Husky Legend: Alameda Ta'amu
September 27, 2019 | Football
By Tanner Kay
The University of Washington was all about family for Alameda Ta'amu. A local product, Ta'amu went to high school at Rainier Beach in Seattle and had interest from a few out of state schools, but none of those schools offered that feeling of home that Ta'amu had with UW.
"UW was close to my family, and my mom and dad were getting older," Ta'amu recalled. "I really wanted them to be able to come to the game and see me every time we played at home."
Growing up in Seattle, Ta'amu and his family were very aware of the tradition and history at UW. But, to be honored as a part of that history is something special for him.
"When I was there, we honored a lot of legends, like Dave Hoffmann," Ta'amu said about being recognized as a Husky Legend. "It was just an honor. I couldn't believe it. It was one of those emails that you just keep reading through. I was proud. The first person I told was my wife and she felt blessed too. It feels great to be a part of history for UW."
Ta'amu arrived on campus in 2008 and appeared in all 12 games for the Huskies. Ta'amu tallied 21 tackles as a freshman, but the Huskies struggled, finishing without a win.
"It was one of the toughest lessons I had to learn. My first year we didn't win a game. It was probably one of the toughest times of my life," Ta'amu said. "I remember me and Everrette Thompson, we used to be in our dorm room just devastated. We came from high schools where we won a lot. You kind of hit a reality where you have to play to the level that is expected in the Pac-12."
After a disappointing 2008 season, Steve Sarkisian was brought in to coach UW. Ta'amu noticed a change in the team and culture immediately.
"Sarkisian came in and one thing that he told us was nobody was wearing UW gear at the meeting when he came in. We all bought into his program," Ta'amu remembered. "He was real with us. He told us a lot of us wouldn't be able to keep up, so we knew we had to step it up to play for that man."
In his sophomore season Ta'amu and the Huskies both continued to improve. Ta'amu once again appeared in all 12 games, but also added 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. As a team UW went 5-7 with a win over No. 3 USC that was a sign of things to come.
"It was a hard journey, but when we beat USC we felt things start to change," Ta'amu remarked. "There were a lot of lessons that we took from that."
Heading into his junior year Ta'amu had learned a lot, but there were still a few lessons left for him to learn.
"Before my junior year we had workouts and I texted the D-Linemen and said I was going to call in sick, but what I didn't realize was coach Ivan Lewis was in that group chat," Ta'amu laughed. "So at workouts he asked all my boys where I was and they told him I was sick. So the next day he had us come in at 5:00 am and he had me sit in a reclining chair at the 50-yard line while the boys were ran into the ground. That changed my life. After that I was always there for my brothers and made sure I was accountable."
Now a junior, Ta'amu used those lessons to fuel a breakout season. He started all 13 games for the Huskies totaling 39 tackles, including 5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. As a team, the Huskies experienced a breakout of their own defeating Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl in a memorable game for Ta'amu.
"It was a breakout season for me, but the fact that we got to play in a bowl game allowed me to be on a bigger stage. I worked really hard that offseason `with coach Ivan Lewis and he got me right," Ta'amu recounted. "In that game I had a pretty cool sack, a safety in the end zone, and I picked up a fumble that led to Chris Polk scoring. The world got to see me help UW win a big game. Earlier that year Nebraska beat us bad, so it felt good to be able to show everyone UW was on its way up."
In his senior season Ta'amu took on a leadership role and was chosen as a team captain. On the field Ta'amu built on his impressive junior year recording 7 tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks.
Ta'amu was a large part of the Huskies reemerging as a winning football team. For him, seeing UW continue to establish themselves as a Pac-12 power has been an amazing experience.
"They say you leave it better than how you got it, to see Chris Petersen do this is kind of crazy," Ta'amu said. "I hosted a lot of the Polynesian guys on their trip, I was proud that they recognized what I had done at UW. That tradition is something I'm really proud of."
After finishing his senior season Ta'amu was selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ta'amu spent a couple years in the NFL, also spending some time as a part of the Arizona Cardinals before moving on from football.
In 2015, Ta'amu married his longtime girlfriend Zilpher. They have since had three daughters and have returned to Seattle where Ta'amu has taken up carpentry.
In the end, it all comes back to family for Ta'amu. Nearly a decade after dominating at Montlake, he will return to the field with his loved ones by his side. Together they will walk onto Husky Field, and together they will feel the admiration of the crowd that Ta'amu felt himself nearly a decade ago.
The University of Washington was all about family for Alameda Ta'amu. A local product, Ta'amu went to high school at Rainier Beach in Seattle and had interest from a few out of state schools, but none of those schools offered that feeling of home that Ta'amu had with UW.
