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Junior Tafuna shares how his Polynesian family influence helped him become an award-winning defensive lineman on and off the football field
In this episode, Junior Tafuna shares how his Polynesian family influence helped him become an award-winning defensive lineman on and off the football field.
This episode is sponsored by Siegfried & Jensen. Thank you for supporting Talkin' Utes and Utah athletes!
About Junior Tafuna:
TAFUNA QUICK HITS2022 Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team.
- 2021 Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
- 2021 AP Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team
- 26 games played as a Ute, 24 consecutive starts.
2022: Started in 13 games, contributing 26 tackles (2.5 TFL), one interception and two QB hurries.
- Season-best six tackles in the Homecoming victory vs. Oregon State.
- Contributed five more stops in the game at No. 18 UCLA.
- First career interception highlighted a three-tackle day vs. Southern Utah.
- Logged his first pass breakup of the season at No. 12 Oregon.
2021: Saw action in 13 games on the season, starting at left tackle in the final 11 contests.
- Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
- Recorded 33 tackles (5.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) along with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
- Put up a career-high nine tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack) against Arizona.
- Had four tackles that included a 12-yard sack against No. 18 Arizona State.
- Recorded three tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks) against No. 3 Oregon in the regular season, earning Pac-12 Defensive Line Player of the Week.
- Logged four tackles in the second game of his career against San Diego State.
- First career fumble recovery came at Oregon State.
- Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll.
2020: Did not see action.
High School: Three-star recruit out of Bingham HS, rated the No. 7 recruit in the state of Utah.
- Second-team all-state as a senior in 2018.
- Invited to the 2019 Polynesian Bowl.
- 64 tackles (1.0 sack) and an interception as a senior in 2018.
- 74 tackles (1.0 sack) and an interception in 2017.
- Bingham HS won state championships in 2016 and 2017.
Personal: Son of Mau and Timote … has four siblings … served an LDS mission in Praia, Cape Verde … full name Timote (Junior) Maile Tafuna.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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By Dan Clark
4.3
1515 ratings
In this episode, Junior Tafuna shares how his Polynesian family influence helped him become an award-winning defensive lineman on and off the football field.
This episode is sponsored by Siegfried & Jensen. Thank you for supporting Talkin' Utes and Utah athletes!
About Junior Tafuna:
TAFUNA QUICK HITS2022 Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team.
- 2021 Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
- 2021 AP Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team
- 26 games played as a Ute, 24 consecutive starts.
2022: Started in 13 games, contributing 26 tackles (2.5 TFL), one interception and two QB hurries.
- Season-best six tackles in the Homecoming victory vs. Oregon State.
- Contributed five more stops in the game at No. 18 UCLA.
- First career interception highlighted a three-tackle day vs. Southern Utah.
- Logged his first pass breakup of the season at No. 12 Oregon.
2021: Saw action in 13 games on the season, starting at left tackle in the final 11 contests.
- Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
- Recorded 33 tackles (5.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) along with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
- Put up a career-high nine tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack) against Arizona.
- Had four tackles that included a 12-yard sack against No. 18 Arizona State.
- Recorded three tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks) against No. 3 Oregon in the regular season, earning Pac-12 Defensive Line Player of the Week.
- Logged four tackles in the second game of his career against San Diego State.
- First career fumble recovery came at Oregon State.
- Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll.
2020: Did not see action.
High School: Three-star recruit out of Bingham HS, rated the No. 7 recruit in the state of Utah.
- Second-team all-state as a senior in 2018.
- Invited to the 2019 Polynesian Bowl.
- 64 tackles (1.0 sack) and an interception as a senior in 2018.
- 74 tackles (1.0 sack) and an interception in 2017.
- Bingham HS won state championships in 2016 and 2017.
Personal: Son of Mau and Timote … has four siblings … served an LDS mission in Praia, Cape Verde … full name Timote (Junior) Maile Tafuna.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.