Moala Family Has Deep Ties to Beavers
April 14, 2016 | Football
By Brooks Hatch
OSUBeavers.com
The memory of an older brother who played a starring role in the dramatic turnaround of the Oregon State football program serves as an inspiration and motivator for a current coach in the Beavers' present-day restoration project.
New defensive quality control coach JR Moala fondly remembers his older brother, the late Tevita Moala, every single day as he does his best to return the Beavers to prominence in his second year working for head coach Gary Andersen.
“Being here on the staff, every day it reminds me of my brother,” Moala said after a recent practice. “Being here helps me be close to Tevita,” the oldest of the prominent family of football-playing brothers from Hawthorne, Calif. “Everything I do here, it just feels like Tevita is smiling.
“My father (Talite) died three months after my brother died; 2013 was a tough year for me. So I dedicate everything to them. They are the whole reason why I'm here.”
Tevita Moala, a hard-hitting middle linebacker for the 1999 and 2000 teams, passed away from cancer in 2013. He will always be remembered throughout Beaver Nation for returning a fumble for the clinching touchdown in the 17-7 victory over California at Reser Stadium on Nov. 6, 1999, that clichéd OSU's first winning season in 28 years.
Tevita and his teammates sparked a football renaissance that led to a Pacific-10 Conference championship and Fiesta Bowl victory in 2000, and to subsequent bowl-game appearances in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013.
OSU's six quality-control coaches (Moala; Bojay Filimoeatu; Lyle Moevao; Nick Schindler; Mitch Singler) handle much of the daily behind-the-scenes aspects of the football program so Andersen and his assistants can focus entirely on coaching, game preparation and their other primary responsibilities.
“We take care of all the operations off the field,” Moala said. “Breaking down video, tagging video, inputting information into the computers every day after practice” so the coaches can evaluate that day's workout.
“We are each assigned to a different duty breaking down video. I look at pass protection against the opponent, whether it turned out to be a fumble, a touchdown, a turnover, etc. Someone is doing down and distance, someone is doing routes; each person does their duty.
“We plan out the practices, do the scripts for the next day's drills and periods,” and whatever else the staff needs to operate more efficiently. “In the offseason we break down opponent video, help with recruiting, help the coaches organize their work.
“It's a busy job. We do all the leftover work and make sure it is done. We like to say we do all the dirty work for the coaches.”
Moala's ties to Corvallis and to OSU are long and deep. His younger brother, Eric Moala, was a linebacker for the Beavers in 2005-06.
“Both of my brothers played for the Beavers,” he said. “My father-in-law (Ika Fifita) worked on campus for 37 years. He played a huge role in my success. He's treated me like son since my dad passed away; if it wasn't for Ika none of this would be possible."
“My wife Robin works on campus in academic advising for the College of Liberal Arts. I'm connected to the university through my family.”
Moala was living in Corvallis and commuting to a job at Nike when Andersen was hired to succeed Mike Riley as OSU's new football coach in Dec., 2014. Shortly thereafter, Andersen hired Moala's longtime family friends Kalani Sitake and Ilaisa Tuiaki as his defensive coordinator and linebackers/special teams coach, respectively.
“I grew up with both of them, so we had them over for dinner one night,” Moala said. “Kalani asked me what I was up to, and it went from there. It was a Sunday night; he asked me over to practice the next day.
“I came that one day, helped out and from there I ended up loving it.”
He interned during the 2015 season and was promoted to his current job just before the start of spring practice.
NCAA rules prohibit quality-control personnel from hands-on coaches during practice. But they are involved in every other aspect of the program and Moala said he loves working with the players.
“I love football,” he said. “My dream growing up was to play in the NFL. That dream didn't come true, but coaching is the closest thing to fulfilling that dream. I can help other kids fulfill their dreams.
“There is just something about football players; I love their dedication. They have long hours of school and long hours of football. This stage of their life prepares them for the rest of their life.
“Coming back to coaching gives me that reminder of how hard it was. I want to help these players go through the stages I went through, so they can be successful.”
Moala understands what the players are going through off the field, as well. He's taking traditional classroom and online classes to finish his Bachelor of Arts degree; he's majoring in speech communications and will graduate in 2017.
“I get to experience what they are going through, which is a huge plus,” he said. “It's just fun to be in the same boat with them. I'm able to relate better with the players.
“I'm going to school with them, doing everything they're doing, except I'm on the coaching side, not the playing side,” with the added responsibilities of a job, a wife, and their two-year-old son, Joseph Fifita-Liava'a.
Moala said he's “absorbing everything and learning” about coaching to prepare himself for a career in football.
“I definitely would love to be an assistant coach one day,” he said. “After my experience last year, I learned that coaching is definitely where I want to be. I found a dedication I can really work toward and be excited about.”
Oregon State hosts its annual Spring Game (click here for details) Saturday at 1 p.m.
