Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Monday, October 23, 2000
Former Kahuku High and Brigham Young tight end Itula Mili had a career-high five receptions for 33 yards yesterday in the Seattle Seahawks' 31-3 loss at Oakland. Personal best for Mili
Pat Bigold
Star-BulletinMili, a fourth year pro who will be a free agent at the end of the season, now has 17 catches for 163 yards (9.6 yards per catch). He has three touchdowns.
"I started this week, and last week I came in after the first series to play the whole game," said Mili.
"This has been my best year. I put in a lot of hard work getting ready for this season."
Mili had started the first four games of the season while regular starter Christian Fauria recovered from an injury. Seattle (2-6) was 2-2 in that stretch.
Head coach Mike Holmgren restored Fauria to the starting position when he returned.
But Seattle has not won with Fauria as a starter and Holmgren apparently is turning back to Mili.
He said he has improved as an NFL player by streamlining his style of play.
"I've sorted out my (football) closet and kind of gotten rid of the things I don't need," said Mili. "I'm a more fundamental player now than when I was in college."
Former St. Louis School and University of Utah running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala suffered a sprained left foot while making a 20-yard gain in the third quarter of Pittsburgh's 22-0 victory over Cleveland.
Fuamatu-Ma'afala, making his first start at fullback in place of the injured Jon Witman, will be evaluated today. But Steelers' head coach Bill Cowher said the foot is not broken.
As Pittsburgh's No. 2 tailback this season, Fuamatu-Ma'afala has 129 yards on 20 carries (6.4 yards per carry) and 107 yards on 11 catches (9.7 yards per catch).
"We still have a lot of work to do," von Oelhoffen told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "Nobody on this defense is going to let down."
