NASHVILLE, TENN. >> University of Hawaii defensive tackle John Tuitupou won his appeal for an extra season and will start in today’s season-opening football game against Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium.
Tuitupou petitioned the NCAA for an exemption to play this season based on a family situation. The NCAA initially tabled ruling on Tuitupou’s request because there was not enough supporting material. Tuitupou refiled, and after months of waiting, the waiver was granted.
Tuitupou, a 2016 graduate of Kalaheo High, redshirted at Garden City College in Kansas, then played one season for East Los Angeles College. But he did not play the next two years before joining the Warriors in 2020. He played in nine games that season and 10 in 2021. Last year, he successfully appealed that his family situation, in essence, “froze” his eligibility clock when he did not play in 2018 and 2019. The same argument was applied when he sought an exemption for this year. (Because of the pandemic, each NCAA Division I player received a COVID-19 season that did not count against the eligibility clock allowing five years to play four seasons.)
The Warriors were optimistic Tuitupou’s appeal would be approved. He took part in first-team reps during spring training and training camp. He was part of the 74-player travel party for this season-opening trip to Nashville, Tenn. He took first-team reps during this week’s practices.
Tuitupou will start on a four-man defensive line that includes nose tackle Kuao Peihopa, end Andrew Choi and edge defender Jonah Kahahawai-Welch.
There were separate tales of two cities in advance of today’s football game.
Vanderbilt’s campus and football stadium are located 2 miles from downtown Nashville. The self-styled “Music City” features the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium (know as the Grand Ole Opry for 31 years through 1974), and is considered the birthplace of country and bluegrass music. On Broadway, there are rows of bars where bands play for tips, and restaurants serve chicken tenders with dips ranging from mild to “what the cluck.”
In preparation for the matchup against a Southeastern Conference opponent, the Warriors opted to stay and train in Franklin. While coach Timmy Chang is a fan of country music — he sang Brooks & Dunn’s “Neon Moon” as an initiation challenge at a coaches convention last year — the intent was to limit distractions.
“Our guys are locked in,” Chang said. “They’re business oriented. They know what’s important. We want to win. We want to win all 13 (regular-season games) if we can. We’re going to try to win all these games. These guys are locked into that, and they understand the goal.”
The Warriors have had to deal with scorching conditions. During Wednesday’s intensive practice at Franklin Christian Academy, the heat index exceeded 100 degrees. It was milder — slightly — for Thursday’s limited- contact practice. On Friday, the Warriors’ 90-minute practice began at noon at Brentwood Academy.
This game is a rematch between last year’s week-zero opponents. UH scored the first touchdown, but turnovers and mistakes eventually led to Vanderbilt’s 63-10 victory at the Ching Complex. The Commodores are installed as 17-point favorites today.
“I told our guys, ‘We are underdogs,’” Chang said. “We let them know their backs are against the wall. That’s not the first time Hawaii’s been an underdog in a lot of things. That’s us, the 50th state always trying to prove ourselves. We’ve got a chance to do that.”
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1:30 p.m. today
>> TV: SEC Network
>> RADIO: KKEA 1420-AM
>> LINE: Hawaii +17
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