Tuiasosopo: Homecoming for new Warrior
After a lifetime root-root-rooting for the home team, Tyrus Tuiasosopo is set to join the Warriors this summer.
“I always dreamed of coming back and playing football for the Hawaii,” said Tuiasosopo, a 6-foot-4, 180-pound cornerback from Issaquah (Wash.) High School.
Tuiasosopo has a rich football background. Consider this:
> His stepfather, Zach Tuiasosopo, played four years in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
> Zach’s older brother, Marques Tuiasosopo, played eight NFL seasons and now is UCLA’s quarterbacks coach/passing-game coordinator.
> Tyrus’ birth father is Tony Tata, who was the state’s Defensive Player of the Year as a Saint Louis School senior in 1997. Tata then played for defending national champion Nebraska.
> Jack “Throwin’ Samoan” Thompson, a ground-breaking college quarterback, is one of his uncles.
> One of Tyrus’ “inspirations” is his uncle Afatia Thompson, a former UH running back. Thompson is president of Tihati Productions, the state’s largest entertainment company. He also is a Hoku Award-winning singer who once opened for 50 Cent.
Tyrus Tuiasosopo played wide receiver and cornerback at Issaquah, but is projected to compete at defensive back with the Warriors.
“He has a lot of range, a lot of length,” Afatia Thompson said. “It will be interesting to see his progression and his growth (at defensive back).”
Tyrus Tuiasosopo said Afatia Thompson is “definitely a big part of me coming home.”
Thompson said: “It’s an interesting parallel. When I was recruited to UH, we were on the bottom end, and then I was able to be part of that historic turnaround (in 1999). I told him he has a chance to be part of the same thing. They’ve had tough times the past few years. But I’m really proud of Rolo and his staff, and the way he’s embracing the culture and teaching that to the kids. I think it’s a beautiful thing. Rolo and I were teammates. He gets it in terms of what a special place Hawaii is, particularly playing for Hawaii, and what it means to so many people at so many different levels. I think it’s going to be the same kind of turnaround.”
Thompson added: “We’re excited to see family on the field again. We’re excited to tailgate at UH games again.”
Morning Tsaikos!
Welcome home, Tyrus!
ST, is he a schollie or walk on?
Walk on
Thanks, ST. Looks like Rolo is building an impressive walk on group we haven’t seen here in a long time. Thanks to all the walk ons for choosing to be Warriors.
so his dad is Tony Tata or Zach Tuiasosopo?
nevermind, i get it now.
Tony Tata was a beast when we played St Louis. Man amongst boys. Heard he was a father at the time, which added to the legend.
What a great football lineage.
Now I feel old that a baby of a player I played against is now a UH player.
Whoa! That’s some length for a corner. Just gotta put some swivel in da hips!
“We’re excited to see family on the field again. We’re excited to tailgate at UH games again.”
Yes we are!!!
Go Warriors!
My prediction is another 1999 season at the very least!
“i have 2 words for you: Tony Tata”
hahaa
It was quite the recruiting coup to land Tony Tata.
Nebraska was just coming off its national championship season.
I’m really impressed, though, with Afatia Thompson. He’s a giant in the local entertainment industry now.
minor but its Marques not Marcus
Wow! What a terrific post, good stuff from top to bottom.
A nice way to welcome an excellent prospect.
Mahalo for choosing to be a Warrior, Tyrus!
I’ve heard stories of Tata intimidating opposing players who were across the line from him by lifting up his jerseys and pointing to his TATA tattoo on his stomach…
Guud Afternoon Tsaikos…Bootiful Day!
Great News! Warriors returning home to Live Aloha and lay Warrior!
Talk about bloodline connections to the Warrior program! The makings of a tradition.
Aloha and E Komo Mai!
IMUA WARRIORS!
hehehe…Play
So Zach is his step dad that raised him and Mr. Tata is the biological father?
Welcome home Tyrus Tuiasosopo!
Make memories! Make history!
Greetings uh fb ohana… da name reflects the state i reside in. The Na Alii gang had brought up some major names i knew from the 80-83 era. In fact going back to the four h club: iron pumpers. “Name Drop” there was also amongst the halawa housing group(ran with us) a young out spoken lad by the name of ken, hint…navy. Of coarse Salanoa, agbayani, ioelu…ursuas, Young. Pre Castle Park days. Im missing a few. Me just da sole next door.
Dreamed of playing here.
Nice.
Welcome Tyrus.
Marques?
His sister Ashley I remember played softball for the national championship Washington Huskies.
Hello NCAA Baseball Committee, It’s Me: West Coast Baseball.
Arizona.
UC-Santa Barbara
I bet the Wildcats will return to Les Murakami Stadium next season.
after Nebraska vandalized the baseball locker room in the 1980’s – Coach Les forever ban them from playing in now Murakami Stadium
really, some big name programs have NO class at all
then, with the “big football fight” with Cincinnati, I don’t recall any Cincy player ever receiving any discipline – through my “binocs’ saw this big black player using his helmet to hit several UH players – guess they could not believe they lost to UH — actually, the Cincy Coach. like the Michigan St HC, really spread the word that Hawaii plays dirty and the “zebras” are very biased — even with the “facts” made public, the Michigan fans really believe their coach — sorry losers!!!!
and, of course, UH folded and agreed to fly in mainland refs to officiate games – what a joke! if the conference “zebras” are bad, go find new ones — WAC conference got the”dreggs” as the good zebras went to the new MWC
so, with all the committed “walk-ons” – this indicates no more scholarships to hand out for 2016?
ST – would it help to interest Hawaii to post/list all the 2016 UH football recruits for all to see – perhaps, create new interest in Warrior football — new season ticket holders or game day walk-up purchases?
“the New Year’s eve we did the town” [ 2008 Sugar Bowl ]
“the day we tore the goal posts down” { Michigan 2016 }
“we will have these moments to remember”
“the quiet walks” ( leaving Aloha Stadium in 2015 )
“the noisey fun” [ Tsaikos tailgates and cattle-calls ]
“we will have these moments to remember”
What about his uncle Vavae up at Kahuku?
A House
The season Bobby Petrino got fired at Arkansas, I rooted like hell against that former Michigan State coach. He got to dictate who refereed future Big Ten teams.
That guy had no class. He decommitted from his alma mater Furman to coach the Razorbacks.
Uncles Pulou (RB), Tasi (OL) & Silila (NT) were all members of Oregon’s 1994 Rose Bowl team.
Other uncle is current Kahuku coach Vavae who played (DE) for UCLA
Aloha,
It was great to see former coach Phil Rauscher standing next to the President yesterday while the Broncos visited the White House. A coach who is basically put our current team together as the recruiting coordinator glad to see his hard work is paying off somewhere.
I still remember Hawaii beating that 1994 Oregon Rose Bowl team and Cal at Cal a week early. Should have beast BYU as well to start the season. At that point in the season, people were really feeling good about the program and could see a winning season and bowl game in the future. Hard believe that after those 2 wins over Ca and Oregon, Hawaii would go 10-43-1 over the next 4 yrs and 9 games.
New post: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=37728