Cal Football: Bear Insider Video: Cal Frosh OLB Iele Ieremia

6-3/260 frosh OLB Iele Ieremia has seen more than his share of change in the last half decade of his life, making the move from Hamilton, New Zealand and the rugby pitch to Lakewood, CA, where he attended and played for national power St. John Bosco for two years before arriving at Cal as an early entry in the spring.

“He’s about 270 right now and that’s just 270 high school muscle,” said SJB coach Ieremia Tui after Ieremia committed to Cal. “Once he gets in Cal’s strength and conditioning program, he’ll trim that fat and you’ll have 270 pounds of real muscle. And being a rugby player, his endurance and stamina is up there. He can outrun a couple of the skill guys on our team. For 270, when he gets moving, he’s moving. You can probably catch him at a 4.6 when he’s coming on the line. He plays with great leverage and hands.

https://twitter.com/iele_237/status/1302016270724771840

“Coach Browning and Coach Wilcox will love what they’re getting in this kid. And he’s as humble as it gets. His purpose in coming here from New Zealand is to play in the NFL instead of getting a professional rugby contract back home but ultimately, he wants that Cal degree that’s respected around the world to fall back on after he’s done playing.”

The next change is store for Ieremia was learning a new position, transitioning from defensive end to outside linebacker. So far, the New Zealand native has made a solid impression while he learns his new role.

“It’s been a blessing,” said Ieremia. “It hasn’t been too rough on me. It’s been so good just to have everyone around me -all the players, all the staff. Everyone's been really good at helping me mold to this game and switch positions. I've just been really blessed to be in this position.”

The move from New Zealand to LA to the bay area have provided Ieremia several different vantage points playing American football and living abroad.

“From LA, the bay area’s very different,” noted Ieremia. “I love the bay area. The bay area’s really cool and I like the energy around here. Compared to New Zealand, it's similar in some aspects, maybe the scenery. It’s definitely more populated and more technologically-advanced.”

Playing at 270 in high school made the fit playing defensive end a natural for high school ball but now at a bit more trim 260 with good quickness, the staff felt Ieremia might have the chance to make an earlier impact at OLB.

“Switching from defensive end to linebacker, I just get to learn how to cover more and play in space,” said Ieremia. “Before, I usually played 3-point or 5-technique but now I can be anywhere from nine to five, play 3 sometimes. Could be out in the middle of the field sometimes. Just depends on what's happening. Most of the time, I'm playing to the boundary side and playing on the edge.

“Playing around KD and Cam Goode, it’s really good to learn from their experience.”

As for the strengths of his game, Ieremia noted:

“Physically, my strength has always been up there and I like to play explosive and powerful.”

For more from Ieremia on his transition to Cal, use the embedded viewer above.