UH’s Fuga returns
to Las VegasThe Hawaii lineman
originally committed to UNLV
LAS VEGAS >> This was Lui Fuga's town for a few days in 1998. He loved the bright lights and his plan was to become a star in a city of stars.
Hawaii at UNLV
When: Today, 3 p.m. Hawaii time
Where: Las Vegas
TV: Live, ESPN2
Radio: Live, KKEA 1420-AM
Line: Even
He'd never seen anything like Las Vegas before and was infatuated at first sight.
"I liked it on my recruiting trip. The Strip got my attention. When I went there they were very friendly, the coaches. My host was great and he got me to commit," Fuga said of his visit to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas during his senior year at Waipahu High School.
"I loved the city lights, The Strip. Something new for me. It was my first time being on the mainland and it was a big thing, like wow," said Fuga, who is now a Hawaii defensive tackle here for a game against the host Rebels today.
Like the gambler with beginner's luck, Fuga's affection for Las Vegas faded quickly when reality set in. Las Vegas looked a lot different during the heat of August two-a-day practices than it did when he was treated like a high roller during his recruiting visit.
With just two days before the end of fall camp in 1998, Fuga left UNLV and returned to his home in Waipahu.
"What I did was I signed (his letter of intent) after the signing period was over. I signed during camp, which was illegal, which I had no idea about it," Fuga said. "I decided (UNLV) was not for me. The coaches didn't want to release me because they thought I had the potential to play that year. So I just left camp and took my chances at Hawaii."
Because he never registered for school at UNLV, Fuga's NCAA time clock didn't start until he enrolled at UH the following year. He wasn't expecting much.
"UH just went 0-12 the year before," Fuga said. "So it was like going from one junk thing of not playing to probably another junk thing."
But as a true freshman, Fuga was an integral part of UH's 9-4 season in coach June Jones' first season. He made 22 tackles in 11 games as a backup, including a sack in Hawaii's Oahu Bowl victory over Oregon State.
While the team's fortunes fell in 2000, when the Warriors went 3-9, Fuga thrived, with 42 tackles in 11 games despite injuries to both shoulders.
"He was our best defensive lineman, our rock," UH defensive line coach Vantz Singletary said.
The injuries caught up with Fuga in 2001. He redshirted when he never fully recovered from shoulder surgery until late in the season.
He started the 2002 opener against Eastern Illinois, but his ankle was broken on the UH defense's seventh play of the season, and Fuga was out for the season again.
"I thought that might be a career-ender for him," Warriors coach June Jones said.
Fuga underwent surgery that included putting a pin in his ankle. It took him a year to complete his second injury rehab, and he was in on 15 plays in last Saturday's 61-32 loss at Southern California. He didn't show up on the defensive stat sheet, but every UH coach and teammate noticed his performance.
"He's very inspirational to me," senior safety Hyrum Peters said. "I know everyone's happy to see him on the field. Everyone's seen him rehabbing, all by himself. Now it's all paid off. He's on the field playing and he looks good."
Jones and Singletary said they look for increasing contributions from Fuga as the season progresses.
"I'm really impressed with his practicing the past 2 1/2 weeks," Jones said. "He played well in the game and he's getting better and better.
Singletary said he will find ways to get the 6-foot-1, 299-pound Fuga more playing time behind starting tackles Isaac Sopoaga and Lance Samuseva.
"He wants to play a lot more. He asked me how I felt about his performance. I told him I thought he did extremely well. We'll try to get him in more in the rotation. He's a good pass rusher and he understands what teams are doing," Singletary said.
"He worked extremely hard. You're talking about a guy who's been out of football two years. And he's trained his butt off to get back to where he can compete. We're all certainly proud, players and coaches, to have him back."
Fuga hopes to get a lot of action at Sam Boyd Stadium today, the venue that came close to being the site of his home games.
"I've got friends, a lot of high school buddies from Waipahu, who live there coming to the game. They just live there, working, raising their families up there."
Will Fuga, who has completed his bachelor's and is working on a master's degree in communications, return to Las Vegas after he finishes his UH football career either this year or next?
"Nah. It's too hot. I can't stand hot weather. And it's too fast for me. I'm different. More laid-back."
