Vai Taua
Encyclopedia
Vailala "Vai" Lima Taua (born October 11, 1988) is an American football
running back
, for the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills
as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football
at Nevada
.
to Faletui and Taua Taua. He attended Cabrillo High School
in Lompoc, California
, where he played football
and competed in track and field
. He lettered
in football all four years and twice in track and field. During his senior year, he ran for 1,709 yards and 27 touchdowns. Taua led the Los Padres League in rushing and was named the conference's Most Valuable Player. He also earned all-conference and All-California Interscholastic Federation
honors.
(WAC) rushing leader Luke Lippincott suffered a season-ending injury in the second game. Playing in all 13 games that season, he rushed for 1,521 yards on 236 carries (including 15 touchdowns) and also made 29 receptions for 226 yards (including two touchdowns). Against Fresno State
, Taua ran for his season high of 263 yards on 28 carries, for which he was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Week. In that game, he broke the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season. With Taua and quarterback Colin Kaepernick
, 2008 became the first season in Nevada school history that the team had two 1,000-yard rushers. Taua was named to the All-WAC first-team and the Sporting News named him the WAC's Most Valuable Offensive Player.
On December 19, 2009, it was announced that Taua was academically ineligible and would sit out the Hawai'i Bowl
on Christmas Eve
against Southern Methodist
. His future with the Wolf Pack team was put in doubt, with head coach Chris Ault
's stating that he would "evaluate (Taua's) future with the team after the bowl game." On January 8, 2010, Ault held a press conference in which he stated that he wanted to "punch [Taua] right in the mouth" for his failure to meet academic expectations and missing the Hawai'i Bowl. Ault added that Taua would return to the team for his senior season and the issue of his academic performance would be dealt with "in house".
stats current as of December 9, 2010, via http://www.cfbstats.com/2010/player/466/1002428/index.html
. On July 27, 2011, Taua signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills
, but later waived on August 5.
. He was waived on August 22, but was re-signed on August 24. He was cut to trim the team regular season roster to 53 members on September 3, 2011.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, for the practice squad of the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Nevada
Nevada Wolf Pack football
The Nevada Wolf Pack Football program represents the University of Nevada, Reno in college football. The Wolf Pack competes in the Western Athletic Conference at the Football Bowl Subdivision level of the NCAA...
.
Early years
Taua was born in Fountain Valley, CaliforniaFountain Valley, California
Fountain Valley is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 55,313 at the 2010 census. A classic bedroom community, Fountain Valley is a middle-class residential area.- History :...
to Faletui and Taua Taua. He attended Cabrillo High School
Cabrillo High School (Lompoc, California)
Cabrillo High School serves students of Vandenberg Village, the city of Lompoc, and Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, on the California Central Coast.-History:The school was founded in 1965 by the Lompoc Unified School District...
in Lompoc, California
Lompoc, California
Lompoc is a city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The city was incorporated in 1888. The population was 42,434 at the 2010 census, up from 41,103 at the 2000 census....
, where he played football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and competed in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He lettered
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
in football all four years and twice in track and field. During his senior year, he ran for 1,709 yards and 27 touchdowns. Taua led the Los Padres League in rushing and was named the conference's Most Valuable Player. He also earned all-conference and All-California Interscholastic Federation
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
honors.
College career
Taua sat out the 2006 as a redshirt and in 2007 saw action in eight games with 19 carries for 112 yards (including one touchdown). In 2008, Taua began the year as a reserve but became a starter after senior running back and 2007 Western Athletic ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
(WAC) rushing leader Luke Lippincott suffered a season-ending injury in the second game. Playing in all 13 games that season, he rushed for 1,521 yards on 236 carries (including 15 touchdowns) and also made 29 receptions for 226 yards (including two touchdowns). Against Fresno State
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
, Taua ran for his season high of 263 yards on 28 carries, for which he was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Week. In that game, he broke the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season. With Taua and quarterback Colin Kaepernick
Colin Kaepernick
Colin Rand Kaepernick is an American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He played college football at Nevada.-Personal:...
, 2008 became the first season in Nevada school history that the team had two 1,000-yard rushers. Taua was named to the All-WAC first-team and the Sporting News named him the WAC's Most Valuable Offensive Player.
On December 19, 2009, it was announced that Taua was academically ineligible and would sit out the Hawai'i Bowl
2009 Hawai'i Bowl
The 2009 Hawaii Bowl was the eighth edition of the college football bowl game, played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game started at 3:00 pm local time on Thursday, December 24, 2009, with the SMU Mustangs of Conference USA beating the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Western Athletic...
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
against Southern Methodist
2009 SMU Mustangs football team
The 2009 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Mustangs, led by second-year head coach June Jones, played their home games at Gerald J...
. His future with the Wolf Pack team was put in doubt, with head coach Chris Ault
Chris Ault
Chris Ault is the current college football head coach of the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. Ault, along with John Gagliardi, is one of two active coaches who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame....
's stating that he would "evaluate (Taua's) future with the team after the bowl game." On January 8, 2010, Ault held a press conference in which he stated that he wanted to "punch [Taua] right in the mouth" for his failure to meet academic expectations and missing the Hawai'i Bowl. Ault added that Taua would return to the team for his senior season and the issue of his academic performance would be dealt with "in house".
Collegiate statistics
As of December 9, 2010| Career Rushing Stats | ||||||
| Year | Team | G | Rush Attempts | Rushing Yards | Rushing AVG | Rushing TD |
| 2007 | Nevada | 8 | 19 | 112 | 5.9 | 1 |
| 2008 | Nevada | 13 | 236 | 1,521 | 6.4 | 15 |
| 2009 | Nevada | 12 | 172 | 1,345 | 7.8 | 10 |
| 2010 | Nevada | 12 | 262 | 1,534 | 5.8 | 19 |
| Total | 46 | 689 | 4,512 | 6.5 | 45 |
| Career Receiving Stats | ||||||
| Year | Team | G | Rec | Yards | Reception AVG | Receiving TD |
| 2007 | Nevada | 8 | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 |
| 2008 | Nevada | 13 | 30 | 243 | 8.1 | 3 |
| 2009 | Nevada | 12 | 12 | 99 | 8.2 | 2 |
| 2010 | Nevada | 12 | 15 | 216 | 14.4 | 3 |
| Total | 46 | 58 | 561 | 9.67 | 8 |
stats current as of December 9, 2010, via http://www.cfbstats.com/2010/player/466/1002428/index.html
Buffalo Bills
Taua went undrafted during the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
. On July 27, 2011, Taua signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but later waived on August 5.
Seattle Seahawks
On August 14, 2011, Taua signed with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. He was waived on August 22, but was re-signed on August 24. He was cut to trim the team regular season roster to 53 members on September 3, 2011.