Eti Ena new Dline Coach at New Mexico St

[kapakahi]

As a special guest on the Brotherhood Show radio broadcast, Timmy indicated that Eti Ena has been selected as the DT Assistant Coach. Was the Associate HC & DC for Eastern Washington University (EWU). Prior to EWU, Ena coached DTs at Cal Poly on the same defensive staff as both Jacob Yoro (DC) & Josh Brown (safeties coach).

https://twitter.com/Coach_Ena
https://goeags.com/sports/football/rost ... ti-ena/395
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/ ... elationsh/

https://twitter.com/ESPNHonolulu/status/1493383807491211265

https://twitter.com/ESPNHonolulu/status/1493828578244366336

[Irse]

Nice pickup. Timmy is putting together a pretty good staff.

[uhwarriors]

Nice pickup. Timmy is putting together a pretty good staff.

For having to put together a staff so late in the annual coaching change cycle, the staff looks good. FCS power Eastern Washington must not be happy since we got both their OC and DC. I wouldn't be surprised if we get a transfer or two from Eastern Washington.

[My3Cats]

Welcome to the Warrior Ohana coach Ena!

[RedZone]

Nice. Worth the wait.

[My3Cats]

"Selected", but I guess contract not signed yet?

[Shoko]

Hope the run defense becomes a strength next season. There were times, in my opinion, the DL were too easily pushed back by a seasoned offensive line opening lanes for the NFL sized backs to run amok.

[Palolo_2LA]

Hope the run defense becomes a strength next season. There were times, in my opinion, the DL were too easily pushed back by a seasoned offensive line opening lanes for the NFL sized backs to run amok.

That's been true for decades. DL has always been suspect against mediocre and especially better teams. Even when we had "studs",against better teams we were trampled.

[RedZone]

Hope the run defense becomes a strength next season. There were times, in my opinion, the DL were too easily pushed back by a seasoned offensive line opening lanes for the NFL sized backs to run amok.

That's been true for decades. DL has always been suspect against mediocre and especially better teams. Even when we had "studs",against better teams we were trampled.

Same seemed to be for the oline.

[uhwarriors]

Hope the run defense becomes a strength next season. There were times, in my opinion, the DL were too easily pushed back by a seasoned offensive line opening lanes for the NFL sized backs to run amok.

That's been true for decades. DL has always been suspect against mediocre and especially better teams. Even when we had "studs",against better teams we were trampled.

We only lost our entire DL from last year. If we had Laulu and Tavai returning, we might have been solid. But we lost both of them through the portal. Laulu went to Oklahoma and Tavai to San Diego State. Thanks TG. The other starter, Tonga completed his super senior season. I'm not real hopeful that the DL will be really good next year. I do think Ena is a big upgrade over last year's DL coach, but it doesn't look like he'll the horses.

[kapakahi]

Hope the run defense becomes a strength next season. There were times, in my opinion, the DL were too easily pushed back by a seasoned offensive line opening lanes for the NFL sized backs to run amok.

That's been true for decades. DL has always been suspect against mediocre and especially better teams. Even when we had "studs",against better teams we were trampled.

We only lost our entire DL from last year. If we had Laulu and Tavai returning, we might have been solid. But we lost both of them through the portal. Laulu went to Oklahoma and Tavai to San Diego State. Thanks TG. The other starter, Tonga completed his super senior season. I'm not real hopeful that the DL will be really good next year. I do think Ena is a big upgrade over last year's DL coach, but it doesn't look like he'll have the horses.

Part-time starter D'Juan Matthews also completed his super senior season along with Derek Thomas. Also lost DL contributors Alema Kapoi (to graduation) and Zacchaeus McKinney (to the transfer portal - Texas State). Also lost scholarship DEs Mason Mata'afa (for personal family reasons) and Gabriel Iniguez Jr. (to the transfer portal - CCSF). Blessman Ta'ala is the only returning DL part-time starter.

Just hoping that rotation DE O'tay Baker and NG/DT John Tuitupou return....and that UH can sign at least a handful more new DL (in addition to 2022 HS signees Briski & Finau) for this coming season.

[gpmcconnell]

We really need a few solid DL transfers but I don’t think many are available.

[SundayJam]

Defensive Line 6'4" 240 lbs: O'tay Baker Senior Mesquite, Texas Mesquite HS Tyler Junior College

Defensive Line 6'2" 235 lbs: Tariq Jones Redshirt Freshman New Orleans, La. McDonogh 35 HS

Defensive Lineman 6'1" 245 lbs: Ezra Evaimalo Sophomore Wai'anae, O’ahu Kamehameha Schools- Kapalama

Defensive Line 6'1" 300 lbs: Blessman Ta’ala Senior Aua, American Samoa Faga’itua HS

Defensive Line 6'3" 230 lbs: Mark Blocker II Junior Los Angeles, Calif. Lawndale HS

Defensive Line 6'1" 230 lbs: Andrew Choi Senior Honolulu, O‘ahu Kaiser HS

Defensive Lineman 6'4" 300 lbs: John Tuitupou Senior Vaitogi, American Samoa Kalaheo HS East Los Angeles College

Defensive Line 6'3" 240 lbs: Zach Ritner Senior Mission Viejo, Calif. Capistrano Valley HS

https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/foot ... t=position

The DL looks pretty good to me. With Blessman returning as the anchor, the rest will sort itself out, especially with a good position coach. Welcome, Coach Ena!

[kapakahi]

Defensive Line 6'4" 240 lbs: O'tay Baker Senior Mesquite, Texas Mesquite HS Tyler Junior College

Defensive Line 6'2" 235 lbs: Tariq Jones Redshirt Freshman New Orleans, La. McDonogh 35 HS

Defensive Lineman 6'1" 245 lbs: Ezra Evaimalo Sophomore Wai'anae, O’ahu Kamehameha Schools- Kapalama

Defensive Line 6'1" 300 lbs: Blessman Ta’ala Senior Aua, American Samoa Faga’itua HS

Defensive Line 6'3" 230 lbs: Mark Blocker II Junior Los Angeles, Calif. Lawndale HS

Defensive Line 6'1" 230 lbs: Andrew Choi Senior Honolulu, O‘ahu Kaiser HS

Defensive Lineman 6'4" 300 lbs: John Tuitupou Senior Vaitogi, American Samoa Kalaheo HS East Los Angeles College

Defensive Line 6'3" 240 lbs: Zach Ritner Senior Mission Viejo, Calif. Capistrano Valley HS

https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/foot ... t=position

The DL looks pretty good to me. With Blessman returning as the anchor, the rest will sort itself out, especially with a good position coach. Welcome, Coach Ena!

Returning just two (2) DL (Ta'ala & maybe Tuitupou) weighing at least 250 lbs [after losing six (6) stalworths (Kapoi, Matthews, McKinney, Laulu, Tavai, Tonga) who all weighed at least 270 lbs] while adding only true frosh DL (Briski & Finau) doesn't bode well for the DL to effectively defend against the run this coming season (especially against Michigan, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah State & Wyoming)....which is why Timmy is still proactively attempting to secure interior DL transfers (either JC and/or portal) who Coach Ena can prepare to get ready to contribute immediately this coming season.

[My3Cats]

Yup. Need the beef in the middle of the D-Line.