Tua Tagovailoa may have lost out on the most famous trophy in college football, but he has claimed one that honors his heritage.
Thursday, the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced that Tagovailoa has been named as that organization’s Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. The release states that "[t]he Award is presented annually to the most outstanding Polynesian college football player that epitomizes great ability and integrity,” and has been handed out annually since 2014.
The Hawaiian-born Alabama quarterback was the runner-up in the 2018 Heisman Trophy voting and earned consensus All-American status earlier this week. The true sophomore was also named as the Walter Camp Player of the Year as well as the Maxwell Award winner.
WATCH: Tua Tagovailoa on being named the 2018 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.@Tuaamann @HankSouth247 @BamaOnLine247 @aldotcomSports @sportsiren @Charlie_Potter @dtagovailoa @CecilHurt @JohnGarcia_Jr @SWiltfong247 @BryantDenny_UA @BrandonHuffman @dtagovailoa pic.twitter.com/sAwqkWBbHz
— POLYNESIAN BOWL (@polynesiabowl) December 13, 2018
“On behalf of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Board of Directors, we congratulate Tua on a historic season,” said Polynesian Football Hall of Fame chairman Jesse Sapolu in a statement. “He is a tremendous role model and a source of great pride for Polynesians everywhere.”
Other finalists for this year’s award were Iowa defensive end AJ Epenesa, Notre Dame defensive back Alohi Gilman, Oklahoma offensive lineman Dru Samia and Hawaii wide receiver John Ursua.
Last year’s winner was defensive end Hercules Mata’afa of Washington State.
