/roommates son, Austin, will be spending the summer in Hawai,I with Richie Rich…..Hmmmn.


  4. Ipu Man May 17, 2016 9:17 am

    UH football prophecy in the news 🙂


  5. NorthShoreFan May 17, 2016 9:35 am

    Guud Morning Tsaikos…Bootiful Day!
    Great move by Coach Rolo! Luv that he is going out after our boyz and not making high makamaka. Go get um Rolo!
    Shoko, thanks for the vid…that dude, is he legal?….dang it, he one bulldoza…400#s!??!!


  6. NorthShoreFan May 17, 2016 9:37 am

    how da heck you turn off da video on this page….getting irritated with da darn verizon ad..same one over and over…da techies really know how to irritated and annoy visitors to the page.


  7. BigWave96744 May 17, 2016 10:41 am

    Boola, last year I posted this.
    I still feel if Austin came here, he could be the “Holy Grail”, so often spoken of.

    Post Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:25 am
    Austin originally committed to Gary Anderson at Wisconsin and was an early enrollee in 2015.
    When Gary left to Oregon State, Austin transferred to Nevada.
    He is well suited for Rolo’s offense.
    If he came here, he would sit out 2016 and have 3 to play 3.
    How you figgah?
    http://www.sportshawaii.com/sh/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=44332


  8. letsgowarriors May 17, 2016 10:59 am

    would Polian release him to a school in the same conference? would Rolo feel comfortable taking a player from his former employer?


  9. Bryson May 17, 2016 11:51 am

    Hawaii just offered one time UH commit RB Harris Ross from Contra Costa College


  10. Bryson May 17, 2016 11:56 am

    In regards to Austin K did he walk on at Nevada?


  11. turfwar May 17, 2016 12:49 pm

    Getting Austin would make some news.


  12. Da Punchbowl Kid May 17, 2016 1:43 pm

    Rolo continues to build a solid foundation for the program. Offering the young ones shows Coach is thinking long term.

    Boola – I hope the Kafentzis kid is here for more than than just a summer stay.


  13. willieboy May 17, 2016 3:34 pm

    bigwave – WOW!


  14. willieboy May 17, 2016 3:38 pm

    shoko- I think a lot of our braddahs over here could out-quick and out-muscle mr. krahn and neutralize his shear mass on da line.


  15. Paniolo May 17, 2016 3:56 pm

    Coach Rolo is catching these potential recruits early and that’s good. I am sure, pretty sure Rolo and his staff will keep tabs on these youngsters and let them know Rolo and staff have never given up on them. Other schools will also after them during their Junior and Senior year. So hopefully they keep committed to their home State University – Warrior football team. . .


  16. H-Man May 17, 2016 4:13 pm

    In line with the subject of recruiting, here is an article that updates the status of 2016 recruit, DL Kalepo Naotala.
    http://www.scout.com/college/hawaii/story/1664432-kalepo-naotala-is-ready-to-be-a-warrior


  17. madeinhawaii May 17, 2016 4:18 pm

    If Kafentzis tranferred here, he’d have to sit out two years. I think that’s the MWC rule on transfers within conference. So, it’s highly unlikely that he would come here.


  18. AllG May 17, 2016 6:58 pm

    Nice article H-Man


  19. Sam Papali'i May 17, 2016 7:29 pm

    As a former University of Hawaii assistant football coach 1983 to 1986, I had the privilege to make the trek out to Richland Washington to experience how Andy and Beverly Kafentzis “lived aloha” I was just hired by Dick Tomey to be his recruiting coordinator and while canvassing the northwest it was priority to visit the Kafentzis Ohana, all these years later ( I’m 60 this yr) I never forgot the great hospitality extended by Andy, Beverly and other family members in Richland. Youngest brother Sean was on our radar and he joined Rainbow Warriors in 1987. The Kafentzis family definitely University of Hawaii Football royalty. Rest in peace Andy Kafentzis.


  20. PONO May 17, 2016 7:33 pm

    UH should offer Josh Fakava a walk on spot. Son of Fekoti Fakava who passed in 2012. Kid could be a good power back if he puts on weight. Runs low to the ground.


  21. RS May 17, 2016 8:38 pm

    I took a look at the MW Handbook. Per the intra-conferense transfer rules, Kafentzis would have to sit out 1 year and would not be eligible for a scholarship during that year.


  22. Akamai Okole May 17, 2016 9:03 pm

    Great Evening All!

    Well done, Coach Rolo!


  23. A-House May 17, 2016 9:16 pm

    Coach Rolo’s forward looking mentality will bode well for UH in the future and an outwardly gesture that he intends to stay and create a very good football program

    yes, the youngsters may have Power5 schools after them during their jr and sr years and hopefully, they will remember who came to offer and that coach is still at UH when they are ready to sign

    building for the future!!!


  24. A-House May 17, 2016 9:18 pm

    if Kafentzis is walk-on without a scholarship and decides to transfer – he still must abide by the MWC rule book?


  25. justsomeguy May 17, 2016 10:28 pm

    I haven’t been a fan for as long as some of you, this is true. But with the coaches I’ve known (Wagner / Appen / Jones / McMackin / Chow / Rolo) Rolo has been BY FAR the most committed to recruiting. I cannot stress enough how important this is for us as a fan base.

    THIS is exactly what’s going to lay the foundation for future success at UH. And winning of course. But recruiting talented and intelligent young men to our program is absolutely PARAMOUNT. Ask Babers, Peterson, Fleck, Kingsbury, Franklin, Mullen or any of the young gun coaches out there, recruiting is EVERYTHING for a program on the rise.

    Shout out to the whole staff for finally making this the priority it should be.


  26. amela May 18, 2016 8:18 am

    I don’t see anyone commenting negatively about recruiting Punahou players like when Chow was coach. What gives or did those bloggers leave the house?


  27. Stephen Tsai May 18, 2016 8:43 am

    New post: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=37527


Comments are closed.