Cougar Athletics
31 NAIA National Championships
99 GSAC Championships
...and counting

THIS YEAR:  The burly yet quick Darrell Tupuola is a primary figure on the Cougar defensive front ... He is a very emotional & exuberant leader on the field... Quite active and persistent ... Rated strong against the run ... Will also form a very power kickoff return wedge.  

2007:  Started all 11 games along the Cougar defensive front during his 2007 junior season, while playing Defensive End in his first appearance at Azusa Pacific ... Was third on the team with 62 tackles (16 solo) at nose guard, which included 5.5 for loss, 3 force fumbles, 3 pass deflections, 1 interception for TD & 1 sack... Registered a career-high 12 tackles a 38-34 victory over Whitworth ... Best overall game came in the Cougars’ 28-21 victory over the NAIA’s No. 23-ranked Malone in which he tallied 10 tackles, including his lone sack of the season, while returning an interception 27 yards for a TD ... Also had 8 tackles and a forced fumble in a victory over Southern Nazarene.   

JUNIOR COLLEGE:  Split his junior college career between Santa Barbara (Calif.) City College and Cerritos (Calif.) College  ... As a 2006 sophomore at Cerritos, tallied 18 tackles, including 3 for loss and recovered 1 fumble for TD for the 3-7 Falcons ... Spent his 2005 freshman season as a defensive end at Santa Barbara City where he also competed in track & field (throws).  

HIGH SCHOOL:  Played 3 seasons of varsity football for head coach Jerry Jaso at state power Long Beach Poly High as a second string linebacker and end ... Was a member of 3 CIF championship and undefeated teams ... Did not play his senior year but committed to the University of Washington in the spring of 2003 and worked out with the Huskies football team at inside linebacker.   

PERSONAL:  Born Nov. 7, 1982, in Long Beach, Calif. ... Majoring in exercise and sport science and would like to go into professional coaching... Is the son of Anna & Sili (stepfather) Eliu ... Paulo Poloa is his father ... Has a brother (Samuel Sili Eliu) and a sister (Tabitha Agnes Eliu) ... His cousin, James Brunt, is a newcomer to the Cougar defensive line.

YEAR    G-GS Tackles TFL Sacks FR
2007   11-11    62   5.5   1    1