Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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56 MARCH 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY COREY BODDEN Kapolei (Hawai'i) High defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa has the physical tools to be successful, according to his head coach Darren Hernandez. But he also has one intangible not every football player has — drive. "I would say his competitiveness and intensity," Hernandez said of what stands out about Tagovailoa- Amosa. "You can't teach that. I've had great players with all the intangibles like size, speed, strength. But do they have heart? Do they have intensity? Do they have a competitive mindset? That's what makes a great football player. "He has all the physical tools. The drive he has to be the best is what sets him apart." Tagovailoa-Amosa used those tools to record 34 tackles for loss and 18 sacks this past season as a senior. "On the field for Myron, he has long arms, long legs and get off," Hernan- dez said. "He's able to get to the quar- terback really quickly. … In our semi- final game he had 4.5 sacks to help us beat a team that was ranked No. 3 in the state. He was instrumental in that game. "Just all season his ability to get off the ball, get to the quarterback and run down the quarterback. The guy has a great motor." Like most high school athletes making the jump to the college level, Hernandez believes Tagovailoa- Amosa needs to get bigger and stron- ger to succeed. "Once he gets into a training pro- gram he has a great physique at 6-foot-4, 270," Hernandez said. "He's still long and lean and has the frame to easily to be a 285-pound defensive end or a 300-pound three-technique defensive tackle. He can do it all." Tagovailoa-Amosa is a well-rounded person with skills that include playing the ukulele and singing. The contend- ers in his recruitment such as Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech and USC show the importance academics played in his decision. "Myron is the most laid-back kid," Hernandez said. "He always has a big smile on his face. Myron is a very spir- itual guy. His parents are both pastors and he aspires to be a pastor one day. He's a man of faith. He's a leader of young men. "Just a great kid to be around. Af- fable, smiling always. But when he gets on the football field, he really turns on the mean." Tagovailoa-Amosa is ranked as the No. 4 player in Hawai'i and the No. 39 defensive tackle in the class of 2017. ✦ MYRON TAGOVAILOA-AMOSA DEFENSIVE TACKLE 6-4 · 250 KAPOLEI H.S. EWA BEACH, HAWAI'I RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ — 39 4 — — — — ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 247 11 2 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 133 11 STATISTICS • Recorded 34 tackles for loss and 18 sacks while leading Kapolei to a 10-3 record and the semifinals of the state championships during his senior year. HONORS • Named first-team USA Today All-USA Hawai'i as a senior. • Earned a spot on The Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State team as a senior. • Tabbed as the 2016 Oahu Interscholastic As- sociation Division I Red Defensive Player of the Year. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Participated in the first annual Polynesian Bowl (Jan. 21) and recorded multiple tackles for loss. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame during a National Signing Day ceremony at his high school. • Took his official visit to Notre Dame Jan. 25-26, 2016. He also took visits to USC, Geor- gia Tech, Vanderbilt and Navy. • Primarily recruited by special teams coordina- tor Brian Polian. NOTABLE • First Hawaiian to sign with Notre Dame since three-star defensive end Kona Schwenke in 2010. • Both of his parents are pastors. 2017 PROJECTION • Tagovailoa-Amosa will have a number of play- ers to jump, but he has the physicality and atti- tude to compete for early playing time. THEY SAID IT Head coach Brian Kelly: "Myron jumped off the screen with his first-step quickness. For a big guy, we really think he's got a huge upside. We think he's starting to scratch the surface in terms of where he needs to be. "He has some length to him, pass-rush ability, inside guy. Not necessarily strictly an edge guy, he's got some versatility. We like the fact that he's a young player that's going to get better and develop." Defensive line coach Mike Elston: "Myron is a long defensive end. You're looking for an aggres- sive, tough, gritty football player who's intelligent and a quick learner. You can tell he plays with passion and a love for the game. He's going to be fun to coach. "He's got that size and that length, but he also adds that athleticism and he's going to immedi- ately add some pass rush ability, and we feel very strongly that he checks a lot of boxes for us of things we're looking for at defensive end." BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: " Tago- vailoa-Amosa is a defensive end for Kapolei, but he projects as a defensive tackle for the Irish. He shows a good initial burst at the snap, which al- lows him to get quick penetration. He's a natural pass rusher that has strong hands and a nice array of pass rush moves. On film, he will show a speed rush, a rip move, a power rush and an inside spin move that is hard to stop. "He shows instincts as a rusher, including the ability to bend around the edge and get under and past offensive tackles. With his frame, he could easily get to at least 290 pounds, and if he can keep his quickness as he adds that weight he could be a force inside." Rivals national recruiting analyst Mike Farrell: "Has a quick first step and plays low and with good leverage. A very aggressive and physical prospect with a great motor." Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa Has The Drive To Be The Best Tagovailoa-Amosa amassed 34 tackles for loss and 18 sacks during his senior campaign at Kapolei (Hawai'i) High. PHOTO COURTESY TAGOVAILOA-AMOSA