Honolulu, Hawai'i----- San Jose State University defensive end Viliami Fehoko and linebacker Alii Matau, returning starters from the Spartans' 2020 Mountain West championship football team, are two of the 63 players named to the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list.
The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity. San Jose State is one of 31 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools with a representative on the 2021 watch list.
Fehoko was a first-team All-Mountain West selection and one of the most consistent and dynamic players in the conference and nationally. He led the conference in number of tackles for loss and tied for 17th nationally with his 12.5 total. The fourth-year Spartan registered at least 1.0 tackles for loss in each of the team's final seven games of the season. The Spartan defensive end also was credited with 6.0 quarterback sacks and had a streak of four consecutive games with a sack.
Earlier in the summer Fehoko was a preseason All-Mountain West choice as a defensive lineman in a poll of conference media members.
Matau had his best season at the major college level in 2020. He was credited with 29 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 quarterback sacks. The fourth-year Spartan had a single-game personal best eight tackles in San Jose State's first win over Boise State in the Mountain West championship game victory. The two-time academic all-conference award winner also was honored as a 2021 Mountain West scholar-athlete.
Five finalists will be announced on November 30. The 2021 winner will be named on December 14 and be presented with the award during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame celebration dinner on January 21, 2022 at the Sheraton Waikiki.