Legend Matautia is now a Torero.
Just don’t ask him what a Torero is. The Punahou senior committed to the University of San Diego on Sunday, completing a process that began in late fall with one assistant coach and finished with another.
“First, it was Coach Corey (White), but he’s at New Mexico now. Then it was my position coach,” Matautia said on Monday morning. “I reached out them toward the end of football season and they started hitting me back. I talked with Coach Kale (Ane) and sent my transcript, and they offered me.”
But what is a Torero?
“A Torero, I honestly don’t know,” he said.
A Torero is a bullfighter, unlike a matador, who kills bulls.
There will be no bull fights for Matautia, though he is strong enough to knock anyone down in the trenches. The 6-foot, 240-pound linebacker has a 3.5 grade-point average, which fits in nicely with USD. He is projected to play middle linebacker.
“It feels great. When I went on my visit I wasn’t really expecting much because our team visited (San Diego) before, but this time I actually got to see the classrooms. It’s a beautiful campus, kind of reminds me of Punahou how everything is set up and close together. The view, it’s on a hill, is amazing,” he said. “I hope we actually have a season, all things considered. Coach said we’re not going to go there until August.”
His mother, Marjorie, consistently kept him accountable when he was younger.
“I couldn’t play on Saturday if I didn’t do my school work. She’s not a disciplinarian where I didn’t have freedom, but she made sure I got everything done. If I ever got C’s I couldn’t play,” he said. “My parents (Marjorie and Kasi Togia) are mostly excited about going to Disneyland when they come to my games.”
The COVID-19 lockdown didn’t stop Matautia from staying in shape.
“(USD) hasn’t sent me any workouts, so I’m just working out with friends and family. Sometimes, I’ll lift at my girlfriend’s cousin’s house with her dad (Mighty Isaia). We do everything. He has a squat rack and a bench and some dumbbells,” he said.
His numbers are substantial: 20 reps at 225 pounds on the bench, a bench press max of 380, and a squat max of 450.
“We just run to her cousin’s house to lift instead of driving. It’s a little over a mile. Run or walk, depends on how sore our legs are,” Matautia said.
At home, life has been slow for everyone under the stay-home order.
“Everyone’s adapted well except my baby sister (Princess). She’s 3. Staying in the house all day for her and my nieces and nephews, it’s not for them. They’re kind of going crazy. They get out a little bit,” he said. “We have one class per day, pretty much. We don’t have to go to class on Friday because it’s senior skip day.”
Matautia won three ILH titles and two state championships as a wrestler.
San Diego fun facts
Matautia: “(USD) plays in the PFL. They’ve been undefeated for the past couple years. They have 11 championships. They had a guy sign with the Bucs (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), a QB.”
What NBA team has a connection to San Diego?
Matautia: “Clippers? I don’t know.” (His answer is correct.)
Who’s your favorite San Diego (now Los Angeles) Charger?
Matautia: “Junior Seau, of course. No one else can compare.”
What is San Diego’s best food?
Matautia: “I guess Mexican food. I went up there a couple of times for football. It’s authentic. Burritos, quesadillas and tacos.”
What about menudo (tripe)?
Matautia: “I don’t know. I’m open to new things. It depends if it’s actually good or not.”
What do you want to major in?
Matautia: “I want to major in electrical or mechanical engineering. I would probably try to stay up in the mainland for a while. Find some connections. That’s what they told me on my visit. Even from Punahou I’ve made a lot of connections that could lead to a job opportunity. But I’d stay up there considering how expensive it is to live in Hawaii. I would come back to Hawaii later.”
Lockdown staples
Top 3 shows/movies
1. The Office (Netflix). “I just started that.”
2. Star Wars: Clone Wars (Disney Plus).
3. The Mandalorian (Disney Plus).
Top 3 foods/drinks
1. A&W Root Beer.
2. Top Ramen (shrimp). “I add green onions, Spam, soft-boiled egg.”
Top 3 music
1. Rebel Souljahz
2. Fiji
3. The Green
Lockdown new skill
Matautia: “Nothing new. Maybe some cooking. Making hamburgers. Just a normal burger. In the patty, I put salt and pepper. You got to keep it simple and cook it perfect.”
Shout outs
Matautia: “Shout out to all my boys, Vincent Terrell, Zander Manuel, John Egami.”
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