Kaleo Teriipaia (Ka-Lei-O Ter-E-Pie-A) is in his first year with Utah State’s football program as a defensive/special teams administrative assistant. In his role, Teriipaia assists the defensive and special teams coaches with daily football operations, primarily working with the defensive line and assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Frank Maile and special teams coordinator Stacy Collins.
Teriipaia comes to Utah State after spending the 2015 season as the linebackers coach at Southern Utah, helping the Thunderbirds capture the Big Sky title and advance to the FCS Playoffs, falling to Sam Houston State 42-39 in the first round.
Southern Utah went 8-4 in 2015 and set a school record for consecutive wins with seven. Teriipaia coached Mike Needham, who as a sophomore earned first-team all-Big Sky honors after recording 86 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and one sack. He also recorded three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, eight pass deflections, five pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Furthermore, Needham scored three defensive touchdowns, two on fumble recoveries and one on an interception return.
Prior to joining the Southern Utah staff, Teriipaia spent the 2014 season at Dixie State, where he coached the defensive line.
Collegiately, Teriipaia was a three-year letterwinner and two-year starter on the defensive line at Southern Utah from 1999-2001.
Teriipaia was a first-team all-state selection his senior year at Kahuku (Hawaii) High School, helping the Red Raiders reach the state championship game. Teriipaia was also a state champion wrestler at 189 pounds for Kahuku HS, and he played baseball and soccer.
A native of Oahu, Hawaii, Teriipaia served an LDS Church Mission to Carlsbad, Calif., from 1994-96. He graduated from Southern Utah with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and he is currently working on a master’s in social work.
Teriipaia and his wife, Tami Lee, have five children: Allana (13), Elijah (11), Stephan (10), KJ (5) and Tiare (3).