Notre Dame Looking To Continue Hawaiian Pipeline
Notre Dame has been extremely picking about offering linebackers since current defensive coordinator Clark Lea arrived prior to the 2017 season. So when the Irish offer a linebacker that is just a rising junior, it speaks volumes about that young man’s ability, and the staff’s perception of it.
Notre Dame offered Honolulu (Haw.) Punahou linebacker Tevarua Tafiti on June 11, but the staff had their eye on the 6-3, 205-pound linebacker for some time.
“It was super surprising, it kind of came out of nowhere,” said Tafiti about his Notre Dame offer. “They had been talking to me for a while, but I never knew when or if the offer would come.”
Notre Dame’s recruiting coordinator Brian Polian extended the offer to Tafiti, who is ranked as the No.1 overall player in Hawaii and the No. 233 player in the country according to 247Sports.
If you recognize the name of Tafiti’s high school, Punahou School, you should. It’s the same high school as former Notre Dame All-American linebacker Manti Te’o (2009-12), wide receiver Robby Toma (2009-12) and current Irish linebacker Marist Liufau.
Tafiti got to know Liufau quite well during their time together at Punahou, and he now sees Liufau as a mentor to him and his success.
“I talked to Marist recently about my offer, he was just telling me about how much he loves it there (at Notre Dame),” Tafiti said of his former teammate.
Liufau and Tafiti played together at Punahou during Tafiti’s freshman season in 2018 and have seen their relationship grow ever since. The pair has been working out together recently in preparation for their upcoming football seasons.
Tafiti mentioned that it is not uncommon at all for alums to come back to visit Punahou, one, in particular, has established himself as a coach there.
Toma has been giving back to his high school alma mater, and he is the current coach of the Punahou wide receivers. Toma was a solid contributor to the Notre Dame receiving core from 2009-2012, as he hauling in 60 receptions for 667 yards and one touchdown in his career.
With multiple current and former Notre Dame players in Tafiti’s ear, he has a great understanding of what Notre Dame can do for him on the field, but also off of it.
“There are so many great Punahou alumni there and its such a great academic school, it’s really awesome,” said Tafiti of Notre Dame. “Knowing that they put so many of these Hawaii kids into good places, it really makes me feel like if I go there, they’re going to take care of me in the future.”
Family is huge to Tafiti, as he is very close with not only his immediate family but his family at school and on the field as well. It is a major priority for him in his recruitment to feel at home and comfortable, at whatever school he ends up attending.
“The family atmosphere and how they welcome anybody there (at Notre Dame) means a ton to me. The attitude they have there and how they show us Hawaii kids so much respect, I think that is why a lot of Hawaii kids end up going there.”
Distance from home is not a factor whatsoever for the Punahou linebacker, as he mentioned he actually worries about being too close to home.
“My mom told me she’s going to follow me to college, wherever I end up going, so I better go somewhere far and I don’t think she would follow me all the way to Notre Dame,” Tafiti said jokingly.
Tafiti still has plenty of time to go in his recruitment, but Notre Dame needs to hit on linebackers in the 2022 class after whiffing in 2020 and zero linebacker commitments so far in the 2021 class. Expect Tafiti to be at the very top of that board and for the Irish staff to pursue him intensely.
Tafiti holds offers from Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and more. Notre Dame will once again have to square off with these familiar foes for Tafiti’s pledge, as each of the aforementioned schools recruits Hawaii very well.
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