This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Murray • Inside a dimly lit auxiliary gymnasium at Murray High School, Maxs Tupai wondered if the cap he was about to don would fit. The color of the cap and which logo it featured would reveal the next phase of football for the four-star former Spartan defensive end/linebacker.
But it didn't fit. Not initially.
After the 6-foot-2, 245-pound 18-year-old ducked beneath the black tablecloth, trying his best to make the announcement a surprise in front of bleachers packed with family, friends and peers go the conventional way, he couldn't. The hat wouldn't fit over his long hair.
"So, as I try to make it fit," he said, "I am going to the University of Utah."
Three weeks after National Signing Day, Tupai's commitment and signing wrapped up Utah's 2016 class, becoming the 25th and final player to join the Utes ahead of next season. Quite the late coup for Utah, which beat out the likes of Oklahoma, UCLA and USC to land Tupai, who Rivals.com dubbed the No. 1 overall recruit in the state.
Tupai, who declined further comment after his announcement, was a top-three finalist for the national Butkus Award, which honors the country's best linebacker. During his senior season at Murray, Tupai had 116 total tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 23.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. Tupai totaled 229 career tackles, 42.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles in his career as a Spartan.
"When he tackles people," former Murray head coach Mike Richmond told the Tribune in December, "it sounds like a car accident."
After he finished signing his papers, Tupai was mobbed by his friends and hugged family members. For the next half hour, he posed for photo after photo. Watching in the background was older brother Jared, who said the family was grateful to have the recruitment process finally over with.
"It was honestly a lot," Jared Tupai said. "It was overwhelming for him, the administration at the school — we were getting heckled and hounded by a lot of people saying, 'Where's he going? Where's he going?' At the end of the day, it wasn't our decision. It was his decision to be made."
Maxs didn't inform parents Ionatana and Anna until Tuesday. Jared knew for a week and kept his little brother's secret quiet.
"It's the next four years of his life and it's going to determine what kind of man he's going to be in the future," Jared Tupai said. "If he feels comfortable, then he made the right decision."
The eldest Tupai also managed to stay in the periphery as Maxs posed for more photos, his flower-laden University of Utah cap finally atop his head.
"Wherever he decided to go to, we were supporting him 100 percent," Ionatana Tupai said. "I'm glad he picked Utah, because now we don't have to go anywhere [to watch him play]. We can stay right here."
Twitter: @CKTribune —
Tupai's senior season
Tackles • 116
Tackles for loss • 32
Sacks • 23.5
Forced fumbles • 5