"UW was close to my family, and my mom and dad were getting older," Ta'amu recalled. "I really wanted them to be able to come to the game and see me every time we played at home."
Growing up in Seattle, Ta'amu and his family were very aware of the tradition and history at UW. But, to be honored as a part of that history is something special for him.
"When I was there, we honored a lot of legends, like Dave Hoffmann," Ta'amu said about being recognized as a Husky Legend. "It was just an honor. I couldn't believe it. It was one of those emails that you just keep reading through. I was proud. The first person I told was my wife and she felt blessed too. It feels great to be a part of history for UW."
Ta'amu arrived on campus in 2008 and appeared in all 12 games for the Huskies. Ta'amu tallied 21 tackles as a freshman, but the Huskies struggled, finishing without a win.
"It was one of the toughest lessons I had to learn. My first year we didn't win a game. It was probably one of the toughest times of my life," Ta'amu said. "I remember me and Everrette Thompson, we used to be in our dorm room just devastated. We came from high schools where we won a lot. You kind of hit a reality where you have to play to the level that is expected in the Pac-12."
After a disappointing 2008 season, Steve Sarkisian was brought in to coach UW. Ta'amu noticed a change in the team and culture immediately.
"Sarkisian came in and one thing that he told us was nobody was wearing UW gear at the meeting when he came in. We all bought into his program," Ta'amu remembered. "He was real with us. He told us a lot of us wouldn't be able to keep up, so we knew we had to step it up to play for that man."
In his sophomore season Ta'amu and the Huskies both continued to improve. Ta'amu once again appeared in all 12 games, but also added 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. As a team UW went 5-7 with a win over No. 3 USC that was a sign of things to come.
"It was a hard journey, but when we beat USC we felt things start to change," Ta'amu remarked. "There were a lot of lessons that we took from that."
Heading into his junior year Ta'amu had learned a lot, but there were still a few lessons left for him to learn.
"Before my junior year we had workouts and I texted the D-Linemen and said I was going to call in sick, but what I didn't realize was coach Ivan Lewis was in that group chat," Ta'amu laughed. "So at workouts he asked all my boys where I was and they told him I was sick. So the next day he had us come in at 5:00 am and he had me sit in a reclining chair at the 50-yard line while the boys were ran into the ground. That changed my life. After that I was always there for my brothers and made sure I was accountable."
Now a junior, Ta'amu used those lessons to fuel a breakout season. He started all 13 games for the Huskies totaling 39 tackles, including 5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. As a team, the Huskies experienced a breakout of their own defeating Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl in a memorable game for Ta'amu.
"It was a breakout season for me, but the fact that we got to play in a bowl game allowed me to be on a bigger stage. I worked really hard that offseason `with coach Ivan Lewis and he got me right," Ta'amu recounted. "In that game I had a pretty cool sack, a safety in the end zone, and I picked up a fumble that led to Chris Polk scoring. The world got to see me help UW win a big game. Earlier that year Nebraska beat us bad, so it felt good to be able to show everyone UW was on its way up."
In his senior season Ta'amu took on a leadership role and was chosen as a team captain. On the field Ta'amu built on his impressive junior year recording 7 tackles for a loss, and 3.5 sacks.
Ta'amu was a large part of the Huskies reemerging as a winning football team. For him, seeing UW continue to establish themselves as a Pac-12 power has been an amazing experience.
"They say you leave it better than how you got it, to see Chris Petersen do this is kind of crazy," Ta'amu said. "I hosted a lot of the Polynesian guys on their trip, I was proud that they recognized what I had done at UW. That tradition is something I'm really proud of."
After finishing his senior season Ta'amu was selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ta'amu spent a couple years in the NFL, also spending some time as a part of the Arizona Cardinals before moving on from football.
In 2015, Ta'amu married his longtime girlfriend Zilpher. They have since had three daughters and have returned to Seattle where Ta'amu has taken up carpentry.
In the end, it all comes back to family for Ta'amu. Nearly a decade after dominating at Montlake, he will return to the field with his loved ones by his side. Together they will walk onto Husky Field, and together they will feel the admiration of the crowd that Ta'amu felt himself nearly a decade ago.
Zach Durfee Career Highlights: Washington Football
Tuesday, April 21
Anterio Thompson Career Highlights: Washington Football
Monday, April 20
Ephesians Prysock Career Highlights: Washington Football
Monday, April 20
Tacario Davis Career Highlights: Washington Football
Monday, April 20
