Kemoeatu helped pave way for unbeaten Utes

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

Utah offensive lineman Chris Kemoeatu gained critical acclaim from teammates this season for his powerful and moving performances in film sessions on Mondays.

Kemoeatu

"It was fun to watch the highlight tapes," Utes running back Marty Johnson said. "We used to pull about two or three of his plays out there. He would just pancake people out there."

Kemoeatu, a 2001 Kahuku graduate, hopes for similar smashing success in Saturday's Hula Bowl at War Memorial Stadium. The collegiate all-star game will be televised at 2 p.m. on ESPN.

Kemoeatu is one of the top offensive linemen in the country, and he could be the first Hawai'i player selected in the NFL draft on April 23 and 24. He was one of the key players in Utah's history-making 12-0 season, one that included a 35-7 victory over Pittsburgh in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day.

"I'm happy for the opportunity to play at the next level," said Kemoeatu, who is listed at 6 feet 4 and 345 pounds. "Right now I'm focused on getting ready for this Hula Bowl and training, and hopefully I can go to the combine and perform to the best of my ability. It would be a dream come true for a chance to play at the next level."

This season, Kemoeatu started every game at right guard, and recorded a team-best 81 knockdowns (7.4 per game) in the regular season. He had 11 against BYU, and 10 each against Air Force, Colorado State and Wyoming.

"He's a tough guy," Oakland Raiders scout Bruce Kebric said. "He's one of the best offensive linemen I've ever seen. He wants to hurt people. I never met him, but he's a good-looking guy and he really plays hard."

"He's a man amongst boys when you watch him line up on a weekly basis; he basically destroys guys," said John Dorsey, a former Green Bay Packers linebacker who is the director of college scouting for the team.

"His whole thing is, can he pass set?" Dorsey continued. "The whole thing is picking up the schemes to the pass sets. He's a fine player. Guys are really excited about what he brings to the game — his temperament, his physical attributes. There's nothing to lead you to believe that he can't succeed from a physical standpoint in this game. He's an intriguing guy."

This season, Mountain West Conference champion Utah became the first team from outside the six BCS conferences to force its way into a Bowl Championship Series game. Kemoeatu said earning a berth in the Fiesta Bowl and winning that postseason game was very satisfying.

"We wanted to prove to the BCS and the other teams that we can compete at their level, too," Kemoeatu said. "I think we took charge of that opportunity that we got. We were trying to show the underdogs — like us, the (Western Athletic Conference) and our conference — that we can compete at that level. It was great."

Kemoeatu also praised coach Urban Meyer, who capped two seasons at Utah with the school's first unbeaten, untied season since 1930. Meyer will be the head coach at Florida next season.

"He's a great coach," Kemoeatu said. "He loves to compete and he's real intense. He brings the best of your ability out of you."

Utah team captain and defensive tackle Sione Pouha called Kemoeatu a "pivotal part of our team" and "one of the building blocks" for the offensive foundation. The Utes finished the regular season in the NCAA's top 10 in rushing offense (244.91, 9th), pass efficiency (171.61, 3rd), total offense (502.73, 3rd) and scoring offense (46.27, 3rd).

"Throughout the years, he's developed into a leader and I definitely look up to him," said Hula Bowl teammate Pouha, who has family on O'ahu. "Names like (Utah quarterback) Alex Smith, if you ask him who they look to, they'll definitely tell you Chris. As team captain, you look for guys who you can lean on when times are tough. He was definitely the first person I would go to."

Kemoeatu also put his stamp on Utah's running game, paving the way for Johnson, the record-setting running back whose 14 touchdowns in the regular season led the conference and set a Utah single-season record.

"He was definitely important to my success because he's the best blocker in our conference and one of the top guards in the country," Johnson said. "You could count on him on every play. If you were running to his side there was always a chance to break one because he was always going to block."

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.