The University of Hawaii football team set its sights high — Big Sky Country — to land an assistant coach.
Legi Suiaunoa, 37, who was Montana’s defensive line coach the past four seasons, is joining the Warriors’ coaching staff.
“He connects so well with people because he is genuine,” UH coach Nick Rolovich said in a news release. “A Polynesian man who has stayed true to his cultural values and has represented his family very well and throughout his career. His story is one that will resonate through our locker room and community. Parents will be lining up to have their sons mentored by him.”
Kendrick Van Ackeren, a former UH linebacker who led Montana with 130 tackles this year, praised Suiaunoa as “an unbelievable coach. He’s one of the smartest coaches I know. He understands the game from every aspect. He’s an amazing coach.”
This season, the Grizzlies amassed 102 backfield tackles, including 43 sacks. In 2014, the Grizzlies were seventh among FCS schools in sacks (3.2 per game).
“He’s a very good coach and a very good recruiter and an even better person,” said Jacob Yoro, Cal Poly’s defensive backs coach.
Yoro, a Saint Louis School graduate, and Suiaunoa are long-time friends who are in the same professional and networking circle. A couple years ago, when Yoro was at Pacific, Suiaunoa was invited to speak at a clinic.
“He’s very impressive,” Yoro said. “His reputation as a good coach is definitely warranted. He’s well respected, not just as a football coach but as a person. Those are the type of guys you need on a staff. I’m excited for him. It’s definitely a home-run hire for the University of Hawaii.”
Suiaunoa was a member of the 1997 Palomar team that won a junior college national championship. He was a linebacker at Nevada from 1998 to 2001. He served as Nevada’s graduate assistant in 2004 before serving as a full-time assistant coach at Western Washington (2005-2008), Eastern Oregon (2009) and Portland State (2010).
Suiaunoa was born in American Samoa and raised in Oceanside, Calif.
Azusa Pacific head coach Victor Santa Cruz, a former UH linebacker, was Suiaunoa’s high school coach. Santa Cruz has followed Suiaunoa’s coaching career.
“He’s a great recruiter,” Santa Cruz said. “The kids really respond to him. He’s demanding. He’ll coach them hard, but he has a genuine knack of building relationships with the kids. They’ll fall in love with the guy.”
Suiaunoa is the sixth member of Rolovich’s coaching staff. Rolovich hired offensive coordinator Zak Hill and Brian Smith (running backs) while retaining Chris Naeole (offensive line), Abraham Elimimian (defensive backs) and Jake Cookus (special teams).
“I think (Suiaunoa) is a great get for Rolo,” Santa Cruz said. “He really knocked it out of the park with that guy.”
