T.J. Alofipo commits to the Warriors!

About committing to UH, Alofipo said:
"Hawai'i is the best place for me. I didn't worry about anybody else." (HA)

HA Note: "Scout.com rates Alofipo as Nevada's No. 1 linebacker and the state's fourth-best player overall."

About Alofipo, Brandon Huffman (a regional director for scout.com) said:
"I have him as a top-five middle linebacker on the West Coast. I have him as the top pure linebacker in Nevada." (HA)

"(Alofipo) plays well in space. He moves well sideline to sideline. (Silverado has) the best defense in Nevada. They've got a big-time defensive end. (Alofipo) is really the anchor of that defense." (HA)

HA Note: "Alofipo has drawn comparisons to Pisa Tinoisamoa, a former UH linebacker now with the St. Louis Rams."

HA Note: "Alofipo, who is 6 feet 2 and 235 pounds, can run 40 yards in 4.7 seconds."

About how Alofipo can dunk a basketball, Silverado head football coach Andy Ostolaza said:
"On a basketball court, he shows what a great all-around athlete he is." (HA)

HA Note: "Alofipo received scholarship offers from Arizona, Fresno State, Brigham Young, Colorado State and Nevada-Las Vegas."

About how Alofipo came to UH largely because of Tony Tuioti, Ostolaza said:
"He sat down and talked to me about it. I don't think there was any doubt about what he was going to do. It's easy. Two words: Tony Tuioti." (HA)

HA Note: "Tuioti was Silverado's defensive coordinator last season. Tuioti now is the Warriors' director of player personnel, a non-coaching job that coordinates academics and recruiting."

About how Tuioti was important to Alofipo said:
"Tony made T.J. into the player he is. He put him in that position. He's almost a father figure to him. Losing Tony was harder than losing any player. He had a great impact with some of our kids." (HA)

About Tuioti, Alofipo said:
"He's a great coach. He's there for his players." (HA)

HA Note: "Alofipo, who was born in American Samoa, also said he wanted to return to the island lifestyle. He was 7 when he and his family moved to the Mainland. His parents recently moved to Utah, but he was allowed to live with an aunt and uncle for his senior year."

About how Alofipo will do well at UH, Ostolaza said:
"T.J. is going to be a good fit for Hawai'i. With his size, he's going to project as a player they can put in different spots. There's a lot he can do when he gets fully grown. He has tremendous athleticism for a guy that size. You don't see kids with that kind of frame and that type of athleticism; the way he moves his hips. He has a natural feel for the game. The way he can move, I think he's a great fit for a 4-3 defense that's aggressive." (HA)

About Alofipo's versatility, Ostolaza said:
"He has great instincts, he understands how to play the game, understands the nuances. He has the ability to play multiple positions. His size and footwork, he's got footwork of a linebacker, but it's easy to project him as a defensive end because he's probably still growing. We also play him at tight end because he has such good hands." (HSB)

HA Note: "Last season, Silverado led Nevada with 56 sacks. Alofipo had 11.5 sacks, a figure that should increase now that he is starting an intensive weight-training program."

About how Alofipo has started an intensive weight-training program, Ostolaza said:
"He's going to get a lot bigger. He can be a 250-pound linebacker or a defensive end." (HA)

HA Note: "Alofipo is UH's fourth early commitment for the 2009 recruiting class. Earlier, the Warriors received commitments from wide receiver Billy Ray Stutzmann of Saint Louis School, defensive end Kimo Makaula of Punahou School, and quarterback Corey Nielsen of Gahr High School in California. Linebacker Waylon Lolotai, who signed with UH two years ago, returns from a church mission next year. He is expected to play for the Warriors in 2009."

About how Hawaii appeals to him, Alofipo said:
"It's a perfect situation for me. They tell me it's beautiful there." (HSB)

About how UH is recruiting two of Alofipo's teammates on defense, Ostolaza said:
"I know they have talked about going to play together. They're all real good friends and they're our team captains." (HSB)

HSB Note: "The Warriors have also put out offers to two other Silverado defensive stalwarts: end Keenan Graham and cornerback Michael Wadsworth. Both are considered among the state's best players, as is Alofipo. All are scheduled for a December visit to Manoa. Graham (6-4, 215) is considered by many Nevada's top prospect. Ostolaza said he has offers from 35 schools, including USC, Ohio State, Michigan, Colorado and UCLA. Wadsworth (6-2, 190) has drawn interest from several Pac-10 schools."

Crediting Tuioti for the development of all 3 of their top defensive recruits, Ostolaza said:
"He was a big influence on them and has a great relationship with them." (HSB)