Tag: Matai Tagoa’i

USC signees take center stage at Polynesian Bowl

Husan Longstreet shined at the Polynesian Bowl. That’s the news USC football fans wanted to hear.

This past Friday night marked the annual Polynesian Bowl. An annual event held in Hawaii, the Polynesian Bowl serves as an all-star game of sorts for many of the top high school football players in the country.

Since the event was first held in 2017, numerous USC signees have played in the Polynesian Bowl. Notable game alumni who have gone on to star at USC include Brett Neilon, Isaiah Pola-Mao, Talanoa Hufanga, and Tuli Tuipulotu.

This year, there were five USC commits in the game: Quarterback Husan Longstreet, wide receiver Tanook Hines, cornerback Alex Graham, cornerback Trestin Castro, and linebacker Matai Tagoa’i. All but Tagoa’i are enrolled early at USC and plan to participate in spring practice with the Trojans. Hence, the event essentially served as one final high school showcase for them before they enter their college careers head on.

Longstreet, the Trojans’ five-star quarterback signee, stole the show, earning the game’s MVP honors. He also went viral on social media for throwing a ball 78 yards during a skills competition at the event.

With the Polynesian Bowl wrapped up, Longstreet and the other signees will now head back to LA. USC resumes classes on Tuesday, and the football team will be doing plenty of workouts to prepare for spring ball.

Four-star linebacker Matai Tagoa’i commits to USC football

This newest USC commit is a versatile player who can play multiple positions with his size and quickness.

As predicted earlier last week, Matai Tagoa’i, the bluechip linebacker from San Clemente, California, has verbally committed to the Trojans. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Tagoa’i is rated the No. 11 linebacker and the No. 80 prospect overall in the  247Sports Composite. In his junior season, Tagoa’i had 73 tackles, six of them for a loss, in 10 games as a sophomore. He recorded an interception and nine pass deflections.

Tagoa’i listed offers from 25 schools, including Texas, Utah, Washington, Alabama, Washington, Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, and UCLA

Matt Entz might have found a clone for Eric Gentry in Tagoa’i.  He is a versatile player who can play multiple positions with his size and quickness, the prototype player for a D’Anton Lynn defense.  He played safety, linebacker, and rush end in high school.  He is projected as a linebacker in college and would most likely fit the WILL linebacker position with his speed and athleticism.  He can drop back in coverage to use his size to be disruptive underneath, causing issues with passing lanes for the quarterback.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.

Top 100 2025 recruit Matai Tagoa’i is predicted to commit to the USC Trojans

Matt Entz could be on the verge of landing a big commitment at USC.

National recruiting services predict that four-star linebacker Matai Tagoa’i will commit to USC. Both Scott Schrader of WeAreSC and Greg Biggins from 247Sports have both predicted that Tagoa’i will commit to the Trojans.

Biggins believes Tagoa’i is one of the top linebackers in the country. He added that “At 6-4, 195 pounds, he has a projectable frame and does a little of everything well. He’s an explosive athlete with a quick get-off and can really get around the edge.  He has very good closing speed and can run down plays from behind. He’s a fluid athlete and looks natural dropping in coverage and plays with a nice edge in his game as well.”

Tagoa’i had an unofficial visit to USC last weekend. He returned to campus Thursday to check out practice. He has official visits lined up for Washington in May and two more in June with Utah and Texas.

Doug Belk and Eric Henderson made a significant impact last weekend by securing five commitments from Georgia, Florida, and Texas. Now, it seems that Matt Entz wants to join in by securing the first California commitment for the class.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.