From left, Talanoa Hufanga, Tuli Tuipulotu and Marlon Tuipulotu give the “T” signal, a celebratory tribute to Tonga, during Tuli’s NFL draft party. “My pop’s,” Tuipulotu said, “a pretty humble dude.” Until Tuipulotu was born, his family didn’t know if he would arrive as a boy or a girl because they valued the surprise of it all. “I can understand …
USC linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu gets to stay in town after being selected by the Chargers in the second round of the NFL draft Friday. The team drafted two defenders from Los Angeles, taking USC edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu in the second round and Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley in the third. Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley, drafted by the Chargers …
USC linebacker Shane Lee runs back an interception against Rice on Sept. 3 at the Coliseum. “I’m for sure playing in the bowl game,” Tuipulotu said. “Can’t leave my brothers out there.” After leading the nation in sacks, it’s unlikely that Tuipulotu’s draft stock would rise much higher with another season at USC. When the time comes to make the …
USC’s Tuli Tuipulotu was named the Pac-12 Conference defensive player of the year. After a stellar turnaround season at USC, the Pac-12 Conference anointed two Trojans, quarterback Caleb Williams and defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu, as its offensive and defensive players of the year, while the coach who engineered that return to prominence was snubbed. Tuipulotu is the second USC player …
He has heard the word many times over many months and tried as hard as he might to live up to its weighty label, but eight games into a standout junior season, Tuli Tuipulotu still isn’t entirely comfortable acknowledging it out loud. Still, since the spring, when USC’s new staff first identified him as an ideal leader for its revamped …
Vic So’oto has spent a lot of time this spring talking about culture. And “now,” he said, “I gotta teach him technique.” “He’s the one that you look at the roster and say, ‘This guy should be it,’ ” So’oto said of Pili. “With him, it’s showing that he can do it day in and day out and fighting off …