Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
On Thursday, Mataio Soli explained what he and some of the approximate 25 newcomers on defense could bring to the University of Hawaii football team as it looks to replace nine defensive starters from 2021 before its Week 0 game against Vanderbilt on Aug. 27.
“All of us bring our own different uniqueness to the team,” Soli said. “As long as we stay together like we have been all summer and right now, fall camp as you can see, I think we’re going to have some good results this fall.”
Soli, a 6-foot-4 defensive lineman from Douglasville, Ga., and a transfer from Arkansas, is one of 18 players on the team’s fall camp roster who transferred from FBS schools. UH linebacker Penei Pavihi — a former teammate of Soli’s from youth league football in American Samoa — was Soli’s host on his recruiting visit. The program’s Island Day spring game also contributed to his decision to commit to Hawaii.
“It was a great experience for me, I seen how (it) brought in everybody,” Soli said. “I seen how close the team was. It really brought everything together.”
Soli played in all 12 games at Arkansas his freshman season, starting the final 11 games of 2019 at defensive end. His playing time declined over the next two seasons under head coach Sam Pittman.
“I’ve met a lot of great people and made a lot of good friends,” Soli said about his time with the Razorbacks. “A lot of techniques and things that I learned over there, I think it’ll help me a lot out here.”
On Thursday, Soli was in the second session of the split practice format UH is using to begin fall camp. In the team play portion of the team’s script, he lined up on the edge in the defensive end position.
“Mataio just brings a lot of athleticism for us. He gives us a pass-rushing threat on all downs — not just on third downs,” UH defensive coordinator Jacob Yoro said. “We’re excited about him as a player, and he continues to develop and he’s done a great job out here so far.”
Through two days of fall camp, both sides have made highlight plays, but the UH defense appears to be winning the head-to-head matchups with the offense in the team drills.
“I love this defense. I feel like our defense is going to surprise a lot of people,” Soli said. “I like how we’re seen as the underdog because a lot of people probably don’t expect a lot out of us, but they’re going to see this fall.”
74
