Punahou junior linebacker Maninoa Tufono, the No. 48 overall prospect in the class of 2019 according to 247Sports.com, has narrowed down his college options.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound inside linebacker, rated No. 3 overall at his position according to the same rankings, announced on Twitter on Sunday the 14 schools still in the running out of the 37 that have offered him.
They are Idaho State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Florida, Washington, Stanford, LSU, Notre Dame, Texas, Florida State, Southern California, UCLA, Texas A&M and Oregon.
Trusting the process and enjoying the journey…🎯
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•#GodisGreat⚜️#4PD💜 pic.twitter.com/H6BdpBZBhi— 5🌹 (@maninoa_tufono) May 7, 2018
The one FCS school to make the cut, Idaho State, is where his brother, Jack, plays football as an offensive lineman.
Tufono’s father, Albert, an ‘Iolani alumnus, played football at the University of Washington from 1983 to ’87.
Notable schools not to make the cut include Utah, Hawaii, Oklahoma and Penn State.
No UH Rainbow🌈 Warriors??? No can with these kids.
fight on! at usc!
I seen the faddah play for the Iolani Red Raiders. Him and his older brother Loimata were stalwarts on Iolani’s D line. They totally shut down Waianae in the 1980 Prep Bowl. So how did Jack-Eli and Maninoa ever end up playing for the rival school?! Who knows?
I wish he had University of Hawaii added to his list just as a courtesy for being raised on this island. We all know he not going UH, but still would be a nice gesture from him and his family.
Just my opinion: Unless our University of Hawaii Warrior football team moved into the PAC12 conference, “just maybe”, our top local kids will stay home and play for their State University.
Looks like another kid, Tufono, has shunned the University of Hawaii. That’s okay with me. But I don’t want any kid that goes away be given top billing by our StarAdvertiser sport section. That should be reserve for local kids, mainland kids or elsewhere that love Hawaii and love our Warrior football team be given the Sports headline. Local fans care about these kids and not a kid that is going to play for a mainland college team.
StarAdvertiser sports section headline with lots of pictures of kids committed to our Warrior football team. Those local kids that would rather go away, their news should be in the third or fourth page of the StarAdvertiser sport section.
Everybody always complaining about local kids not “staying home”… and then same people complain when UH “doesn’t recruit local talent.”
Can’t have it both ways – UH has to do what’s best for them…and the kids gotta do what’s best for them.
And until UH starts showing a real commitment to producing a top tier product, never the twain shall meet.
k…pau.
Good luck with this kid wherever he goes; since he doesn’t want to go to UH, I think he would be a good addition to NOTRE DAME…but I digress.
I agree regarding the newspaper, for the kids who don’t want to stay home and not even consider UH, their recruiting shouldn’t be the top news.
RRFL!!
”Just my opinion: Unless our University of Hawaii Warrior football team moved into the PAC12 conference, “just maybe”, our top local kids will stay home and play for their State University.
Looks like another kid, Tufono, has shunned the University of Hawaii. That’s okay with me. But I don’t want any kid that goes away be given top billing by our StarAdvertiser sport section. That should be reserve for local kids, mainland kids or elsewhere that love Hawaii and love our Warrior football team be given the Sports headline. Local fans care about these kids and not a kid that is going to play for a mainland college team.
StarAdvertiser sports section headline with lots of pictures of kids committed to our Warrior football team. Those local kids that would rather go away, their news should be in the third or fourth page of the StarAdvertiser sport section.”
They should be the one with headline cause they are looking for better opportunities. I think you got it backward! What if its your son and was offered a scholarship to Alabama? Would you still send him UH?
No the problem is look at what happens with the kids that stay at UH???
Wheres Megatron? Answer: Not living up to his potential (You could still do it your amazing).
Wheres Milton? Answer: Being the MAN at UCF, which he would have been a utility player at UH.
Wheres Santiago? Answer: Did nothing these last 2 years only to transfer out to Utah or Oregon
UH needs to make sure when you get top prospects of Hawaii coming your way that they actually take care of these guys…
Manunia Tufono and his family owes nothing to the University of Hawaii!! What good is putting Hawaii as one of his choices even though we all know he is going to play football on the mainland. Kind gestures for what? And as for these idiots saying don’t give him press because he’s going away to play. Let’s give it to the local boys who’s staying home! Hello! Star advertiser can print whatever they want! Besides he is born and raised in Hawaii. What happens if he makes All American and gets drafted in the 1st round? Everybody gonna be jumping on the Tufono Bandwagon! The simple thing to do is support all local boys going away to play! It’s not what’s best for The Hawaii fans but what is best for Maninoa Tufono and his family! Yes it does suck they don’t stay home and play but such is life. Good luck kid!
In response to 10 @76SOUTH: Who cares? I’m not related to the Tufuno family. I don’t know them, so why would I care if he goes away? As a supporter of the “Home Team”, my only concern is the players that choose to stay home and represent. I don’t agree with the people that say that because you were born or raised here you represent Hawaii no matter where you go. You’re only representing Hawaii if you have the big “H” on your uni. I agree that the home team newspaper should report on all the players that are being recruited but should focus their big articles on the ones staying home. We (if your a fan of the home team) should focus on ways that create a culture that keeps our best players home. We’d be top 10 every year if we did that….
Come to American Samoa and recruit. So much talent here!!