Lofa Tatupu Arrives

On Saturday of the 2005 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks picked up the phone and made a call to the Carolina Panthers. That call resulted in the Seattle Seahawks moving up to the 45^th overall pick and sending the Panthers their 54^th, their 121^st, and the 126^th selections.  They wasted no time once the trade was made in making their selection – Southern Cal’s Lofa Tatupu.

The Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes made no secret about his feelings for selecting Lofa, “Yes, we targeted him; we felt he was a young man we needed. We have talked about bringing in linebackers this year, and he was one of the kids we had targeted early before the draft.”

Growing up, Lofa had the chance to witness the NFL first hand from his father, Mosi Tatupu. Mosi was a fan favorite at fullback and on special teams for the New England Patriots. He not only was he able to learn from his father’s experience in the NFL, but he also was fortunate enough to eventually play football for him.

Lofa was surrounded by several people who helped mold him for the National Football League. Not only was his father able to steer him on the right course, Lofa found himself playing for Pete Carroll at USC. The combination of his father and Coach Carroll is what would help complete Lofa’s dreams – to be a player in the National Football League.

The Seattle Seahawks are enjoying success this season and currently lead their division and are tied with the best record in the NFC. Lofa Tatupu is having quite a rookie campaign thus far and has turned the heads of many people. It’s evident that Mosi Tatupu did more than help complete the player, because beyond Seattle having found themselves a gem of a linebacker, they landed an all around great guy. 

Lofa recently took time out of his schedule to speak with DraftBoardInsider.com about what it was like to grow up with a father who played in the NFL, what it was like playing under the tutelage of Pete Carroll and how it is to play in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks. 

DraftBoardInsider.com:  Growing up, what was it like watching your father play in the NFL and later on, what was it like to play for him?

Lofa Tatupu:  Like anybody whose parent has a job you know, it’s just kind of second nature. I just observed and kind of took it for granted being around it. And then as I got older I realized how special it was and was just thankful that I got the opportunity to learn under him as far as playing for him. So both are just two things I loved as I was growing up.

DBI:  Your father played fullback in the NFL … what advice was he able to offer you to help in your preparations for the NFL? 

LT:  Just as far as what fullbacks try to do … some will high/low you. They will come up and block you high the first time and next time they will take your legs out from under you to keep you guessing. The angles that they try to take it will kind of give the play away -- the inside zone or the stretch outside. So its little things like that that you have to pay attention to that will get you ahead in every play. 

DBI: As a freshman, you played for the University of Maine. What was it that made you decide to transfer to USC?

LT:  Well I wanted to play division one football and it wasn’t just USC in particular. It was any school that would give me a chance and luckily Pete Carroll found me and took a chance on me and I took it and ran with it.

DBI:  You played football for Pete Carroll for two seasons. What was it like to play for him and how did his NFL coaching experience benefit you?

LT:  Oh it was amazing! You know I learned a lot about football. I realized how much I really didn’t know. So everything he had to say, he’s been in the NFL where my dreams were; where I aspired to go. So I just took everything to heart that he had to say and learned a lot about the defense. It’s a very organized program down there and it’s very similar to a NFL program or organization. So that’s why things just kind of fell into place as I made the transition to the NFL.

DBI:  In the two years you played for USC, you led the team in tackling both seasons, and you were a part of back to back National Championship teams. Talk with us, if you will, about what it was like.

LT:  It was a dream come true. It’s so rare that you get a chance to win one National Championship, never mind two, so I’m very very thankful for that experience and just everyday try to get better.  We were able to do some incredible things down there.

DBI:  It seems no matter how many players leave USC the team still manages to stay on top. Have you been able to see any games this year?

LT:  Yea, I’ve seen them – they look great! And that’s just a compliment to how they do as far as coaching. It’s unbelievable and you know Coach Carroll loses some of his coaches every year. They go on to become either coordinators or they go to the NFL or they get their own head coaching jobs. It just speaks volumes about the way he takes this program and what they’re able to do. 

DBI:  Defensive coordinator, Ray Rhodes was hospitalized again this week. Have you or any of your teammates been able to see or talk to him?

LT:   Yea, he’s been around, oh he hasn’t left us. He’s been around telling us what to be working on. I think his role is a little more limited, but yea – he’s still out there helping with the game plan and everything. So it’s not like he’s not around. We’re not missing him – he’s right with us.

DBI:  What has it been like playing for a defensive coordinator like Ray Rhodes?

