In the spirit of Dick Tomey, Arizona again has embraced its Polynesian roots

In many ways, the Polynesian mo‘omeheu, or culture, has been the backbone of the Arizona Wildcats football program going back to the start of the Dick Tomey era well over 30 years ago.

Tomey, an icon in Hawaii since his days as head coach of the Rainbow Warriors, used his connections in the islands to filter players to Tucson and play for the Wildcats. The subsequent eras, in one way or another, embraced the Polynesian pipeline established by Tomey — but not as much. Meanwhile, it’s been a formula Utah has used to help win back-to-back Pac-12 championships.

While the Utes have excelled using a version of Tomey’s vision, Arizona fell behind recruiting players from Hawaii, American Samoa and West Coast states littered with Polynesian players until Jedd Fisch was hired in 2020.

Since then?

Three of Arizona’s offensive starters — quarterback Jayden de Laura, offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan — from the 2022 season are originally from Hawaii. Arizona also hired three Polynesian assistant coaches: Johnny Nansen (defensive coordinator), Jason Kaufusi (outside linebackers coach) and Jordan Paopao (tight ends).

The Wildcats had 12 Polynesian players on the roster in Fisch’s second season. In 2023, that number will rise to 21 (and counting) once Arizona puts a bow on its current recruiting class following National Signing Day on Wednesday.

Between the high school recruiting trail, the transfer portal and the junior-college ranks, the Wildcats currently have 10 newcomers for 2023 with Polynesian roots.

From Seau to Su’a

Among the notable recruits for Arizona’s 2023 recruiting class: four-star linebacker Leviticus Su’a. The 6-1, 225-pound standout from nationally ranked Mater Dei High School in Southern California committed to the Wildcats during the first quarter of the nationally televised Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii, not long after UA quarterback signee Brayden Dorman threw a touchdown pass. Su’a, Dorman, safety Gavin Hunter, linebacker Kamuela Ka’aihue and defensive lineman Julian Savaiinaea (Jonah’s brother) were Arizona’s representatives in the Polynesian Bowl.

Su’a said the Wildcats’ latest surge in the Polynesian community — coupled with Su’a’s former Mater Dei teammates, defensive linemen Jacob Rich Kongaika and Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, earning snaps as true freshmen — led to his decision to pledge to the UA.

“During the recruiting process, I didn’t really take into consideration how schools recruited me because I’m Polynesian,” he said. “But Arizona is really implementing the Polynesian culture. I love that about the school, for sure.”

Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports.com, dubbed Su’a as “the guy you love to have on your team, but you hate to play against.”

“He’ll hit you, then hit you again, then talk to you a little bit. A lot of those Polynesians, man — and I can say it since I’m from Hawaii — they’re mean,” Biggins said. “They play with a little bit of anger and edge. That’s Leviticus.

“Off the field, he can flip the switch and is the greatest guy ever. He’s a 4.0 student, had a Stanford offer. But on the field, man, they play with a different type of intensity. Junior (Seau) had it, and so does Leviticus.”

Su’a, who is rated by 247Sports as Arizona’s second-highest commit for ‘23, wears No. 55 in honor of the late Seau.

“He was a great player and a great person as well. But the thing I like most about him is the presence he brings on the field,” Su’a said. “The opposing team always had to know where he was, because that’s how he impacted the game.”

Like Seau, one of Su’a’s strongest traits as a football player is leadership. At Mater Dei, Su’a was a three-year captain on defense.

“Sophomores aren’t typically captains at Mater Dei, so it goes to show you how he’s built,” Biggins said. “His leadership skills are off the charts. He’ll be a captain at Arizona in no less than a couple of years. That’s just how he’s wired.”

Su’a ended his career at Mater Dei as the Trinity League Most Valuable Player, an honor issued to McMillan the previous year, so Arizona has landed back-to-back MVPs from one of the most coveted football conferences nationally. The Wildcats made sure to let folks in Los Angeles know about that with a billboard of McMillan and Su’a near Interstate 405, as pointed out by former Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate last week on Twitter.

‘Home away from home’

When former Arizona quarterback George Malauulu played at the UA from 1989-1992, and several other Polynesian players were part of the program, “it was home away from home.”

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“It brings that home atmosphere and that familiar feeling you had back home,” Malauulu said. “It makes you feel comfortable to play the way you did like you were back in high school.”

Most Polynesian households abide by the three “F” principles: faith, family and football.

“If you ask any single Polynesian, there’s a church attached to them,” Malauulu said. “That’s a big part of the Polynesian community.

“Family, you wear that name on your back. You gotta represent that last name. One phone call back to the house is disrespect on the last name. With Nansen, Kaufusi and Paopao, all they gotta do is make one phone call back to the house and it’ll straighten out real quick. If Mom and Dad get on the phone, it’s a done deal. They’ll be on the next flight to open up a can of whoop-ass.”

Malauulu added that “the biggest thing in the Samoan culture is respect.” No outsider displayed more respect than Tomey, which was evident during a home visit.

It’s Samoan tradition for visitors to enter the “fale” — or house — take off shoes and sit in a designated area.

“Out of respect for our culture, he took it way back to the days it used to be,” Malauulu said. “Coach Tomey sat on the floor, and my parents are first generation, so seeing that brought a level of respect.

“We saw what he learned at UH. He brought it with him to Arizona. It left a lasting impression, because this is a man who respects and understands who we are.”

“Just thinking about the man Coach Tomey was,” Malauulu added, fighting back tears, “he really brought it home.”

Back to its roots

Like his mentor, Malauulu has championed football within the Polynesian community. Malauulu is a longtime president of the AIGA Foundation, a non-profit organization that organizes camps and showcases to help Polynesian players land scholarships.

Recently, Malauulu set up the 12th annual Polynesian All-American Bowl at East L.A. College. One team’s coaching staff featured former Oregon Ducks. The other team’s staff was made up ex-Wildcats such Malauulu, Willie Tuitama, Ortege Jenkins, Steve Tafua, Brandon Manumaleuna, Antoine Cason, Dennis Northcutt and Heath Bray.

Ten states were represented in the showcase.

Former Wildcat Joe Salave’a, who coached at both programs, recently met with Malauulu in Charlotte, North Carolina, at a conference for the Polynesian Coaches Association. Salave’a is the PCA’s president and, like Malauulu and Tomey, uses his platform and resources to help other Polynesians in the football community.

“It shows that Tomey’s guys have really taken on the job of what he did when he was at the helm,” Malauulu said. “Big Joe, although he’s at the University of Miami, he bleeds red and blue and is doing a great job heading the charge of the Polynesian Coaches Association.”

A few decades since Salave’a and Malauulu’s playing days for the Wildcats, Arizona is evolving back into a team built on a Polynesian foundation.

“I thank Coach Fisch for allowing this to take place,” Malauulu said. “Because if he didn’t believe in what Coach Tomey set in stone during his period ... a lot of things we did during Desert Swarm and the period afterwards, it took place because of the type of kids who come from Polynesian families.”

Extra points

The Wildcats have the 47th-best recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports, heading into the National Signing Day. Arizona’s composite ranking — combining recruiting and transfers — is 40th.

Arizona is hosting a meet-and-greet event Thursday leading up to the men’s basketball game against Oregon. The event at the Cole and Jeannie Davis Sports Center will begin at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets to meet Arizona’s 2023 recruiting class are $15 ($20 for walk-ups).