Junior Tafuna shares how his Polynesian family influence helped him become an award-winning defensive lineman on and off the football field

In this episode, Junior Tafuna shares how his Polynesian family influence helped him become an award-winning defensive lineman on and off the football field. This episode is sponsored by Siegfried & Jensen.  Thank you for supporting Talkin' Utes and Utah athletes! About Junior Tafuna: TAFUNA QUICK HITS2022 Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team. 2021 Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. 2021 AP Pac-12 All-Conference Second Team 26 games played as a Ute, 24 consecutive starts. 2022: Started in 13 games, contributing 26 tackles (2.5 TFL), one interception and two QB hurries. Season-best six tackles in the Homecoming victory vs. Oregon State. Contributed five more stops in the game at No. 18 UCLA. First career interception highlighted a three-tackle day vs. Southern Utah. Logged his first pass breakup of the season at No. 12 Oregon. 2021: Saw action in 13 games on the season, starting at left tackle in the final 11 contests. Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. Recorded 33 tackles (5.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks) along with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Put up a career-high nine tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack) against Arizona. Had four tackles that included a 12-yard sack against No. 18 Arizona State. Recorded three tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks) against No. 3 Oregon in the regular season, earning Pac-12 Defensive Line Player of the Week. Logged four tackles in the second game of his career against San Diego State. First career fumble recovery came at Oregon State. Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll. 2020: Did not see action.    High School: Three-star recruit out of Bingham HS, rated the No. 7 recruit in the state of Utah. Second-team all-state as a senior in 2018. Invited to the 2019 Polynesian Bowl. 64 tackles (1.0 sack) and an interception as a senior in 2018. 74 tackles (1.0 sack) and an interception in 2017. Bingham HS won state championships in 2016 and 2017. Personal: Son of Mau and Timote … has four siblings … served an LDS mission in Praia, Cape Verde … full name Timote (Junior) Maile Tafuna. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.