Hau'oli Kikaha

Hau'oli Kikaha (born July 24, 1992) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Washington.

Hau'oli Kikaha
No. 45, 44
Position:Linebacker/Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1992-07-24) July 24, 1992
Laie, Hawaii
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:246 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school:Kahuku (Kahuku, Hawaii)
College:Washington
NFL Draft:2015 / Round: 2 / Pick: 44
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2017
Total tackles:62
Sacks:8.0
Forced fumbles:4
Fumble recoveries:1
Player stats at NFL.com

Early years

Kikaha attended Kahuku High & Intermediate School in Kahuku, Hawaii. He is from Hau'ula, Hawaii. He played defensive end and tight end. As a senior in 2009, he was named Honolulu Star-Bulletin's' defensive player of the year.[1] Kikaha was rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com.[2] In January 2010, he committed to the University of Washington to play college football.[3]

College career

Kikaha played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2010, making seven starts. He finished the season with 49 tackles and three sacks.[4] He started the first four games of his sophomore season in 2011, before tearing his ACL causing him to miss the rest of the season.[5][6] Prior to 2012, Kikaha torn his ACL for a second time, causing him again to miss the season.[7] Kikaha returned in 2013 and started every game for the Huskies. He finished the season with 13 sacks and 70 tackles.[8] As a senior in 2014, Kikaha broke Daniel Te’o-Nesheim school career sack record of 30.[9] In 2014 as a result of being named a first-team All-American by the AP, FWAA, AFCA, the Walter Camp Football Foundation and The Sporting News, Kikaha became the sixth unanimous All-American in school history.[10]

Professional career

Kikaha was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, 44th overall.[11] After having a strong training camp and pre-season, he began the season a starting outside linebacker for the Saints. He recorded his first career sack in Week 2 when the Saints played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kikaha sat out Week 9 with an ankle injury and then only played 8 snaps in Week 10. After a Week 11 bye, he came back healthy, recording three tackles in Week 12.[12] He finished his rookie season with 52 tackles, 4.0 sacks, and four forced fumbles.[12]

Kikaha tore his ACL on June 9, 2016, and was ruled out for the 2016 season.[13] He played in 12 games in 2017, recording 10 tackles and four sacks. He suffered an ankle injury in Week 16 and was placed on injured reserve on December 28, 2017.[14]

On September 1, 2018, Kikaha was waived by the Saints.[15]

On October 15, 2019, he was selected in the 2020 XFL Draft to join the Dallas Renegades.[16] He retired from football three weeks into the XFL season on February 25, 2020.[17]

Personal life

Kikaha was known as Hau'oli Jamora before changing his name in 2013.[18][19] He is of Native Hawaiian and Samoan descent.[20]

See also

References
  1. Jamora’s island exodus benefits Huskies’ defense
  2. "Rivals".
  3. "Jamora bound for UW - The Honolulu Advertiser - Hawaii's Newspaper".
  4. "Jamora's freshman effort brings expectations". Sportspress Northwest.
  5. "Huskies lose DE Hau'oli Jamora for the season". Huskies Blog.
  6. "Steve Kelley - Huskies will miss injured defensive end Hau'oli Jamora - Seattle Times Newspaper". The Seattle Times.
  7. "Jesse Callier, Hau'oli Jamora lost for the season with ACL tears". Tacoma News Tribune.
  8. "Hau'oli Kikaha looking to make impact in new role with Huskies". The Seattle Times.
  9. "Football notebook: Hau'oli Kikaha becomes UW's new sack king". Archived from the original on December 11, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  10. "Hau'oli Kikaha is unanimous All-America selection". Tacoma News Tribune.
  11. "Hau'oli Kikaha Draft Profile – NFL.com". NFL.com.
  12. "New Orleans Saints: Hau'oli Kikaha". NewOrleansSaints.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  13. Wesseling, Chris (June 9, 2016). "Saints pass rusher Hau'oli Kikaha suffers torn ACL". NFL.com. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  14. Katzenstein, Josh (December 28, 2017). "Saints claim Kasim Edebali off waivers, place Hau'oli Kikaha on injured reserve". NOLA.com.
  15. "New Orleans Saints make roster reductions to 53". NewOrleansSaints.com. September 1, 2018.
  16. Bender, Bill (October 21, 2019). "XFL Draft picks 2019: Complete results, rosters, players for new football league". Sporting News. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  17. @XFLRenegades (February 25, 2020). "ROSTER UPDATE: The Renegades have made 3 roster moves this week, adding WR Armanti Edwards, OLB Jesse Aniebonam, and QB Brogan Roback. WR Jerrod Heard was waived. OLB Hau'oli Kikaha has retired. QB Eric Dungey was placed on the Reserve/Left Squad list due to a family matter" (Tweet). Retrieved February 25, 2020 – via Twitter.
  18. "Huskies' Hau'oli Kikaha back on the field with new name, perspective". The Seattle Times.
  19. "With a new name and healed knees, Hau'oli Kikaha hoping to be a force again for the Huskies". The Seattle Times.
  20. Teope, Herbie. "New Orleans Saints players bond over Polynesian heritage, culture". NOLA.com. The Times-Picayune. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
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