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SUPERSTAR KOA OKUI. THIS WILL BE THE LAST PLAY BEFORE THE TWO MINUTE TIMEOUT THROWN DOWNFIELD. IT’S PICKED OFF AND IT’S. KOHAKU AGAIN. HIS THIRD OF THE SEASON AND HIS FIFTH TURNOVER. HE’S RESPONSIBLE FOR IN 2025. HE WORKED IN THE DARK FOR A LOT OF YEARS AND NOW YOU KNOW HIS IT’S COMING TO LIGHT. IT’S BEEN A BREAKOUT YEAR FOR SACRAMENTO STATE’S JUNIOR SAFETY KOA OKUI. IN ORDER TO EXCEED OR MAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, I GOT TO PUT IN MORE THAN WHATEVER IT IS LIKE, I KNOW, LIKE WE ALL A TEAM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE COMPETING, YOU KNOW? AND WITH THAT, I’M COMPETING WITH THE WHOLE COUNTRY. SO I’M TRYING TO MAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THE FORMER WALK ON FROM HAWAII HAS CERTAINLY LEVELED UP HIS GAME WITH FIVE TAKEAWAYS IN FOUR GAMES, INCLUDING A FORCED FUMBLE, A FUMBLE RECOVERY AND THREE INTERCEPTIONS. READING THE FIELD WATCHING FILM, PUTTING IN WORK TO SEE WHAT THE OFFENSE IS DOING. I THINK THAT REALLY SLOWED DOWN THE GAME FOR ME, JUST READING THE QUARTERBACKS, READING THE ROUTES, SEEING THE CONCEPTS WE BROUGHT IN A LOT OF PLAYERS HERE THAT WERE FOUR STARS. FIVE STARS STARTED AT THIS SCHOOL AND HE BEAT THEM ALL OUT AND HE BEAT THEM EVERY DAY IN WORKOUTS, AND HE BEAT THEM IN THE FILM ROOM. WORK ETHIC IS STILL A TALENT, AND WHILE HIS SKILLS STAND OUT ON THE FIELD, HIS SOFT SPOKEN VOICE OFF THE FIELD IS BEING PUT TO THE TEST THIS SEASON AS HE’S BEEN NAMED A CAPTAIN. YOU KNOW, I’M NOT REALLY A GUY WITH, LIKE, THE VOICE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. YOU KNOW, I’M MORE OF LIKE LEAD BY EXAMPLE. BUT THESE COACHES HAVE TRIED TO PUSH ME MORE TO USE MY VOICE AND STUFF, AND I’VE JUST BEEN, YOU KNOW, REPORTING TO THE JOB. I GUESS THAT’S MY GUY. I AIN’T GONNA LIE. HE A BALL HAWK. HE DEFINITELY. HE WORK HARD. THAT’S ONE THING I CAN SAY. I FEEL LIKE HE WORK HARDER THAN ANYBODY I EVER SAW. OF COURSE HE’S MY BROTHER FOR LIFE. YOU SEE THIS CORE? YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS IN SACRAMENTO MICHELLE DAPPER KCRA 3 NEWS KOA AND THE HORNETS HOST CAL POLY THIS WEEKEND WITH HOPES
Sacramento State’s Koa Akui shines on and off the football field
Updated: 11:00 PM PDT Sep 25, 2025
Sacramento State junior safety Koa Akui is having a breakout year, emerging from years of hard work to become a standout football player and team captain.”In order to exceed or make it to the next level, I got to put in more than whatever it is,” Akui said. “I know we’re all a team, but at the end of the day, we compete, you know? And with that, I’m familiar with the whole country, so I’m trying to make it to the next level.”The former walk-on from Hawaii has significantly elevated his game, recording five takeaways in four games, including a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and three interceptions. His dedication to reading the field, watching film, and understanding offensive strategies has helped slow down the game for him. “Reading the field, watching film, putting in like work to see what the offense is doing. And I think that really slowed down the game for me, just reading the quarterbacks, reading the routes, seeing the concepts,” Akui said.Sacramento State has brought in many highly rated players, but Akui has consistently outperformed them in workouts and the film room. “We brought in a lot of players here that were four stars, five stars, started at this school, and he beat them all out. And he beat them every day in workouts, and he beat them in the film room. Work ethic is still a talent,” head coach Brennan Marion said.While Akui’s skills are evident on the field, his leadership is being tested off the field as he takes on the role of team captain. “I’m not really a guy with, like, the voice, if that makes sense. You know, I’m more of, like, lead by example. But these coaches have tried to push me more to use my voice and stuff, and I’ve just been, you know, reporting to the job,” Akui said.His teammate expressed admiration for Akui’s work ethic and dedication. “I feel like he work harder than anybody I ever saw,” Rodney Hammond Jr. said. “That’s my brother for life.”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Sacramento State junior safety Koa Akui is having a breakout year, emerging from years of hard work to become a standout football player and team captain.
“In order to exceed or make it to the next level, I got to put in more than whatever it is,” Akui said. “I know we’re all a team, but at the end of the day, we compete, you know? And with that, I’m familiar with the whole country, so I’m trying to make it to the next level.”
The former walk-on from Hawaii has significantly elevated his game, recording five takeaways in four games, including a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and three interceptions.
His dedication to reading the field, watching film, and understanding offensive strategies has helped slow down the game for him.
“Reading the field, watching film, putting in like work to see what the offense is doing. And I think that really slowed down the game for me, just reading the quarterbacks, reading the routes, seeing the concepts,” Akui said.
Sacramento State has brought in many highly rated players, but Akui has consistently outperformed them in workouts and the film room.
“We brought in a lot of players here that were four stars, five stars, started at this school, and he beat them all out. And he beat them every day in workouts, and he beat them in the film room. Work ethic is still a talent,” head coach Brennan Marion said.
While Akui’s skills are evident on the field, his leadership is being tested off the field as he takes on the role of team captain.
“I’m not really a guy with, like, the voice, if that makes sense. You know, I’m more of, like, lead by example. But these coaches have tried to push me more to use my voice and stuff, and I’ve just been, you know, reporting to the job,” Akui said.
His teammate expressed admiration for Akui’s work ethic and dedication.
“I feel like he work harder than anybody I ever saw,” Rodney Hammond Jr. said. “That’s my brother for life.”
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
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