Mike Iupati
Encyclopedia
Michael Iupati is an American football
guard
for the San Francisco 49ers
of the NFL
. A native of American Samoa
, Iupati was raised in Garden Grove, California
, and played college football
at Idaho
. He was selected 17th overall by the 49ers in the 2010 NFL Draft
.
, California
, where he began playing football under the guidance of Odell Harrington, the school's half-Samoan football coach. His first chances to play came in his sophomore year, when senior Fili Moala
injured his foot two games into the season. Playing lineman on both sides of the ball, Iupati received all-state and all-conference honors and served as a team captain. As a junior, he had 80 tackles and 12 sacks and earned a first team All-CIF selection. He also competed in wrestling and track.
Considered only a two-star recruit by both Rivals.com
and Scout.com
, Iupati was not ranked among the best offensive lineman prospects in the nation. Further he struggled academically, caused by a language barrier, as English is his second language. Not having a high enough SAT score or sufficient grades, Iupati was planning to attend junior college
until Johnny Nansen saw him in 2005, at a junior college's barbecue
hosted for potential recruits. Nansen, then an assistant at Idaho
under head coach Nick Holt
, offered him a spot with the Vandals the next day and spent considerable time trying to convince Iupati and his family that the WAC
school on the Palouse
was a better choice than junior college.
or financial aid. His family took out a loan to pay out-of-state tuition and room and board for his first year. He joined the Vandals football team in 2006, Iupati saw action in a backup role as a redshirt
freshman under head coach Dennis Erickson
. As a sophomore in 2007
, he started all 12 games at left guard and became an impact player on the line for the struggling Vandals, under first-year head coach Robb Akey
.
Iupati had off-season shoulder surgery and did not return to the lineup until the third game of the 2008 season
. He went on to start eight of the 10 games in which he played. He earned second team All-WAC
recognition in his junior year. For the 2009 season
, Iupati was named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy
and the Lombardi Award
. He was listed at No. 9 on Rivals.com
′s preseason interior lineman power ranking.
During the 2009 season
, Iupati started all 12 games at left guard, played 807 snaps and had 49 knockdowns and 21 pancake blocks. He did not allow a quarterback sack
and just five defensive players he has blocked have even pressured quarterbacks Nathan Enderle or Brian Reader. He helped the Vandals record their first winning season since 1999, and their first bowl game
win since 1998
, as they beat the Bowling Green Falcons
43–42 in the Humanitarian Bowl
.
On November 24, 2009, Iupati was named one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy
, alongside Russell Okung
and winner Ndamukong Suh
. Iupati was a consensus 2009 All-American
and also named first team All-WAC. He was the first Idaho Vandal to receive All-American honors since Jerry Kramer
in 1957
(honorable mention), and the first All-American from the WAC
since Ryan Clady
in 2007
.
. According to several scouts he projected as a late first or early second round selection. The Sporting News
′ Russ Lande reported that "nearly every scout who has evaluated Iupati on film says he has the footwork and athleticism to be an NFL left tackle." According to Sports Illustrated
's Tony Pauline Iupati was "the highest-rated guard since Steve Hutchinson," whom the Seattle Seahawks
selected with the 17th pick in the 2001 NFL Draft
.
To prepare for the NFL Combine
, Iupati relocated to Irvine
and worked with former NFL lineman Jackie Slater at least four days a week, at both guard and tackle. By the time of the combine, Iupati was ranked as high as 15th best player overall on several draft boards as well as the only guard projected to go in the first two rounds by NFLDraftScout.com. Though Iupati only scored a 13 on the Wonderlic intelligence test, it didn't stop the San Francisco 49ers from selecting Iupati in the 1st round with the 17th pick overall. He is the highest selected Idaho Vandal since Ray McDonald
went 13th overall to the Washington Redskins
in the 1967 NFL Draft
.
was injured in training camp.
