Washington’s Zion Tupuola-Fetui Nominated For Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award

DALLAS (FWAA) — Washington’s Zion Tupuola-Fetui is this week’s nominee for the 2023 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Tupuola-Fetui, a senior, made several crucial plays in leading the Huskies to a win Saturday at USC just days after his father passed away.

“This week was really hard, but I knew my dad would want me to play,” an emotional Tupuola-Fetui told radio reporter Dave Mahler on the field after the game. “He loves this game. He loves U-Dub. And I knew I’d just be doing him wrong if I didn’t play. I’m thankful I was able to play good in his memory. That was him playing through me.

“The beginning of the game, I don’t even know if I wanted to play, to be honest. I’m here for my brothers, but I’m glad I was able to play a good game.”

Tupuola-Fetui’s father, Molia Fetui, passed away from an illness one week earlier at the age of 58. Tupuola-Fetui wrote a tribute to his father on the tape on each of his arms for the USC game: One that said “R.I.L” — Rest In Life — and another that said OGHAMO, which was his father’s nickname.

The 6-foot-4, 254-pound edge rusher then went out and made one of the biggest plays of the game, strip-sacking Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams in the second quarter. Washington recovered the ball and scored three plays later to take the lead. The Huskies went on to win 52-42 to stay undefeated.

An emotional Tupuola-Fetui was embraced on the field by head coach Kalen DeBoer after the game. The Washington coaching staff named Tupuola-Fetui its power defensive player of the week for his four-tackle performance, which included 1.5 sacks.

A sixth-year senior from Pearl City, Hawaii, Tupuola-Fetui has recorded 18 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one quarterback hurry for the 9-0 Huskies. For his career, Tupuola-Fetui has amassed 77 tackles, 18 TFLs, 16 sacks, two passes defended, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Tupuola-Fetui has played for three different full-time head coaches in Seattle, and he was named a first-team All-Pac-12 performer and second-team Walter Camp All-American in 2020. He earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors in 2022 as well.

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