The University of Hawaii’s best indoor passer is trying to prove his skills as an outdoorsman.
Larry Tuileta, the volleyball team’s starting libero, took reps at quarterback Thursday during the second practice of the Rainbow Warriors’ spring-football training.
“I was trying to get a feel for things to see where my arm’s at in the middle of the volleyball season,” Tuileta said of the football workout. “I haven’t been hitting a lot (in volleyball), either, so my (football) throwing motion has been a little rusty, as expected.”
Tuileta was a two-sport standout at Punahou School who attended USC for three semesters. He moved back to Hawaii, accumulated the necessary credits to enroll at UH, and then joined the volleyball team for the 2017 season. The past fall, he received a football scholarship that allowed him to play both sports. He practiced and made two road trips, but did not take any snaps during the 2017 football season. He has one season of football eligibility remaining.
This semester, Tuileta said, “I’ve been 100 percent committed to the volleyball team.”
Football coach Nick Rolovich extended an open invitation for Tuileta to take reps during spring training. The volleyball Warriors, who returned on Monday from a three-match road trip, have a bye this weekend. The break allowed Tuileta to test his passing on Thursday, as well as learn the intricacies of the newly installed run and shoot offense.
“I picked up some of the core plays,” said Tuileta. who is in his final year of volleyball eligibility.
The past two seasons, the Warriors ran a blend of run-pass option and three-wide schemes. Many of those pass routes involved similar concepts to the run and shoot.
“There’s some new terminology, but it’s the same for everybody,” Tuileta said.
Tuileta also is relying on his experience at Punahou.
“A lot of the pass plays we did at Punahou are similar to what we’re doing now,” Tuileta said. “At Punahou, we were always in the (shot)gun. We’re always in the gun here. That hasn’t changed (from last season), which is nice. I guess we’ll throw it a little more this year.”
Cole McDonald, Kyle Gallup, Justin Uahinui and Jeremy Moussa are the other quarterbacks on the spring roster. Saint Louis School quarterback Chevan Cordeiro and Kolney Cassel, who has played at Sacramento State and SMU, will join this summer. Rolovich said the position is open.
“Everyone is fighting, not just the quarterback position,” Tuileta said. “It’s not a secret a lot of people left. A lot of people are trying to step up. A lot of people are contributing a lot of good energy and a lot of good work ethic to the team. It’s nice to see that.”
Tuileta has embraced being a two-sport athlete.
“I’m having a fun time,” he said. “I’m enjoying my life right now. I had a fun time playing (multiple sports) in high school and as a kid. I still have fun doing it now. When it stops being fun for me, that’s when I’ll stop playing. I might as well do it while I can. I enjoy the process and enjoy being out here with the guys and the coaches. It’s always a good time for me.”
