You’ll hear a familiar name when Alabama lines up with Notre Dame on Friday in the College Football Playoff.
Another Tagovailoa?
This time, he’ll be on the other side of the line wearing a different jersey in the Rose Bowl semifinal.
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa is a defensive lineman at Notre Dame and is a cousin of former Alabama quarterbacks Tua and Taulia Tagovailoa.
So, has there been any family chatter about this game between the Notre Dame lineman and the Miami Dolphins quarterback?
“I haven’t talked to him about the game in general,” Tagovailoa-Amosa said Tuesday, “but I’m sure he has bigger things to worry about, seeing that he’s trying to get into the playoffs. I think they clinched the playoffs, not too sure. But definitely hope and pray that they do well.”
The Notre Dame senior from the same Ewa Beach, Oahu, community as Tua has 17 total tackles and 2.5 sacks this fall after making 22 stops last season, his first as a starter. Tagovailoa-Amosa, who helped Kapolei reach the HHSAA Open Division semifinals as a senior in 2016, was named second-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference. He remembers the star quarterback of the family help with the motivational side of the game.
“He’s definitely just always told us in like little moments just really have trust and have faith in ourselves, have faith in our teammates and above all just don’t let the moment be too big for you,” Tagovailoa-Amosa said. “Everybody’s human. Everybody playing this game brings different traits to the table, and it’s all just about trusting in your craft and just really being in the moment, appreciating the moment that I have to compete. And now we’re looking to the next phase.”
And he’s looking forward to trying to make life difficult for his cousin’s successor Friday in Arlington, Texas.
“If you ever watch, put it in film, like I said, Mac Jones has all day back there,” Tagovailoa-Amosa said. “And I don’t think there’s been a defensive line that has really challenged the pocket. And so it’s just going to be about creating pressure, making opportunities when given the passing situation.”
Casagrande writes for al.com
Hawaii influence
There are five players from Hawaii listed on the rosters of the College Football Playoff semifinalists:
Notre Dame
• Jordan Botelho, freshman DL, Saint Louis: 10 games, four tackles, one touchdown (returned blocked punt)
• Marist Liufau, sophomore LB, Punahou: nine games, two starts, 16 tackles, 0.5 sacks, one fumble recovery
• Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, senior DL, Kapolei: 10 games, nine starts, 17 tackles, six for loss, 2.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries
Alabama
Drew Kobayashi, senior receiver, Saint Louis: Walk-on has not played
Ohio State
Enokk Vimahi, redshirt freshman OL, Kahuku: Four games played