courtesy of Matt Taufoou CSM linebacker Matt Taufoou went from a football player to a student of the game. His hard work earned him All-American honors this season.

As the youngest of four boys, Taufoou saw the way his older brothers — especially Will, a fullback who just completed his senior season at Cal — conducted themselves and how hard they worked to become better football players. But it was Will whom Matt was closest to, since they were closest in age.

The oldest brother, Kaoi, 30, played football at Menlo School and later went on to play rugby at San Diego State, while Sione, 27, played football at St. Francis and CSM. Matt’s cousin, Dave Taufoou, also played with Sione at CSM. Sione, Dave and Will all had standout junior college and Division I careers and there are ample reasons to believe Matt will have similar success at a four-year university.

Born and raised in San Carlos, Taufoou was recently named to the California Community College Coaches Association All-America football team, the only CSM player from this year’s team to earn that honor. The inside linebacker led the Bulldogs with 81 tackles (47 solo) and added 4 1/2 sacks. When told by a reporter that he had made All-American, a giddy Taufoou said, “I didn’t even know. That’s great!”

Great was one way to describe Taufoou’s season. With tremendous instincts, vision and a nose for the ball, Taufoou consistently made plays all over the field. He was perhaps the most important cog to a CSM squad that finished with the No. 2 rush defense in the state. Bulldogs coach Larry Owens pointed to one game in particular — the team’s loss to then top-ranked Sierra in Week Four — that really stood out.

Taufoou was part of a swarming unit that completely shut down a Sierra running attack that was arguably the best in the state. Led by tailback Lamon Muldrow, who recently committed to San Jose State, Sierra pounded teams with good old-fashioned power football. Against CSM, however, Sierra and Muldrow were the ones taking a beating. Taufoou was instrumental in limiting Muldrow to a season-low 45 yards rushing.

“He was dominant against probably the best running back in the state,” Owens said. “Matt was huge, our most valuable defensive player. We had a conversation before the season and I told him one of his goals is to try to make All-American. It’s a great honor for him, something that will stay with him for the rest of his life.”

Said Taufoou: “I don’t know what to say. I’m kind of shocked I made All-American. It’s a great honor and I’m very thankful.”

Taufoou said talent wasn’t the decisive factor to his success as much as being a student of the game. Whenever the CSM coaching staff broke down film and pointed out his mistakes, Taufoou took the criticism in stride and used it to make himself a better player. Taufoou views playing linebacker in precise and technical terms.

“From the first set up to the key reads, to the first angle I take on pass drops, I’m always working on things to make myself better,” Taufoou said. “There’s so much in my game I have to improve. Coach O taught me to hit at or below pad level (to gain leverage) and how to use my hands correctly. Once you learn what can make you better, you can impact the game and make an even bigger difference. My first year at CSM I just played. This season I understood what was going on during the game. The little things lead to big things.”

Like all defensive players, Taufoou loved to make a big hit. But he never went out of his way to make one.

“I just want to make the play,” he said. “Style points are not needed. Whatever it takes to get the guy down, I’m going to do. Everyone dreams of a vicious hit and I’m no different, but a tackle is a tackle.”

Growing up, Taufoou had a great support group, spearheaded by Will. The two would often play pickup football on the street or at the neighborhood park, but Matt said it was the lessons Will taught him off the field that mattered the most. Believe it or not, the conversations around the Taufoou dinner table barely revolved around the pigskin.

“It was all about life lessons and family values,” Matt said. “I was taught lessons from watching. I got the silent love treatment, where you don’t say much but you know what’s going through each other’s heads. You don’t hear it, you feel it (the love).”

Even though Taufoou has developed a passion for football, it was hardly love at first hike. He started playing Pop Warner at 10 but quit after one season. The reason?

“I wanted to be a little kid and eat and enjoy my food,” he said. “I couldn’t handle running and losing weight. I hated it. So I told myself that I would just wait for high school.”

In the meantime Taufoou played baseball on a junior traveling team. Once he got to St. Francis, Taufoou established himself as a standout two-way player. After two solid years at CSM, Taufoou is prepared to play at the next level. Several schools have offered him scholarships, but Taufoou said he’s going to wait a while before making a decision.

Speaking of decisions, for those wondering why Taufoou ended up at St. Francis and not Serra, well, it wasn’t necessarily his decision. Taufoou wanted to go to Serra but his mom didn’t want her two sons playing against each other, so Matt ended up joining Will at St. Francis. Incidentally, the two never played together. Matt made varsity his junior year and Will, two years older, had graduated.

The one thing that will motivate Matt in the next few years is the fact that the 6-foot-1, 235-pound Taufoou is getting downgraded because he doesn’t fit the typical mold of a linebacker at the Division I level.

“When colleges are making visits the first thing they do is size me up to see how tall I am,” Taufoou said. “I heard one college thought I was 5-9. I guess I’m going to have to start getting some big ’ol boots. But seriously, the height thing doesn’t mean anything to me. It’s never stopped me from reaching my goals.”