In a double move, the University of Hawaii football team secured commitments from two defensive prospects.
Defensive lineman Pita Tonga Jr., who spent the past four seasons at Utah, will be joining the Rainbow Warriors as a graduate transfer. O’Tay Baker, an edge defender from Tyler (Texas) Junior College, will ink a letter of intent with the Warriors on Feb. 3, the first day football recruits may put their commitments in writing.
Tonga played in 36 games for the Utes, amassing 29 tackles and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. At 6 feet 1 and 310 pounds, Tonga is a blend of first-step quickness and power.
His father, Pita Sr., was a Utah linebacker who led the Utes with 94 tackles in 1990. His mother, Susana, was an All-Western Athletic Conference basketball player for the Utes.
After graduating from Highland High (Taylorsville, Utah) in 2015, Tonga went on a two-year church mission before joining the Utes.
Baker, who is 6-4 and 250 pounds, was used at defensive end, rush end and outside linebacker as a freshman in 2019. Tyler’s 2020 season has been postponed until this spring.
“Hawaii is getting a good one,” said Alex Wierzbicki, who coaches Tyler’s defensive ends and outside linebackers.
It was Baker’s pocket-breaking ability that led to his selection the All-Southwestern Conference first team in 2019.
“You won’t find it too often a guy who can play defensive end in a 3-4 and outside linebacker, as well, with his athletic ability, his pass-rush ability and knowledge for the game,” Wierzbicki said. “He’s really explosive in playing behind the line of scrimmage. What separated him was his twitchiness (ability to slip blocks). He was twitchy off the ball, which made him very explosive in order to play behind the line of scrimmage, and his will to never quit. He never gave up on any play. And he has an unbelievable motor.”
