The Monroe High School football team now has two former Seattle Seahawks players on its coaching staff.
Manu Tuiasosopo, who played for the Seahawks from 1979-83, has been named the Bearcats’ defensive-line coach.
“I’ve known him for seven or eight years, and when I got the job (in 2015), he was the first guy I called. I checked in with him every year, and this year he was good to go,” said Monroe head coach Michael Bumpus, who played for the Seahawks in 2008. “He can take our defense to the next level. He’s a head coach-caliber type of guy, and I’m thankful to have him on our staff.”
Bumpus and Tuiasosopo were part of the Redmond football team’s coaching staff from 2010-13.
Tuiasosopo, a defensive lineman, played at UCLA, was a first-round draft pick of the Seahawks in 1979 and finished his career with the San Francisco 49ers from 1984-86.
“Just being around someone of that pedigree (will help our players),” Bumpus said. “Our kids may not remember him playing, but they still know his name through (the achievements of his) children and reputation. He demands respect. When he gets up there and starts talking about Rose Bowls and Super Bowls, that grabs their attention. He’s got a presence about him.”
According to Tuiasosopo’s LinkedIn page, he also served stints as an assistant football coach at Redmond (1988-90), Rainier Beach (1991-92), Juanita (1992-94) and Woodinville (2007-09), and was the athletic director at Skyline from 1998-2000.
“If you didn’t know Manu, you’d think he’s a serious type of guy. That was my first impression,” Bumpus said. “He is business first, but he can loosen up and have fun. He has found a way to get his point across to this generation of young men. They’re receptive to his coaching. When I hired him, I told him I needed him to set the tone with the defense and the team in general. He’s the tone-setter.”
The Bearcats finished the 2016 season with a 9-2 record and advanced to the first round of the Class 4A state tournament.
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