Iupati had a strong start to the 2010 season, not committing a penalty, or allowing a sack until Week 5. He made valuable contributions to the 49ers' running game, delivering downfield blocks. ESPNs Mike Sandos selected Iupati to his 2010 All-NFC West Team, while the Pro Football Writers Association
named him one of their 2010 NFL All-Rookie selections.
.
Born and raised on American Samoa
, Iupati's family moved to Garden Grove
, California
, after he had finished junior high school.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
for the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. A native of American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, Iupati was raised in Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California. The population was 170,883 at the 2010 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city running east-west. The city is known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H...
, and played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Idaho
Idaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
. He was selected 17th overall by the 49ers in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
.
High school career
Iupati attended Western High School in AnaheimAnaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he began playing football under the guidance of Odell Harrington, the school's half-Samoan football coach. His first chances to play came in his sophomore year, when senior Fili Moala
Fili Moala
Fili Moala is an American football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Colts in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
injured his foot two games into the season. Playing lineman on both sides of the ball, Iupati received all-state and all-conference honors and served as a team captain. As a junior, he had 80 tackles and 12 sacks and earned a first team All-CIF selection. He also competed in wrestling and track.
Considered only a two-star recruit by both Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
and Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
, Iupati was not ranked among the best offensive lineman prospects in the nation. Further he struggled academically, caused by a language barrier, as English is his second language. Not having a high enough SAT score or sufficient grades, Iupati was planning to attend junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
until Johnny Nansen saw him in 2005, at a junior college's barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
hosted for potential recruits. Nansen, then an assistant at Idaho
Idaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
under head coach Nick Holt
Nick Holt
-External links:* - Nick Holt - Assistant Head Coach & Defensive Coordinator - 2009-* - Nick Holt - Defensive Coordinator - 2006-08* - "Holt bolts for Rams," - 07-Feb-2006* "In Holt he trusts." - 19-Aug-2006...
, offered him a spot with the Vandals the next day and spent considerable time trying to convince Iupati and his family that the WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
school on the Palouse
Palouse
The Palouse is a region of the northwestern United States, encompassing parts of southeastern Washington, north central Idaho and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon. It is a major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes...
was a better choice than junior college.
College career
Because of his academic problems, Iupati was ineligible to play and therefore unable to receive a scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
or financial aid. His family took out a loan to pay out-of-state tuition and room and board for his first year. He joined the Vandals football team in 2006, Iupati saw action in a backup role as a redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman under head coach Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
. As a sophomore in 2007
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
, he started all 12 games at left guard and became an impact player on the line for the struggling Vandals, under first-year head coach Robb Akey
Robb Akey
-External links:...
.
Iupati had off-season shoulder surgery and did not return to the lineup until the third game of the 2008 season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
. He went on to start eight of the 10 games in which he played. He earned second team All-WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
recognition in his junior year. For the 2009 season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
, Iupati was named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
and the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
. He was listed at No. 9 on Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
′s preseason interior lineman power ranking.
During the 2009 season
2009 Idaho Vandals football team
The 2009 Idaho Vandals American football team represented the University of Idaho in the 2009 college football season. The Vandals, led by third-year head coach Robb Akey, were members of the Western Athletic Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus...
, Iupati started all 12 games at left guard, played 807 snaps and had 49 knockdowns and 21 pancake blocks. He did not allow a quarterback sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
and just five defensive players he has blocked have even pressured quarterbacks Nathan Enderle or Brian Reader. He helped the Vandals record their first winning season since 1999, and their first bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
win since 1998
1998 Idaho Vandals football team
The 1998 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1998 college football season. The Vandals, led by fourth-year head coach Chris Tormey, were members of the Big West Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow,...
, as they beat the Bowling Green Falcons
2009 Bowling Green Falcons football team
The 2009 Bowling Green Falcons football team represented Bowling Green State University in its 57th season in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons played in the East Division of the conference, and compete each season against five to six divisional opponents, two to three West Division...
