Hawaii lost a good one when defensive tackle Viane Moala decided to transfer and Utah benefitted from the move.
The 6-foot-6, 301-pound monster had a strong final season with the Rainbow Warriors as a sophomore, recording 39 tackles and six tackles for loss, but picked Utah and sat out in 2018. He has worked hard in his year off to improve his game and, good news for Utes fans, he looks like Leki Fotu out there with that big body.
Although he may not have a breakout season, his strong spring had to earn him a spot on the two-deep depth chart for the upcoming season. In fact, Steve Bartle of 247Sports pegged him as one of the Utes’ most improved defenders during spring ball.
Look for Moala to settle into a nice backup role and then earn some reps with his physical play, looking to take advantage of that mammoth frame.