LT:  Oh it’s great! He’s one to use pressure a lot and just get after teams and I love it. I didn’t do as much blitzing at SC but for the most part I was left in coverage a lot of the times. I had no problem with it because we had such a great D-line and such great schemes under Coach Carroll that I was able to get a lot of lucky picks – right situations, right time, you know, but mostly forced by the pressure. 

DBI:  That had to help you when NFL Scouts were looking at you and saw that you were able to drop into pass coverage like that.

LT:  Yea, I don’t think it’s going to hurt you. But it was an area that I wasn’t really comfortable with all through high school and going into Maine; I was more of a blitzing linebacker. I think that’s why Maine really liked what I could do in that aspect of the game, but when I went over to SC, Coach (Carroll) he had different plans, and he really helped me out with my coverage and the coaches that I had there advanced my skills in that area. 

DBI:    Mike Holmgren is known for offense, but it seems like they’re building a nice young, but solid, defensive unit up their in Seattle. What’s been the mindset of you and the rest of the defensive unit?

LT:  You know you just look at it; it’s the number one offense in the league. So just as a defense you don’t mess things up but really you just get the ball back in their hands as soon as possible. There’s so many weapons on that side and just have fun with it. You see a lot of guys getting excited about a lot of guys making plays and you just come together as a team and have fun with the experience of playing together.

DBI:  Ken Hamlin was involved in an unfortunate event outside of football. Since the incident Mike Holmgren has forbidden any players to go into clubs. Can you talk to us about what went through you mind when you heard what happened, and how is Ken Hamlin now?

LT:  It’s just an unbelievable and unforeseeable accident that happened. Your heart goes out to Kenny. He was a victim in that whole situation, but he’s doing well. We saw him today at practice, so he looks like he’s back to his normal self – out there having fun with us, joking around. He was just out there watching, but you just pray for his recovery, and as you said it was a terrible thing that happened.

DBI:  You guys quietly lead your division and your record currently has you tied for the best record in the NFC. To what do you owe the success you’ve had thus far, as a team?

LT:  I would say just the focus of the team. Everybody just wants to win here and I think that’s more than evident from top to bottom in this organization – it’s “just get the win.” You can always go back and fix things when you win, but when you lose it’s just a depressing feeling and we don’t want to feel that.

DBI:  You played at such a high level and for such a great program in college. What was your immediate thought on the first day of practice as a rookie in the NFL?

LT:  They stuck me under the ones and I just didn’t want to mess things up …  just try to get everything set up and run the defense as it should be.

DBI:   As a starting rookie middle linebacker in the NFL, what would you say has been the hardest thing to overcome?

LT:  The hardest thing to overcome … I got asked this question before and it stumped me then. There’s a lot of things that have had their share of just being complicated for you. But with the terminology from the playbook to just being out there and trying to really pick up on the offensive coordinators tendencies because it varies from week to week.  I’m not gonna say they set up the same plays in their package, as far as what they’re running, but they’ll throw a little change up every now and then for you. So just getting ready week in and week out to bring your best game because if you’re not – they’re going to exploit you and it could be a long season for you in that case.

DBI:    You’re about halfway through your rookie campaign; you’re a starter in the NFL. What goals have you set for yourself for this season and beyond?

LT:  Just to be a contributor … you know? I didn’t leave the University of Southern California to sit on the sidelines. I felt that at the very least, I could make some plays on special teams. So, with that I just came out here with a good attitude of wanting to play and just showing my love of the game. Just continue to take it one day at a time and try not to reset the goal even though it’s the halfway point. Just keep doing what’s been working and just keep getting the wins most importantly.

He just wanted to be a contributor on this Seattle team, but he managed to do more than that. From day one he was working with the starting unit and never left that post. A little more then halfway through his rookie season, he had already compiled some nice numbers:  49 solo tackles with 13 assists and 3 sacks. I’d say he’s doing more than merely contributing, he’s building for the future – his and his team’s.

His name is beginning to be heard throughout the league as people take notice to the play of Lofa Tatupu. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King wrote this about him, “Lofa Tatupu rocks. Learn about him. There aren’t five middle linebackers playing any better right now.” I happen to agree and if you’ve seen this kid play you’d be hard pressed not to agree yourself. 

Seattle knew who they wanted and made sure they got him. While everyone else talked about the bigger names to come out of the draft, Lofa is quietly showing week in and week out what all the other teams missed when they passed on him. 

Not only is he a good guy that seems would be happy to sit around talking football with you for hours, but Lofa Tatupu is a force to be reckoned with; and in my opinion, is on his way to being one of the next best middle linebackers in this league. His play is that of a man out there living his dream and having fun while doing it. Remember his name; you will be hearing it more as the season progresses and don’t be surprised to hear him voted as this year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.