By Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Spear Reporter // Photo via SJSU Athletics
Last Sunday, San Jose State’s lack of pressure upfront led to a masterclass by Oregon State quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei. “I could have made a sandwich back there,” he quipped after leading No. 16 OSU to a 42-17 victory.
A few days later, SJSU defensive line coach Joe Seumalo was asked about how he plans on solving this. He grinned and paused for a few seconds, before saying,
“Simplicity,” replied Seumalo.
Keeping it simple is one pillar of Seumalo’s coaching philosophy that’s yielded big results and resonated with current SJSU head coach Brent Brennan. Their relationship spans two-plus decades, three states and four schools. Despite a justifiably slow start, Brennan’s confident that Seumalo can revamp SJSU’s retooled defensive line and become his latest success story.
“We joke about it. We’ve outlasted a lot of marriages,” Brennan said. “Everywhere I’ve ever been with Joe our D-line has been productive.”
Brennan and Seumalo first met at the University of Hawaii in the spring of 1999. “Probably were together for maybe two weeks or a month,” Brennan said.
Too short to build a memorable relationship, but enough time to excitedly greet when they were reunited at Cal Poly – SJSU’s opponent this Saturday at 1 p.m. – two years later. “We’re like, ‘dude, what’s up?’” a lit-up Brennan recounted.
Brennan, then a wide receivers coach, keyed in on Seumalo’s approach, his ability to balance sternness with a genuine care for players. “For the players, they know two things with Coach Seumalo 100% of the time; number one, that he loves them. And number two, that he’s going to make them better players,” Brennan said.
The results spoke for itself. Cal Poly defensive lineman Chris Gocong finished runner-up in the 2004 Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS). The Mustangs were amongst the Division I-AA leaders in sacks in back-to-back years.
Seumalo said Cal Poly was, “where I learned how to coach. That’s where my growth and maturity in terms of football being a football coach.”
Following a successful 2004 campaign, both Seumalo and Brennan climbed up the coaching ladder and West Coast to SJSU. Then in 2006, it was Seumalo who went up the ladder and state lines, being named defensive line coach for Oregon State. Over the next nine years, Seumalo coached 17 all-conference recipients and three All-Americans.
When Seumalo initially arrived in Corvallis, he was relentless in his endorsement of Brennan to then OSU head coach Mike Riley. “I think every chance I got when I was there I tried to get coach Brennan there because I thought he was the best receiver coach,” Seumalo said.
It played a crucial role in Brennan getting hired by Riley in 2010. Upon arriving, Brennan saw it was the same Seumalo, just in different garb. Their first year together, Beavers defensive lineman Stephen Paea became the 2010 Pac-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
But then in 2014, Riley left for Nebraska and Brennan was the only remaining assistant coach. Over the next two years, Seumalo became defensive line coach for UNLV and Arizona State.
Meanwhile Brennan, in 2017, left OSU to become SJSU’s head coach. Some time after, while attending a convention, Brennan, bumped into Seumalo’s wife, Karen while entering a hotel.
“’Brent, all you have to do is ask,’” she told Brennan, who was compiling his first coaching staff.
Not long after, Seumalo was hired. He came to SJSU with a wood fire Santa Maria Smoker Karen purchased for him at a San Luis Obispo Costco nearly two decades earlier and his player-first, high-demand philosophy.
“It felt like he should be here with us,” Brennan said. “I think how we treat our players, how we care about our players is one of the hallmarks, one of the real defining characteristics of our program, and Joe’s a perfect example of that.”
Under Seumalo, SJSU’s defensive line became a hallmark of the rebuild. Class of 2018 bookends, Junior Fehoko (NFL) and Cade Hall (graduated), each won a Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and combined for five All-Mountain West First Team selections. Last year, SJSU’s defensive line averaged the second-most sacks per game (3.6) nationwide.
A testament to Seumalo’s ability to develop players. Fehoko arrived as a three-star with some PAC-12 interest, but Hall was a two-star, with his only offer coming from SJSU.
Recently, Hall reminisced upon the backyard barbecues and his first time meeting Seumalo at an SJSU recruiting camp in 2017. At the beginning, Seumalo said, ‘The players’ job while they’re here is to love each other. And my job as their coach is to love them.’
A sentiment Hall’s heard plenty of times, “but then I got to spend five years with him. And it’s really true … I think a lot of coaches preach it and say it, but he really walks the walk.”
But now Hall and Fehoko have moved on. There’s a new set of young, unproven defensive lineman. The transition hasn’t been seamless.
Reigning Heisman Award winner Caleb Williams of No. 6 USC and fellow former five-star in Uiagalelei dazzled against SJSU in back-to-back weeks. The Spartans defensive line amassed 1.5 sacks and allowed at least 160 rushing yards in each contest.
A slow start was expected, both teams boast a slew of Preseason All-PAC-12 offensive linemen. But time is of the essence. SJSU’s defensive line has 10 games to overcome its struggles. With Seumalo at the helm, there’s trust it can be done.
“When I first got there,” Hall began, “our D-line was one of the weaker points of our team, and he turned it around. So I have tons of confidence that he’s going to do that again, and it’ll be even better than they’ve ever been.”