Pass-blocking expert, 'leader' Jonah Savaiinaea helps Arizona football's right guard crisis

What's a go-to meal for a 6-5, 330-pound offensive lineman at Arizona?

Arizona sophomore Jonah Savaiinaea, who hails from Honolulu, often treks across town to the east side of Tucson for a katsu chicken plate with sides of fries and tuna mac salad at "Solid Grindz," a Hawaiian barbecue restaurant Savaiinaea partnered with to promote their food on his social media platforms.

Among other items on the menu at "Solid Grindz": kalua pulled pork, kalbi beef ribs, loco moco and, yes, spam and eggs. 

"It's good. It kind of feels like home," Savaiinaea said. "I kinda have that home feeling here in Tucson. I'm proud." 

Maybe Savaiinaea's next Instagram post about Solid Grindz should mention how it's now the "official" meal of the top pass-blocking offensive lineman in the Pac-12? According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Savaiinaea has the second-highest pass-blocking grade (87.3) nationally — tops in the Pac-12 — among college football offensive lineman with at least 250 pass-protection snaps this season. In 241 pass-pro snaps, left tackle Jordan Morgan is second on the team with an 86.2 grade.

"I try not to focus too much on my grades," Savaiinaea said. "Just focus on myself and how I can make my team better — and my group. The main thing is perfecting my tools and my punching skills and placing my hands on the opponent."

Arizona offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll said, "I don't know what PFF is, but Jonah is really, really good.

"He's a fantastic athlete, fantastic person, great leader," Carroll added. "He was the whole time on the sidelines locked in. I cannot say enough nice things about the kid. He's done everything we've ever asked," he said. "He's been a great leader."

Savaiinaea was given a 94.1 pass-blocking grade by PFF for his performance in Arizona's triple-overtime loss to USC, where he played both tackle and right guard. He was installed at right guard, the position he played 12 games at as a true freshman, once starter Leif Magnuson left the game in the third quarter with a leg injury. Joseph Borjon, a 6-8, 325-pound sophomore, played 28 snaps from the end of the third quarter through the three overtime periods. 

"In the third or fourth quarter, whenever we made the switch, we put him at guard. I asked him ... 'Can Joe block these guys at tackle?'" Carroll said. "And he said, 'Yeah, put me at guard and I'll block (USC star defensive tackle Bear Alexander).' I said, 'All right.' Couldn't ask for anything more from the kid to be selfless. He's fantastic."

Right guard has been Arizona's unhealthiest position all season. Original starter, four-star freshman Raymond Pulido was injured following a bicycle accident near Arizona Stadium just prior to to the Wildcats' season opener against Northern Arizona; he missed the first three games of the season from the accident.

The Wildcats have had four different starters at right guard this season between Pulido, senior Sam Langi, Savaiinaea and Magnuson.

Whomever is playing alongside Savaiinaea on the right side, whether it's Magnuson at guard or Borjon at tackle, the communication and camaraderie never drops off, said Savaiinaea. 

"They're both solid dudes," Savaiinaea said of Magnuson and Borjon. "Every time I play tackle and then Joe comes in at right tackle, I'll make sure to let him know what this edge rusher is doing; same with Leif. When Leif comes back in, I let him know this guy is doing this, so I try my best to help both of them." 

For Savaiinaea, moving back to guard "feels a little tighter than outside," but "I feel way confident," he said.  

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

"It's been great," he said. "Beginning of this year, I told BC, 'Wherever you want me to play, if it's guard or right tackle, I'm always here for it.'" 

Much like the Washington game, which had star edge rushers in Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui, the Wildcats' offensive line will be tested on the edge on Saturday against Washington State in Pullman. The Cougars have reigning All-Pac-12 Second Team selections in seniors Brennan Jackson and Ron Stone Jr., who was simultaneously named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week and Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance against Wisconsin. 

Wazzu's edge-rushing tandem has combined for 47 tackles, eight stops for loss, 5.5 sacks, eight quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Whether Savaiinaea is at guard or tackle this week, the Wildcats have their work cut out for them up front.

"The plan is whoever is going to give us the best chance to win will be in there, we'll see health-wise how this week plays out, so that's still a work in progress," Carroll said. "Joe did a good job coming in late in the game, hopping in there and not giving up any pressures or anything like that. He was solid. Leif was solid throughout the game and got a little bit worn down. He was playing with lower-leg issues, but he did a great job fighting through it up until that point. ... We'll see how that works out, but we got a bunch of guys that can play for us.

"Whoever is in there we'll be fine." 

Wildcats 'gotta stay more disciplined' with penalties on defense

Arizona had 12 penalties for 96 yards at USC; seven of them were in the second half. Ten of Arizona's dozen penalties were on defense. Among them: two roughing-the-passer penalties and two passing interference calls. 

One of USC's touchdowns on Saturday was subsequent to linebacker Justin Flowe shoving Trojans star quarterback Caleb Williams well after the ball left his hands on an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-5 in the third quarter, which likely would've resulted in a chip-shot field goal. Instead, the touchdown by USC running back Marshawn Lloyd gave USC its first lead of the night. 

The second-half penalties "definitely hurt us a bit much," said Arizona cornerback Ephesians Prysock. "We just gotta stay more disciplined and lock in." 

Arizona defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen said, "We gotta do a better job of coaching them (on penalties)."

"Just pull up. (Williams) is throwing the ball away or off the field. We can't make those mistakes," Nansen said. "The whole game plan was trying to get him off the spot and that's what we did. Just be smart. All week, we worked on when he scrambles, start matching up receivers and things like that. I thought our secondary did a great job matching up with receivers.

"But the discipline factor has to be coached and we gotta do a better job doing it."

Extra points 

• Savaiinaea, on the differences in his playing style between Arizona quarterbacks Noah Fifita and Jayden de Laura, who remains questionable this week with an ankle injury: "How I play when Jayden back there is how I play when Noah is out there. It doesn't matter who's back there, I'm going to protect them with all I got. ... They both got legs, so anytime they both roll out I make sure to put my outside hand out and not get a holding penalty."

• Nansen, on Arizona defensive end Russell Davis II recording 1.5 sacks at USC after exiting the Washington game with injury: "I was happy for Davis, man. ... Tough kid, made a lot of great plays for us that night and we'll continue to count on him to make some more plays that will come along with playing time and trying to get him on the field more."
• Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark was spotted walking around the UA campus with Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke on Tuesday. The Messenger recently reported that Yormark and the Big 12, the future conference of the UA, are currently moving towards potentially adding Gonzaga as a basketball-only school as early as 2024.