I think a lot of people always compare us to those two. It’s a challenge for both of us. I don’t know how Lowell feels about it but I feel it’s a challenge to do better than my dad and he’s actually wanted me to do better than him. So hopefully I can. – Filipo Mokofisi
SALT LAKE CITY — Although Lowell Lotulelei and Filipo Mokofisi have impressive lineages in the program, the defensive linemen are making names for themselves with the Utah Utes.
The sophomores — one the younger brother of former Utah All-American Star Lotulelei, the other the son of 1984 Western Athletic Conference defensive player of the year Filipo Mokifisi Sr. — are ticketed to be the Utes’ starters at tackle this season.
Lowell acknowledged that the legacy is accompanied by heavy expectations.
“Everybody knows Filipo’s dad and Star made himself a name here, too,” he said. “So I think that definitely there is some pressure, just because we’re younger and we know that we need to step up and kind of represent the name, too.”
The younger Mokofisi also noted it isn’t easy to fill big shoes.
“I think a lot of people always compare us to those two. It’s a challenge for both of us,” he said. “I don’t know how Lowell feels about it but I feel it’s a challenge to do better than my dad and he’s actually wanted me to do better than him. So hopefully I can.”
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham explained that both Lotulelei and Mokofisi are doing quite well on their own.
“Lowell is his own man. Star was a great player here but Lowell is not Star and Star is not Lowell. They’ve both got their strengths and they both have things that they’re very good at,” Whittingham said. “Lowell’s making a name for himself. He got a good start on that as a true freshman. He started most of the season for us and he’s a year more experienced and stronger than he was last year physically. So we expect him to be a very, very good defensive lineman in this league.”
Whittingham added that the Mokofisi situation is a little different because of the timeline involved — the generation gap between a father-and-son and brothers. Even so, Whittingham called both Filipo Sr., and Jr., “excellent players.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, though, isn’t accompanied by regret. Mokofisi is glad he chose to do so. His father has been very supportive.
“He’s told me many times that I don’t have to worry about that pressure that I have,” Mokofisi said. “But it’s still there in the back of my head that I have to beat my dad out, you know, I’ve got to beat him out on this play and this play and all that.”
It’s a healthy obsession, of sorts.
“Actually I like the challenge. It’s actually pretty cool,” Mokofisi said with a smile. “He had the same path as me at the U., but hopefully I can cement my name in there but have a ‘Junior’ at the end. I don’t have to get mixed up with my dad and all that.”
Lotulelei can relate.
“Yeah definitely. I think we’re kind of in the same situation, but we do want to make a name for ourselves, especially coming up here just because everybody knows our relatives,” he said. “But it’s kind of nice to know that everybody knows you, too.”
Lotulelei seeks advice from his older sibling on a regular basis.
“I kind of text him every now and then. He’ll just let me ask questions,” Lowell said. “I’ll just see if I have any concerns about techniques or whatever — especially since he came through the same place, he kind of knows the scheme that’s here.”
Although initially worried about following Star to Utah, Lotulelei wound up feeling comfortable with it.
“He was such a big name when he was here. So I kind of thought maybe I should just go somewhere else, try to make my own name somewhere else,” Lowell said. “But I think at the end of the day it was the right choice. I’m glad I’m here, especially because I think it’s a benefit to me that he was here. H’s kind of paved the road for me. I just have to come in here and do my own work.”
Lotuelei, who is 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds, played in all 13 games last season (starting nine) as a true freshman. He wound up with 33 tackles with 4.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, including four sacks.
Mokofisi redshirted his first season and began to bulk up his 6-foot-3 frame. Now at 280, he’s added 60 pounds since joining the program. As a freshman in 2014, Mokofisi appeared in all 13 games and made two starts. He made 17 tackles with three for a loss and 1.5 sacks.
“It’s hard to remember that these guys are young,” said defensive coordinator John Pease, who added that they’re probably going to make some mistakes but emphasized that both guys are very smart players.
Pease, ironically, coached the older Mokofisi with the New Orleans Saints back in the day.
Lotulelei and Mokofisi are part of a five-man rotation the Utes plan to employ on the interior defensive line. Senior Seni Fauonuku, junior Stevie Tu’ikolovatu and junior Pasoni Tasini are the others.
“We feel like we have five guys that we’ve identified that are ready to play right now,” said Whittingham, who explained that it's hard for 300-pound linemen to play 90-100 snaps against the high-tempo offenses the Utes face. “So we have the luxury to roll through five guys at that defensive tackle spot.”
Aside from the graduated Sese Ianu, everybody is back from a year ago.
“We think they’re good,” Whittingham said.
Pease, who oversees Utah’s defensive line, feels the same way.
“When they’re clicking, hustling and on top of everything and their attention is really good, we can be pretty good. I like them,” he said. “We’ve got some nice guys in there.”
The group, Mokofisi pointed out, has trust in one another.
We’re all interchangeable — all five of us — and I think it’s great to have that depth at that position,” he continued. “Because we’re going to be facing a lot of up-tempo offenses and a lot of fast offenses.”
Lotulelei, who was a Freshman All-American, also believes the Utes will be up to speed. He noted that the defensive front has more experience and Pease has come in and helped everyone out.
“The interior is always good here but I think this year we have a special group,” Lotulelei said. “I think we’ll do good this year.”
Speaking of the defense as a whole, Whittingham noted that time will tell how strong the Utes will be.
“Potentially it could be very, very good. But we’ve got to get out and stop somebody,” he said. “Until we line up against an opponent, it’s really hard to gauge exactly where you’re at — but personnel-wise we feel that we’ve got a lot of talented guys, a lot of depth on that side of the ball.”
EXTRA POINTS: The Utes did not practice Monday, opting to conduct its mock game-day drill instead . . . There were no changes to the depth chart this week . . . The annual U. Fan Fest is set for Saturday from 5-7 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Parking and admission is free.
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