2013 - Pita Taumoepenu - LB/DE

6-2/218 lbs

Timpview HS, UT

Talo Steves reporting:

First team all state; good in classroom (3.4 GPA)

25 sacks in first year playing HS football

Just watched some highlights on this kid. Got to say he's pretty danged impressive for only having played one year of HS football. I believe he has offers from USU and Hawaii. I think it would be a mistake not to offer this guy as he could be another diamond in the rough a la Ansah. He appears to be one heck of an athlete



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Chow is visiting him this week and UT is hot on the trail. I hope that he can qualify for college entrance and that BYU sees his potential and offers a schollie. He was dynamite in first year of football and helped his team win the championship in OT vs Mountain View.

TaloSteves from TBS, Pita is his cousin's son, said that Pita is BYU's to lose basically. I Read in an article the Pita loves BYU but BYU is waiting to offer until his HS transcripts are sent over from Tonga and are approved by the NCAA. With his GPA at 3.4 his offer will also be contingent upon passing the ACT with a higher score this time around. He took the ACT and got a 17 the first time but at the time spoke very little english. He's been in the U.S. over a year now I believe so that score should improve. Personally I think this guy is a better athlete than Ragin and has a ton more upside

beauso79 wrote:
TaloSteves from TBS, Pita is his cousin's son, said that Pita is BYU's to lose basically. I Read in an article the Pita loves BYU but BYU is waiting to offer until his HS transcripts are sent over from Tonga and are approved by the NCAA. With his GPA at 3.4 his offer will also be contingent upon passing the ACT with a higher score this time around. He took the ACT and got a 17 the first time but at the time spoke very little english. He's been in the U.S. over a year now I believe and BYU so that score should improve. Personally I think this guy is a better athlete than Ragin and has a ton more upside

Somebody tell Talo to get his butt over to his nephew's house to start tutoring him on the ACT.

Good news - apparently our top recruiter Kelly Poppinga plans to conduct an in-house visit with Pita Taumeopenu this weekend. Our in-state rival, UT, Jay Hill is also trying to visit him in-house as well. Chow is flying him out this weekend as well. Seems like everyone believes this kid has talent.

This guy could develop into a MONSTER of an OLB. Give him a red-shirt year to learn and then bring it on



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Let this guy go on a english speaking mission first and then come back and red-shirt and maybe his grades may not suffer as bad. This all depends on how well he does on his next ACT too

Indications on TBS are that this guy committed to Hawaii today - LAME

His latest tweet indicates that he hasn't decided to commit as of yet.

Stoked we got this guy - Will go on a mission first per Gurney

Passed ACT, awaiting 9th grade transcript from Tonga (Kafusi trying to procure) to send to NCAA. Should be good to go - we need his sack master ability.

http://www.cougarfan.com/article.asp?ArtID=81607&URL=http://byu.scout.com/2/1288912.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now he's off to Utah.



It appears he committed to BYU planning on serving a mission, but now that he won't be serving a mission, BYU doesn't have an available scholarship from that class to give him. Utah's coaches are saying being in the PAC-12 was a big part of the switch. LOL.

If PAC12 was the deciding factor, it would have come into play much earlier than just now. My impression is that with death of G.V. a scholarship became available, Coach Whittingham/Timpview may have informed him and influenced his decision to accept. Interesting that BYU got him the clearance and acceptance for his transcripts and ACT test scores well after the LOI, so we in fact helped paved the way for his ability to play for the Y. Seems like there are other influences at play regarding the decision that have not yet been revealed.

byucougar1 wrote:
If PAC12 was the deciding factor, it would have come into play much earlier than just now. My impression is that with death of G.V. a scholarship became available, Coach Whittingham/Timpview may have informed him and influenced his decision to accept. Interesting that BYU got him the clearance and acceptance for his transcripts and ACT test scores well after the LOI, so we in fact helped paved the way for his ability to play for the Y. Seems like there are other influences at play regarding the decision that have not yet been revealed.

BYU could not give him a scholarship as they are already at 25 for his class--they are at NCAA limits. He was supposed to go on a mission first, after which BYU would have a scholarship for him. Now that he has decided not to go on a mission, BYU cannot do anything other than offer him a walk-on spot until next year. Utah has a scholarship.



The PAC-12 thing is a smokescreen by the recruit and by Utah to sell this as a "get" instead of sloppy seconds.