This time last year Tua Tagovailoa was still a lightly used freshman backup quarterback largely unknown outside of Hawaii and hardcore University of Alabama football faithful.
But that changed quickly on Jan. 8, 2018, when he went from the bench to College Football Playoff championship savior.
In rallying the Crimson Tide to a 26-23 overtime victory over Georgia with three touchdown passes and remarkable poise, Tagovailoa became the determined face of an illustrious program.
This year he is a cover subject on Sports Illustrated and regularly featured on ESPN as Alabama looks to the Heisman Trophy runner-up to produce another national title.
How the Saint Louis School graduate does Monday against Clemson in the latest title game and, beyond that, whether he can help position the Crimson Tide for yet another run next fall, make him the most watched sports figure in Hawaii, if not college athletics.
Among other quarterback story lines to follow in 2019 will be the developing showdown between incumbent redshirt junior Cole McDonald and freshman challenger Chevan Cordeiro for the University of Hawaii starting job. They each produced victories in the Rainbows’ 8-6 season and run to the Hawaii Bowl.
Then, there is the progress of Mililani High graduate McKenzie Milton from a gruesome knee injury at Central Florida, a school where another Trojans quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, arrives in the fall.
2. Whither big events?
When MMA champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane drew a crowd of 6,500 to Blaisdell Arena for her Bellator homecoming victory last month, it prompted the organization’s CEO to openly consider more events.
“I would definitely love to come back once a year and do something big,” Scott Coker said. “Maybe even twice a year.”
It also posed the question of whether the UFC might take a second, deeper look at bringing one of its events here to headline its featherweight champion, Max Holloway of Waianae.
After meeting with state officials in their Las Vegas headquarters, UFC officials submitted a proposal last year to hold an August 2018 card at Aloha Stadium, provided the Hawaii Tourism Authority anted up a $6 million sponsorship fee.
The HTA offered a counter proposal of $1 million, which was denounced by UFC head Dana White.
Holloway’s one-sided victory over Brian Ortega last month in Canada raised new hopes the parties might talk further.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams have struck a deal with the HTA to play an exhibition game at Aloha Stadium this summer. Depending on how that event fares, it could open the way for additional games here by the Rams or other teams.
The HTA and the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA have partnered on two years of exhibitions and word is awaited if that deal will be continued.
In addition, local businessman Duane Kurisu brought a group of Major League Baseball all-stars to Les Murakami Stadium for workouts on their way to Japan in November with the hope of possibly bringing some games here in the future.
3. Surfing comeback.
For the first time in four years a Hawaii surfer did not claim the world championship on either the World Surf League men’s or women’s championship tours in 2018.
John John Florence, who won consecutive world titles in 2016 and ‘17, missed the final six events due to a knee injury and finished 35th in the point rankings.
Carissa Moore, a three-time world champion who last won the crown in 2015, finished third in 2018.
Sebastian Zietz (14) and Ezekiel Lau (20) were the only Hawaii surfers in the men’s top 20, while Malia Manuel finished ninth in the women’s rankings. Tatiana Weston-Webb of Kauai, but now competing for Brazil, was fourth.
They will try to lift their performances heading toward qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the first Olympiad where surfing will be an official sport.
