As a hard-hitting linebacker, Darius Muasau usually lets his bashing do the talking.

But Muasau showed unabashed enthusiasm about today’s opening of the University of Hawaii football team’s training camp and Friday’s first practice.

“I’m super excited,” said Muasau, a third-year sophomore from Ewa Beach. “I’m ecstatic to put the pads back on. We’re done with (offseason) training. We’re done with lifting and all that. It’s time to get down to business.”

The hype actually began this month. Last week, Muasau was named to the Mountain West’s preseason all-conference team. He also is on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defensive player. All of which means zilch to 2019 Mililani High graduate.

“It’s nice to be on the award watch list and all that, but my main goal is to serve my team,” Muasau said. “At the end of the day, my main goal is to win a championship with my teammates.”

In 2020, Muasau thrived in head coach Todd Graham’s multiple-look, from-all-points attacking defense. Muasau led the Mountain West with 7.6 solo tackles per game. Overall, he amassed 104 tackles in nine games, with 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and seven quarterback hurries.

“The solo tackles weren’t really me,” Muasau said. “It was my D-linemen setting me up, helping me out, working together as a whole defense. As a unit, their work doesn’t go unnoticed. I always recognize them. I give them all the praise.”

During the offseason, the players would gather for additional workouts following supervised conditioning drills. “Sometimes we’d hit the (blocking) sleds just to maintain the same techniques we have throughout the season,” Muasau said.

The difference? The sled “doesn’t hit back like the O-linemen do,” Muasau said. “But it gets the job done.”

Since he first started playing football, Muasau recalled, there was no doubt when it came to picking sides.

“I always played defense,” he said. “Sometimes I played offense in high school (for special plays). Sometimes I played running back. But I really enjoy the physicality of playing (defensive) football. That’s why I love the sport. It’s legal to hit somebody in this sport. That’s what I love.”