Rice-Eccles Stadium has gained a reputation for being a hostile environment. Even in the Pac-12, it is considered one of the tougher venues to play in. Decked out in black for tonight’s game against the UCLA Bruins, the Utah home crowd should be especially intimidating.
But for one UCLA player, the stadium will be full of friends and family. That’s because for Bruins’ offensive lineman Xavier Su’a-Filo, this game is a homecoming.
Su’a-Filo, known as “X” to teammates and coaches, was born in American Fork and helped lead Timpview High School to three consecutive state championships from 2006-2008. At the end of his senior season, rivals.com ranked Su’a-Filo the No. 1 high school football player in Utah.
It was clear Su’a-Filo had a bright future in football, and he was recruited by many of the nation’s top programs, including LSU, Stanford and USC. He also made visits to BYU and Utah, the schools he grew up cheering for.
Although playing close to home was definitely appealing to Su’a-Filo, in the end, UCLA was the best fit.
“It was just a gut feeling,” he said. “I was praying a lot about it. I had great choices, and it was a tough decision. I have so much respect for Coach [Whittingham] and his program at Utah, and I really considered playing there, but in the end I went with what felt right.”
Su’a-Filo began his career at UCLA in 2009 and became the first Bruin offensive player in school history to start every game as a true freshman. At season’s end, he was the co-winner of the team’s Rookie of the Year award.
Su’a-Filo then left sunny Los Angeles and football behind for two years to serve a Spanish-speaking mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Florida and Alabama. Upon his return to UCLA in 2012, Su’a-Filo was met by a new head coach in Jim Mora, who was leading a very different program than the one Su’a-Filo left behind. He adjusted quickly and was named a team captain in his sophomore campaign.
Su’a-Filo is known for finishing blocks up front and using his speed to get downfield and make additional blocks to get running backs extra yardage.
“[Su’a-Filo] is very important on the field, but his importance doesn’t just end there,” Mora said Tuesday. “He has a great influence on this team. Everyone has a great amount of respect for him. He practices hard every day, and he plays hard every week. He’s a great influence on our young players.”
Now a junior, Su’a-Filo is returning home tonight to play football in Utah for the first time since high school. He is excited to be surrounded by family and friends but remains fixed on the importance of winning UCLA’s first conference game of the year.
“X has the ability to remain focused amid all the stuff that’s going to be going on with him this week, the family coming around,” Mora said. “He has a way of blocking it out and focusing on the task at hand.”
According to Su’a-Filo, if anything, playing in front of loved ones in Rice-Eccles Stadium will help him play better.
“I’ve heard it’s a tough place to play,” he said, “but I’m excited to be in front of my family and friends who support me and just play football. I love it.”