Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman announced Monday that Mike Tuiasosopo has been hired to coach the Wildcat defensive tackles for the 2019 season.

The hire allows Blake Seiler to focus on the defensive ends, while Klieman also announced that Chris Dawson – a nine-year member of the K-State staff – will remain in Manhattan as the Director of Strength and Conditioning.

“Mike is a veteran coach who has a substantial amount of Power Five experience throughout his career, which includes developing defensive linemen and a strong presence on special teams,” Klieman said. “I also was looking for a coach who had an extensive recruiting background on the west coach – and California in particular – and Mike certainly has that.”

Tuiasosopo (TWO-ee-ah-so-SO-po) comes to Manhattan after serving the 2018 season as the defensive tackles coach at UTEP, but he has spent a majority of his career on the west coast and, specifically, in the Pac-10/12.

In 2017, Tuiasosopo was the special teams quality control coach at USC, a year in which the Trojans claimed the Pac-12 Conference title for the first time in nine years. USC was successful in large part to its return game, as the Trojans ranked third in the Pac-12 in kickoff returns (23.5 yards per return) and punt returns (11.9 yards per return). He was also an offensive consultant for USC in 2016 and an analyst in 2015.

Prior to USC, Tuiasosopo worked across town at UCLA as he tutored the Bruin outside linebackers and special teams in 2014. That season, UCLA finished No. 3 in the Pac-12 in total defense (398.5 yards per game), which featured Tuiasosopo product Deon Hollins becoming the Bruins’ sack leader in his first season as a starter. On special teams, the kickoff coverage unit ranked second in the Pac-12 as returner Ishmael Adams finished the season ranked 21st nationally in combined returns.

Tuiasosopo joined Mike Stoops’ staff at Arizona in 2004 and coached in Tucson for seven seasons, including his final three seasons where the Wildcats ranked highly in the nation in total defense (24th in 2008, 25th in 2009, 33rd in 2010). Arizona led the Pac-10 in quarterback sacks all three years, largely due to Tuiasosopo’s defensive front.

Tuiasosopo tutored All-Pac 10 performer Ricky Elmore in addition to Brooks Reed and De’Aundre Reed to 2011 NFL Draft selections. Reed was a second-round pick (No. 42 overall) by the Minnesota Vikings. Tuiasosopo also coached two others that earned all-conference honors and were drafted into the NFL, Earl Mitchell – a third-rounder in 2010 – and Lionel Dotson in 2008. In 2010, he tutored Justin Washington to several Freshman All-America honors.

Tuiasosopo received his start in coaching at Montclair Academy in Van Nuys, California, coaching the defensive line and special teams in 1990 and 1991. He was then a graduate assistant at Pacific before becoming the head coach at Berkley High School in 1993 and 1994.

Tuiasosopo earned his first full-time collegiate job at Utah State as he coached the Aggie defensive line from 1996 to 1999. From there, he moved to Nevada to coach the defensive line from 2000 to 2002, and he worked at Utah during the 2003 season when the Utes earned a 10-2 record and a No. 21 final ranking.

Tuiasosopo lettered four years as a defensive tackle at Pacific Lutheran University (1985-88) and was a starter for the final three seasons en route to a pair of First Team All-Columbia Conference honors. He comes from a football-rich family tradition as his uncle Bob Apisa (Michigan State/Green Bay), cousin Manu (UCLA/Seattle/San Francisco) and younger brother Navy (Utah State/Los Angeles Rams/St. Louis Cardinals) each played collegiately and in the NFL. His nephew, Marques, played quarterback at Washington and with the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets, while he is currently the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at California.

A native of Carson, California, who was born in American Samoa, Tuiasosopo graduated from Pacific Lutheran with a degree in physical education and health in 1989, while he earned his master’s degree from Pacific in Education Administration Credentials in 1992. He is married to Kathy Bowles, and the couple has four children, daughters Lanea and Maya, and sons Titus and Luke.

2019 K-State Football Coaching Staff

Chris Klieman (Head Coach)

Courtney Messingham (Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends)

Ted Monachino (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)

Brian Anderson (Running Backs)

Joe Klanderman (Safeties) Collin Klein (Quarterbacks)

Van Malone (Cornerbacks)

Jason Ray (Wide Receivers)

Conor Riley (Offensive Line)

Blake Seiler (Defensive Ends)

Mike Tuiasosopo (Defensive Tackles)