Tag: Tiaoalii Savea

Longhorns defensive line duo placed on Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list

On the 2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award watch list, released on Friday, the Longhorns were well represented

On the 2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award watch list, released on Friday, the Longhorns were well represented. Two Texas players, Jermayne Lole and Tiaoalii Savae, made the list. The talented duo will be looking to make an impact in their first year in Austin.

Lole is a graduate student who transferred from Louisville. The former Cardinal defensive lineman appeared in 14 games over the past two seasons. In that span, he recorded 19 tackles and five sacks. In his college career, Lole also spent some time at Arizona State, recording 123 tackles in 28 games.

For Savea, this marks the second straight year he has been included on the list. In 12 games last season for Arizona, the Las Vegas native recorded 22 total tackles, including six for a loss. He added 1.5 sacks to his resume and tallied multiple tackles in seven games. Before Arizona, Savea spent one season at UCLA, recording seven tackles in 10 games.

While expectations are high for Lole and Savae, they have plenty of time to make their case. The winner of the 2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award will be announced on Dec.17. They will also be recognized during the Polynesian Bowl, which takes place in January.

For Lole and Savae, their focus is making a good first impression and helping Texas win a national championship. If they can replicate their success from their previous stops, they could add more accolades to their resumes by season’s end.

Texas adds defensive lineman to loaded 2024 transfer portal class

Texas adds Arizona defensive lineman to loaded 2024 transfer class

Head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns continued what has simply been a successful offseason in the transfer portal Tuesday morning, landing a commitment from Arizona transfer defensive lineman Tiaoalii Savea.

Savea previously entered the transfer portal last week after former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch officially took the job at Washington.

A former four-star prospect out of high school, Savea originally began his collegiate career at UCLA prior to transferring to Arizona before the 2022 season. Across the last two years with the Wildcats, Savea has posted a combined stat line of 36 tackles, 7.5 TFL, and 1.5 sacks along Arizona’s defensive front, as well as 22 tackles, six TFL, and 1.5 sacks during the 2023 season.

Savea is now the eighth transfer commitment so far this offseason for the Longhorns, as well as the second along the defensive line in addition to UTSA transfer edge rusher Trey Moore.

Savea is now likely to be a key piece along Texas’ 2024 defensive line, which was likely a position of need for the Longhorns.

Arizona DT Tiaoalii Savea commits to Texas

Texas found its defensive tackle commit on Tuesday morning.

Texas has its defensive tackle commit in the transfer portal. Arizona defensive tackle Tiaoalii Savea committed to the Longhorns on Tuesday morning capping an eventful offseason for the unit.

Savea is what Texas needs at the position. He’s a veteran player with multiple years of experience and the size to aid the Longhorns in the interior of defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s scheme.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound player from Las Vegas logged three seasons at Arizona. In his junior campaign in 2023, Savea compiled 1.5 sacks and 21 total tackles for the Wildcats. He is a much needed get for a defense that not only lacks experience but production at defensive tackle outside of Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton.

Undoubtedly, the familiarity between Savea and current Texas linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen played a role in the move. Nansen worked as the defensive coordinator for Arizona last season and probably has an in-depth scouting report of the skilled player. That Nansen would be in favor of the move would probably speak to Savea’s work ethic and culture fit.

Texas will not be as good as it was at defensive tackle last season after two elite NFL draft prospects departed at the position. Nevertheless, it should be good enough to compete for a playoff berth with Savea added to the fold.