All-Time Hawaii: DT

[wayoutwest]

I think it's about time for some DEFENSE (since this year's team is apparently lacking one). Rarely does UH get that spectacular interior lineman, but when they do... it's fun to watch.

Once again, post own suggestions:

[The808Chef]

What? No Maa Tanuvasa? No Taase Faumui?

Nah...no matter. You can't go wrong with the Nogas. They're the epitomy of Hawaii defense.

Hey know what? Is either one interested in coaching?

[WA Warrior]

Wasn't Maa Tanuvasa a Defensive End? At least that's what I remember. Anyways, my vote for best UH DT, it wouldn't be one individual but the entire Noga family for me.

[The808Chef]

Was Tanuvasa a DE?? I thought he was a DT. It was Faumui who was the DE. My bad.

[wayoutwest]

Ma'a Tanuvasa will be included with the DE's... along with Levi Stanley in case you were wondering.

[Sportsbow]

All good DT's but, you gotta go with Al Noga, hands down. Besides! He's the only one on the list that made the A.P. Kodak All-American first team. Even appeared on the Bob Hope Show with the rest of the All-Americans.

[uhwarriors]

I agree with Sportsbow.

In 1986 as a Junior, Al Noga was named AP 1st Team All American. I remember seeing him appearing on the Bob Hope Christmas special with the other 1st Team All Americans. He was also WAC Defensive Player of the Year in a year when BYU defensive linemen Jason Buck and Shawn Knight were both first round picks and Buck was the Outland Trophy winner. Noga recorded 17 sacks, 31 tackles for losses and caused 6 fumbles in 12 games in 1986.

He gave Paul Gruber, Wisconsin's tackle fits in that year's 20 to 17 upset. I couldn't find defensive records of that game, but I remember him making a number of sacks and tackles for losses. Gruber was a 1988 first round draft pick and played in the NFL for Tampa Bay for 10+ years.

In those days, UH played a 3-4. Al Noga played DT which typically lined up over an OT. So in many cases he lined on the edge depending on the offensive set. In effect he played DE many times and most of his sacks were beating the OT on a speed rush.

Noga's senior season wasn't as spectacular as his junior year. Because he was double teamed when he played at DT, he was moved around a lot and was used both on the line and as a linebacker. He made 1st Team All WAC in 1987.

In his career, Al Noga had 33 sacks, 70 tackles for losses and 15 fumbles caused.

Al Noga was drafted by Minnesota in the 3rd round in 1988. He played 7 years in the NFL, 5 with Minnesota, 1 with Washington and 1 with Indianapolis.

[BigWave96744]

Al "The Samoan SackMan" Noga was bad okole and a tad better than brother Niko (a close 2nd)..

[uhwarriors]

Levi Stanley was actually a DT during the 1969 to 1973 years. UH played a four man line in those days and were coached by Defensive Coordinator Larry Price, another great DT during his time. The DEs during that era were Simeon Alo and Ramsey Simmons. The other DT was Paul Lee.

Stanley was very strong and that was his strenght. In 1973, he had 140 tackles and made 2nd team AP Little All America and UPI 1st team All Coast. He was drafted in the 17th round of the 1974 NFL draft by the San Fransisco 49'ers. Stanley was inducted into the UH Circle of Honor in 1995.

[uhwarriors]

Larry Price was another great DT for UH who played from 1961 to 1964. In those days players played both ways and he also played OT on offense. He was such a special player and leader that he was elected captain three times from 1962 to 1964. He played in three Hula Bowls, in 1957 and 1959 as a representative of the Army team and in 1965 as a collegian. He was also named to the all-time All-Hula Bowl team.

As a 30 year old rookie, in 1967 Price had a free agent tryout with the Los Angeles Rams. He played in 4 exhibition games and was the last remaining rookie in camp when he decided to accept an assistant coaching job at UH under then head coach Don King.

Price was inducted into the UH Circle of Honor in 1994.

[warriorfan808]

I never saw the Nogas in action, so I had to go with Sapoaga. Anyone got some old tape?

[The808Chef]

I never saw the Nogas in action, so I had to go with Sapoaga. Anyone got some old tape?

i wish i did man. i think they only had beta back then and we probably couldn't afford a video recorder. not just that, i was probably too young to know how to use one.

[Harold K. Lee]

Anyone can recall how the UH D line was when Cliff Laboy was playing. They were still small school then but I remembr them being pretty tough.

[Sportsbow]

Anyone can recall how the UH D line was when Cliff Laboy was playing. They were still small school then but I remembr them being pretty tough.

Their defense was pretty good when Cliff Laboy was playing. In 1974, Cliff Laboy and John Woodcock, both made AP All-American, honorable mention, as defensive linemen that year.

[Scott]

Al "The Samoan SackMan" Noga was bad okole and a tad better than brother Niko (a close 2nd)..

I agree Al had a slight edge on Niko, but I still remember a few NFL interviews on ESPN back in the day, where more then one player talked about how Niko Noga was one of the leagues hardest hitters.

I think Al bulked up too much when he went to the NFL. He lost a little bit of the speed that allowed him to dominate in college. Didn't he own Jumbo Elliot of Michigan when Hawaii played them that year?