Mahelona All-American AND dis close to coming home...

[The808Chef]

WOW! How great that would have been....but that's great for Jesse! Another local boy makes good.

The past month was so rough for Tennessee junior defensive tackle Jesse Mahelona, he considered transferring home to play for the University of Hawai'i.
But it was almost all wiped away with one phone call from Vols head coach Phillip Fulmer yesterday, letting him know he was named to the Sporting News' All-America first team.

"I didn't even know, until I listened to the message, and he told me, 'Jesse, I have good news for you,' " said Mahelona, who was taking a late afternoon nap when Fulmer left the message.

By the time Mahelona had awakened, his parents and family in Kailua, Kona, knew about it.

"Coach Fulmer called them personally," the 2000 Kealakehe graduate said.

It was welcomed news for Mahelona, who lost a friend, Josh Leau, to a car accident Nov. 12 and an uncle to a heart attack recently.

The 6-foot-2, 300-pound Mahelona said he considered returning home "just to play in front of my family," but said the fan support in Tennessee was overwhelming.

"You don't know how much support I got from fans," he said. "I couldn't believe how many people actually cared."

After speaking with his coaches, pastor and father, Mahelona said, "I realized that you can't control when God's time is for you."

His decision to stay was cemented before the Southeastern Conference championship game against Auburn Saturday. The Vols lost, 38-28.

"Most people don't get to experience this atmosphere," he said.

Mahelona finished with five tackles, including two tackles for a loss of three yards, and two quarterback hurries.

His commitment to Tennessee means he will likely forgo the NFL draft.

"I've been thinking about (the draft) a lot, because a lot of people have been telling me about it," he said. "I want to come back and get my degree and graduate next December."

Mahelona, who had 42 tackles, including five sacks, and seven quarterback hurries this season, was selected to the all-SEC second team Monday, and was slightly miffed he was left off the first team, saying "they juiced me."

"I still wanted to make all-SEC, that was one of my goals after my first year," Mahelona said. "They only picked three linemen on the first team."

But the disappointment was eased with his selection to the All-America team.

"I didn't think I would get All-American my first year. They were telling me, 'All-American, All-American,' and I didn't think it would happen," Mahelona said. "All-American, it's all good, and it looks good on paper, but it doesn't make me better as a player."


He said it will motivate him to play better, especially in the SBC Cotton Bowl against Texas A&M on New Year's Day. The game will be televised at 6 a.m. (Hawai'i time) on Fox.

"Now every game I play, everyone is going to expect an All-American game," Mahelona said. "I'm just overwhelmed. The more awards I get, I start to consider the fact that I'm as good as everyone says I am.

"I still don't think I am, I just make plays."

He said he is excited his picture will go up on the school's "Hall of Fame Wall."

"When you walk into the complex, that's all I see," Mahelona said. "It's for the public to see."

He stressed how much his family and friends in Hawai'i contributed to his success.

"I dedicate this award to Hawai'i and my family and friends and all the people who support me back home," Mahelona said. "There are so many people in Hawai'i who supported me."

[warriorfan808]

sucks man, we could have really used him. I wonder how our team would have been if:

Mahelona came to Hawaii
Maafala never left
Austin Jackson showed up
The Arizona State transfer was able to play.

My guess, we would be at least 9-3

If Ayat wasn't injured in the beginning of the season

10-2

if Nasty never got hurt
West came in in shape and w/o controversy

11-1

If Pearman was able to play the wideout position to strech the defense
if we picked up Maldonado from the Big Isle.

12-0



It's crazy to think what could be done with the type of talent coming out of these islands.

With the 12-0 record, we would have easily passed up Utah and would be playing a BCS game.

[H20]

Whatever. Rough how? Having only 2 losses and 1 coming from undefeated Auburn? Or having your story told on National television like 4 times. Man thats rough. What a joke. It was rough but all his quotes say how good it is up there and how much everybody loves him. I dont believe he considered it for a second. He said it to make his family happy and so they can say "oh no, Jesse, stay up there, you love it there" and thats it.

[Ldub20]

Damn you Philip Fulmer!

[Kobayashi]

Damn you Philip Fulmer!

we in Alabama like to call him "Fat Phil" or "Krispy Kreme"

[warriorfan808]

Whatever. Rough how? Having only 2 losses and 1 coming from undefeated Auburn? Or having your story told on National television like 4 times. Man thats rough. What a joke. It was rough but all his quotes say how good it is up there and how much everybody loves him. I dont believe he considered it for a second. He said it to make his family happy and so they can say "oh no, Jesse, stay up there, you love it there" and thats it.

I think it was difficult for him because his uncle having the heart attack and friend dying in a car crash. Other than that, Tenn has been a good experience for him.

[H20]

Unless I'm missing it, that would have been helpful to put in the article.