Cal Safety Aiden Manutai Reveals He Had Cardiac Contusion at Virginia Tech

During Monday’s Hawaii Bowl press conference Cal freshman safety Aiden Manutai revealed that he was hospitalized after suffering a cardiac contusion during the October 24 game against Virginia Tech.

He had to consider whether to play again this season. He missed the next two games, but returned for the final two regular-season games and is scheduled to start in Wednesday's Hawaii Bowl.

Manutai and Cal freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele are two of four Cal players from Hawaii.

“This whole season has been a journey, a little different for me,” Manutai said during Monday’s press conference. “The past two months were very mental, I had to think about things a lot on whether or not I should finish out the season.

“I had a cardiac contusion, something where I had to go to the hospital right after the Virginia Tech game. I was stuck out there. I had to monitor my heart and everything.

“But they kind of left it up to me on whether or not I wanted to play. I think these players and coaches mean a lot to me. The decision to play was because of them. I really love my teammates and my coaches. Just because of all the stuff they poured into me, and what it means to me, it’s very special to me, especially to play behind another true freshman quarterback that’s from here. That’s just different.

“And having Coach Rolo is something that everyone is grateful for.”

Manutai’s description of his injury starts about 17 minutes into the press conference video below:

Cal (7-5) faces Hawaii (8-4) in the Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday, starting at 5 p.m. Pacific time, 3 p.m. Honolulu time.

Later in the press conference video, Sagapolutele talks about being aware of Nick Rolovich as Hawaii’s quarterback, noting that was before he was born, earning him a nudge from Rolovich.

Asked about his reaction to firing of head coach Justin Wilcox following the loss to Stanford, Sagapolutele had this to say:

“Man, I can definitely say it wasn’t the easiest moment for me,” he said. “Coach Wilcox was a man that I highly respected, highly loved, and definitely the team respected him for sure. Losing him was a heavy loss, but I just want to send all love to him. He’s meant the world to me. He gave me the opportunity to play in my first year as a freshman. But having Coach Rolo step up meant the world as well.”

He noted how Rolovich helped him get acquainted with Cal’s offense and assist him off the field as well.

“It felt like having another father there,” Sagapolutele said.

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