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Ten From Utah Football Named To Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List
8/15/2024 8:37 AM | Football
HONOLULU, Hawaii – The University of Utah Football program landed 10 players on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List, announced this morning by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
Logan Fano (DE), Spencer Fano (OL), Alaka'i Gilman (S), Caleb Lomu (OL), Michael Mokofisi (OL), Simote Pepa (DT), Karene Reid (LB), Junior Tafuna (DT), Keanu Tanuvasa (DT) and Tanoa Togiai (OL) represent the Utes on the preseason watch list.
The Utes are 11 of the 96 players honored by the award given annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity.
The Fano brothers joined the Utes in 2023 with Spencer playing in all 13 games as a true freshman, starting 12 on the offensive line (11 at LT, 1 at RT). Logan played in five games last season after transferring from BYU, making three starts at defensive end before suffering a season-ending injury.
Also from the defensive line, a trio of defensive tackles in Pepa, Tafuna and Tanuvasa are set to shine for the Utes this fall. Tafuna brings 38 career games with 36 starts to the gridiron this fall with Tanuvasa and starting all 13 games last season as a freshman.
On the offensive line, Lomu, Mokofisi and Togiai join Fano with Mokofisi coming off an all-conference year in 2023 with 30 career games played and 26 starts (25 at RG, 1 at LG). Togiai has played in 23 career games, also starting at left tackle twice last season with Lomu, a four-star recruit out of Highland High School, seeing action in three games in 2023 as a redshirt.
Rounding out Utah's honorees is a pair of defensive standouts with Reid and Gilman both primed for big years on the field. Reid is a two-time all-conference selection with 35 career games and 31 starts at Utah with Gilman starting his first season with the Utes this fall after playing in 32 games at Stanford from 2020-23.
FOLLOW UTAH FOOTBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Follow along with behind the scenes content and coverage throughout the season on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com.
PRESEASON AWARDS TRACKER
UtahUtes.com will keep a running tally of preseason, in-season and post-season awards all through '24 as the Utes look to have another standout campaign on and off the gridiron. Click here to follow along.
Logan Fano (DE), Spencer Fano (OL), Alaka'i Gilman (S), Caleb Lomu (OL), Michael Mokofisi (OL), Simote Pepa (DT), Karene Reid (LB), Junior Tafuna (DT), Keanu Tanuvasa (DT) and Tanoa Togiai (OL) represent the Utes on the preseason watch list.
The Utes are 11 of the 96 players honored by the award given annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity.
The Fano brothers joined the Utes in 2023 with Spencer playing in all 13 games as a true freshman, starting 12 on the offensive line (11 at LT, 1 at RT). Logan played in five games last season after transferring from BYU, making three starts at defensive end before suffering a season-ending injury.
Also from the defensive line, a trio of defensive tackles in Pepa, Tafuna and Tanuvasa are set to shine for the Utes this fall. Tafuna brings 38 career games with 36 starts to the gridiron this fall with Tanuvasa and starting all 13 games last season as a freshman.
On the offensive line, Lomu, Mokofisi and Togiai join Fano with Mokofisi coming off an all-conference year in 2023 with 30 career games played and 26 starts (25 at RG, 1 at LG). Togiai has played in 23 career games, also starting at left tackle twice last season with Lomu, a four-star recruit out of Highland High School, seeing action in three games in 2023 as a redshirt.
Rounding out Utah's honorees is a pair of defensive standouts with Reid and Gilman both primed for big years on the field. Reid is a two-time all-conference selection with 35 career games and 31 starts at Utah with Gilman starting his first season with the Utes this fall after playing in 32 games at Stanford from 2020-23.
FOLLOW UTAH FOOTBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Follow along with behind the scenes content and coverage throughout the season on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com.
PRESEASON AWARDS TRACKER
UtahUtes.com will keep a running tally of preseason, in-season and post-season awards all through '24 as the Utes look to have another standout campaign on and off the gridiron. Click here to follow along.
Players Mentioned
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