43–42 in the Humanitarian Bowl
2009 Humanitarian Bowl
The 2009 Humanitarian Bowl was the thirteenth edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho, on the campus of Boise State University. The game started at 2:30 pm MST on Wednesday, December 30, 2009, and was telecast on ESPN...
.
On November 24, 2009, Iupati was named one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
, alongside Russell Okung
Russell Okung
Russell Okung is an American football offensive tackle with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He played college football with the Oklahoma State Cowboys...
and winner Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
. Iupati was a consensus 2009 All-American
2009 College Football All-America Team
An All-American team is an honorary sports team for a specific season composed of the best amateur players at each position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". Although the honorees generally do not...
and also named first team All-WAC. He was the first Idaho Vandal to receive All-American honors since Jerry Kramer
Jerry Kramer
Gerald Louis "Jerry" Kramer is a former professional football player, author and sports commentator, best remembered for his 11-year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers as an offensive lineman...
in 1957
1957 College Football All-America Team
The 1957 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1957...
(honorable mention), and the first All-American from the WAC
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
since Ryan Clady
Ryan Clady
-Denver Broncos:Following Week 12 of the 2008 NFL season, Peter King of Sports Illustrated said Clady was the third-best rookie overall. On December 12, 2008, Clady won the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award, after his game against the Kansas City Chiefs...
in 2007
2007 College Football All-America Team
The 2007 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
.
2010 NFL Draft
Iupati was considered one of the best offensive guard prospects available in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. According to several scouts he projected as a late first or early second round selection. The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
′ Russ Lande reported that "nearly every scout who has evaluated Iupati on film says he has the footwork and athleticism to be an NFL left tackle." According to Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
's Tony Pauline Iupati was "the highest-rated guard since Steve Hutchinson," whom the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
selected with the 17th pick in the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
.
To prepare for the NFL Combine
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
, Iupati relocated to Irvine
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
and worked with former NFL lineman Jackie Slater at least four days a week, at both guard and tackle. By the time of the combine, Iupati was ranked as high as 15th best player overall on several draft boards as well as the only guard projected to go in the first two rounds by NFLDraftScout.com. Though Iupati only scored a 13 on the Wonderlic intelligence test, it didn't stop the San Francisco 49ers from selecting Iupati in the 1st round with the 17th pick overall. He is the highest selected Idaho Vandal since Ray McDonald
Ray McDonald (running back)
Ray Douglas McDonald was a professional American football player, a running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins for two seasons, from 1967-68....
went 13th overall to the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in the 1967 NFL Draft
1967 NFL Draft
The 1967 National Football League Draft was part of the Common Draft in the first year in which the NFL and AFL held a joint draft of college players on March 14–15.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
.
San Francisco 49ers
On July 30, Iupati signed with the 49ers and reportedly received a five-year contract worth $18.25 million with $10.8 million guaranteed. He has worked with the 49ers' first-string offense at left guard since David BaasDavid Baas
David Andrew Baas is an American football Guard/Center for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
was injured in training camp.
Iupati had a strong start to the 2010 season, not committing a penalty, or allowing a sack until Week 5. He made valuable contributions to the 49ers' running game, delivering downfield blocks. ESPNs Mike Sandos selected Iupati to his 2010 All-NFC West Team, while the Pro Football Writers Association
Pro Football Writers Association
Technically known as the Pro Football Writers of America, this organization purports to be "The official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public." Goals of the organization include improving access to practices and locker rooms,...
named him one of their 2010 NFL All-Rookie selections.
Personal
Mike Iupati is the son of Aposetolo and Belinda Iupati. He has two brothers and one sister. His younger brother Andrew plays defensive tackle for the Oregon DucksOregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
.
Born and raised on American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, Iupati's family moved to Garden Grove
Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California. The population was 170,883 at the 2010 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city running east-west. The city is known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, after he had finished junior high school.