Lotulelei’s late-season emergence fortifies Rebels’ linebacker corps

Jimmy Morimoto coached John Lotulelei only for the player's sophomore football season at Baldwin High School in Hawaii, but it was long enough to make a lasting impression.

So when UNLV's coaches decided they needed another linebacker after the 2011 recruiting class was assembled, Morimoto mentioned Lotulelei, who had been passed over on signing day like vegetables at a buffet.

The coaches checked out Lotulelei and realized they had a chance to steal a sleeper prospect.

"Oh, definitely," said Morimoto, UNLV's player personnel director. "We kept that a secret as long as we could."

Lotulelei became a starter late last season, and the senior is listed No. 1 at weakside linebacker as the Rebels prepare for their Aug. 30 season opener against Minnesota at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Lotulelei was third on the team with 60 tackles, three for loss, even though he was a reserve most of the season. He is the Rebels' top returning tackler.

His path to UNLV wasn't a straight one. Lotulelei graduated in 2009 from Baldwin, then went to Merced (Calif.) College for two seasons.

But he was an undersized defensive end - Lotulelei now is 6 feet, 235 pounds - and he knew major colleges wouldn't be interested, no matter how many sacks he piled up. So he switched to linebacker midway through his sophomore season.

Many schools, however, still weren't aware of Lotulelei's ability, even if in his final season he compiled 84 tackles, including 12 for loss and five sacks.

"I made most of my highlights as a D-end, and (college coaches) never saw me as a linebacker," Lotulelei said. "I was lucky to get picked up by UNLV. They saw something."

Morimoto took a chance in passing along word about Lotulelei, but the player took a risk, too. He had rejected offers from several lower-level schools in hopes a major college would reach out.

"Even though he was overlooked, he was a really good player," UNLV coach Bobby Hauck said. "We had high hopes for him, so when he came in last year, he was in our plans. Then the more he played, the better he got."

Lotulelei became a starter in week eight against Boise State, making 13 tackles against the nation's fifth-ranked team. He started four of the final five games, a big achievement for a player who didn't arrive on campus until August.

"That's hard to do, obviously," Hauck said. "It shows he's a good player. He's smart, and he can learn it fast."

Lotulelei is part of an experienced linebackers unit. Junior middle linebacker Tani Maka started eight games last season, and senior Princeton Jackson and junior Tim Hasson - who combined for six starts - are expected to share the strongside spot.

Much is expected of Lotulelei, especially now that he has had a year in UNLV's system. He was the Rebels' defensive representative at Mountain West Conference media days last month.

"I think he's going to continue to improve," Hauck said. "It's big for our team for him to have a good year, and all indications are that's going to happen."

■ NOTES - Redshirt freshman tight end Tyler Bergsten suffered from apparent heat exhaustion at practice Friday. ... The Rebels go into full pads this morning for the first time. UNLV practices at 8 a.m. at Rebel Park, the final chance for the public to see the team in Las Vegas before it leaves for Ely on Sunday.

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.