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SALT LAKE CITY — He was highly recruited, big expectations, destined for a career in football until injuries derailed him. Now, Latu Heimuli is back in camp at Utah and is 100% healthy for his senior season.
"From his injuries," fellow defensive lineman Tenny Palepoi started, "you can't even tell, he's a monster already."
Nate Orchard added, "It's amazing, he's just coming out here and and beasting it."
It is a story often told. A promising football player gets injured and can't get back on the field.
This is a different story. This kid was injured. He was injured again. It happened three more times.
What is the difference? We are talking about Latu Heimuli. This kid doesn't give up.
He has technically played in 23 games at Utah with nine total tackles and one sack. He has broken his foot three times, broke his thumb once, and an injury to his back (and the last of his foot injuries) had him out of football.
"Last year when I was done, I realized how much I missed it and they gave me one more chance." Heimuli said
That is all he needed was one more chance.
"It was tough to keep getting these injuries and to keep re-aggravating them but my teammates and my coaches helped me out a lot. They kept me pushing through and I was able to overcome and now I am back out here doing what I love."
He is now a slimmed down 290 lbs and feeling like he did years ago when he first came to Utah. After jumping back and forth from the defensive line to the offensive line, he is now back to defense where he wants to be causing havoc through the first four days of camp.
This is as good as he has ever felt and only hopes it continues.
Kyle Whittingham said "This could be the comeback story of the year."
True to who Heimuli is, he said "I don't want to be a comeback story, I just want to help my team win."
