I may be way off _base_ here since I don't know the kid, but I would question the competitive drive of a kid who doesn't want to start varsity his sophomore year. I don't get that. Maybe he had some maturing to do.
tru lds says: I am a past coach of his, and these are the facts about Tevita: Tevita STARTED varsity as an undersized SOPHOMORE defensive lineman. And where most linemen use their bulk, Tevita used his quickness and speed off the ball in helping the Rams reach the state title game, where he played well against future Cougar lineman Malemaleuna, among others, and Timpview, all as a SOPHOMORE.
Coach Benson wanted him to start varsity as a FRESHMAN, on a very good Ram team which reached the state title game that year as well.
Instead he opted to stay in Little League, and help his team reach the title game, where they fell short, but the kid is a winner.
As a JUNIOR, he was a starting undersized defensive end, where he gained second team all-state honors, and, on the offensive side, as a fullback, racked up 800+ yards on 100+ carries.
The untold story about his offensive exploits, is that his offensive stats were from a 1/2 season's work, he played backup to all-state fullback Liam McNally. He plays in a 3 back, option set, where the quarterback can keep as an option, so technically a 4 back set. So in an offense where he only sees 1/4th of the carries, the kid had an 8+ yards per carry average, as a Junior, and more importantly, he doesn't fumble, he takes care of the ball.
This year, barring injury, he will be the premiere running back in the state! He is working on his speed, he runs a 4.8/40 but should have that down to 4.5 - 4.6 this year. He will run you over, or go around you when needed. He knows he will not be a lineman at the next level, or linebacker, he is undersized for those positions. On the defensive side of the ball, he will be more like a Polamalu type player, a great strong safety.
BYU is where his heart is, because his dad was a die hard BYU fan, but he has taken some impromptu visits to some other schools. And the Utes are always in the running.
The true testimony to this kid is his devotion to his team, and his friends. He knows football is only a game, and that there is much more to life than the friday night lights. He is a well rounded human being.
