By Kyle Goon

| The Salt Lake Tribune

It was one of the most anticipated days of Vaha Vainuku’s life. He had made his decision: He wanted to play football for the Utah Utes.

But on the day before the team played in the Sun Bowl, the senior lineman found himself a little gun shy when it came to calling up his coaches about his commitment.

Photos

• 
• 
• 

At a glance

—

Vainuku chooses Utah

Anchored a line that produced four 1,000-yard rushers in the last two seasons.

A two-time all-state selection on offensive line, but slated to play defense in college.

Chose the Utes among offers to Washington State, Hawaii, Utah State and Weber State.

Called Utah coaches hours after the Sun Bowl victory to inform them of his decision.

	Join the Discussion
	Post a Comment

He dialed coach Jay Hill, the man who had been recruiting him since he was a sophomore, but hung up after a few rings. The second call went to voicemail, but Vainuku didn’t leave a message.

"I was a little nervous because I knew they were getting ready for the bowl game," he says. "I kept hanging up because I didn’t want to bother anyone."

So the fateful day was delayed for a night — New Year’s Eve — but the news was just as good a day later. Vainuku, who anchored East’s power running game on the offensive line, will play his college football just a few blocks away from home. For Vainuku, it’s the realization of a dream he had growing up, imagining himself on the gridiron at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

As far as East coaches are concerned, Vainuku will be a dream for the Utes as well.

"I think he’s going to be phenomenal," East football coach Brandon Matich says. "By the time he’s done there, he won’t just have made East High School proud — he’ll make the University of Utah and this city proud."

At 6-foot-2 and nearly 300 pounds, Vainuku’s size makes him a clear college prospect, one the Utes imagine will one day be a solid defensive tackle on their front line. But it’s his speed and fluidity and his ability to move like a much smaller man that sets him apart.

Over the past two years, as East went through a renaissance, Vainuku was one of the building blocks, sometimes playing on both sides of the ball. He could manhandle linemen up front and move to the second level, providing key breaks in the triple option offense.

Running behind him and the rest of the beefy Leopard linemen, Liti Molisi had a pair of 1,000-yard seasons, and both quarterbacks eclipsed the mark. The grating ground game brought East to the brink of a state championship before it was undone by a last-minute touchdown pass by Logan.

"He called me after he got the offer, and told me thanks," Matich says. "I told him that I didn’t do that much, because his talents speak for themselves. He’s charismatic, intelligent and as athletic a guy as I’ve ever seen."

In retrospect, it almost seems natural that Vainuku would be destined to play Division I ball, given his ability. But two years ago, as East came off a one-win season, that hope was not quite so bright.

He didn’t much like the program, and he didn’t feel much optimism about where it was going. When Matich first came aboard, he wasn’t sure what to think. But he stuck with the Leopards, and it paid off.

"I guess it was just my love for the game that kept me from walking away," Vainuku says. "These last two years, the brotherhood we’ve made has been amazing. I didn’t know a group of guys could love each other this much."

Vainuku himself has changed, too, in subtle ways: He’s learned to be more vocal, and even wear his heart on his sleeve occasionally.

Against Highland this season, he separated his shoulder early in the game. Fighting through pain, he went back in the game to block for a quarterback sneak at the goal line. He pointed at the Rams linemen across from him, indicating exactly where Jason Cook was going to run — daring them to stop it.

"I had to hide the pain somehow, so I just called them out," Vainuku said. "They stacked up in the gap and still couldn’t stop it. I think that was probably my last snap against Highland, so I guess I had to make it memorable."