Look who’s back at Bellarmine Prep: Former star QB Sefo Liufau takes over as offensive coordinator
Sefo Liufau might have a thing or two to teach the football players at Bellarmine Prep. He played quarterback there not too long ago, leading the Lions to the Class 4A state championship game in 2012, when he was The News Tribune’s All-Area player of the year.
Then, a record-setting career at Colorado in the Pac-12. He’s the owner of 99 school records at Colorado. Among those: Total offensive yards (10,509), passing yards (9,568) and 300-yard passing games (10). After college, Liufau had a brief stint in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, before walking away from the sport because of mounting injuries.
He has returned to his alma mater, taking over as the Bellarmine offensive coordinator this fall.
“Sefo is so humble; he’s a humble competitor,” said Bellarmine coach Brian Jensen, who was the Lions’ offensive coordinator when Liufau was in high school. “Just through his actions, he’s earned that respect from our players, our staff, the Bellarmine community. He’s a wonderful addition to Lion Pride football, but also to the mission of the school.”
Liufau, who works as a loan officer for a mortgage company in Tacoma, said he felt the timing was right to come back on board. Jensen has been not-so-subtly bugging him since he left the NFL in 2017.
“I decided it was important and help give some of my knowledge to these kids,” Liufau said. “This is where I played, this is where my mom went to school. It’s kind of where I have my connections. ... I just figured it’d be a hard opportunity to pass up, in terms of giving. I’ve been given a lot of opportunities by other people and by Bellarmine. This is a way I can be influential on kids and give some of the knowledge I have from college, high school and the NFL.”
Liufau said he was “mentally drained” after suffering a sprained MCL while with Tampa Bay.
“The injury that quote-on-quote ‘knocked me out’ was probably one of the easiest injuries to come back from, in terms of what I’ve experienced,” Liufau said. “I’ve had a broken foot, had concussions, separated my throwing shoulder. With the Bucs, I actually had a good chance of making the team. I sprained my MCL and they cut me the next day. At that point, I was just kind of mentally drained of everything. I was just mentally checked out, ready to move on with life.”
He returned to Boulder to finish his degree, then returned to Tacoma. Liufau passed for 7,297 yards and 68 touchdowns in his three high school seasons at Bellarmine. He also rushed for 606 yards and 18 touchdowns. He led Bellarmine to the Class 4A state championship game in 2012, after a dramatic 21-19 win over Auburn in the semifinals. Bellarmine lost the championship game to top-seeded Skyline, 49-24.
“He was the first one to practice and the last one to leave,” Jensen said. “I remember — it hasn’t changed — his character as a person. All the stuff in between, all his incredible plays and all that stuff, he’d be the first one to say this: That stuff didn’t matter. It was about the team. His belief in team and whatever it takes for the team to be successful, that’s what motivates him.”
Liufau realizes Bellarmine isn’t a Pac-12 program. He can’t give high schoolers a college football playbook to memorize. He also realizes not every kid is a future Division-I athlete, so he preaches things like attitude and effort, giving maximum effort on every play.
“If you mess up on and X’s and O’s thing, that’s something we can fix,” Liufau said. “But if you’re not giving 100 percent effort on each play, it’s tough for me to put you on the field. You don’t get as much time with high school kids, so I try to make things a lot more simple so they can go out there and play free and not have to think a whole lot.”
“I know a lot of kids want to go to the next level and have all the offers, but I’m just trying to make this experience a fun, lasting memory for these kids. I do want to win a lot, but I want to make sure these kids have a good experience, have good role models and something to set them up outside of football down the road.”
Bellarmine senior quarterback Tristan Warner said Liufau’s experience gives him instant credibility in the locker room.
“It’s awesome,” Warner said. “With his experience in college and the pros, you’re able to see a different side of the ball with him. He shows you different critiques in things that you wouldn’t think of normally. His new offense, I love it. More RPO (run-pass option) based like he had in Colorado.”
Liufau is passionate about giving back. He might be coaching at Bellarmine, but he wants to help as many kids from Tacoma as he can. Recently, he went to Lincoln High School to talk to the team’s players.
“I’m just trying to help kids who are trying to play at the next level,” he said. “I know how hard it can be. I’m coaching at Bellarmine but I’m down to help anybody. That’s kind of how my outlook is.”
They’re happy to have him on the hill.
“He’s an add in every way on the Bellarmine campus,” Jensen said.
BELLARMINE PREP LIONS
Coach: Brian Jensen, seventh year
Spring 2021 record: 3-3
Offensive coordinator, base scheme: Sefo Liufau, multiple
Defensive coordinator, base scheme: Dan Shaw, multiple
Top players: QB Tristan Warner, 6-1, 187, sr.; WR Ty Faker, 6-3, 179, sr.; WR Tariq May, 6-3, 195, sr.; WR Bo Hiemstra 6-0, 175, jr.; RB Gage Hicks, 5-8, 170, sr; LB Cole Johnston, 6-2, 180, soph.; DL Gavin Ostrander, 5-11, 212, soph.; DL Drake Johnston, 6-4, 208, soph.
Outlook: The consensus is the top three of the SPSL 4A will likely be some combination of Graham-Kapowsin, Sumner and Puyallup. Bellarmine might not have the size to match those teams in the trenches, but there’s plenty to like from this roster. Warner returns at QB and will have two all-league selections from the spring to throw the ball to in Tariq May and Ty Faker. With offensive coordinator Sefo Liufau — who led Bellarmine Prep to the 4A state championship game in 2012 — in the fold, expect a more modern offense that will suit Bellarmine’s playmakers on the outside.
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
