The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Meet The Staff: Defensive Coordinator Sione Ta’ufo’ou
1/7/2023 10:33:00 AM | Football
BIRMINGHAM – Head Coach Trent Dilfer named Sione Ta'ufo'ou (See-own-ee Tau-FOE-oh) as UAB's defensive coordinator in December of 2022. Ta'ufo'ou and Dilfer have worked together for over a decade and Ta'ufo'ou will lead the UAB defense into the 2023 season.
"I have known Sione since 2012 and found him to be one of the brightest football coaches I have ever been around," Dilfer said. "He is a great teacher, he inspires players to play to their potential, and he is an X's and O's mastermind. He is well versed in all three phases of football. Although he is our defensive coordinator, he could easily be an offensive coordinator or special teams coordinator as well. He is one of the most complete coaches I have been around in my 42-year football life."
Ta'ufo'ou comes to Birmingham after spending the three previous years with Dilfer turning Lipscomb Academy into one of the most dominant high school programs in the country.
Serving as Lipscomb's defensive coordinator, Ta'ufo'ou's defense allowed just 5.5 points per game in 2022 en route to claiming the Mustang's second-consecutive Tennessee state title.
In three seasons at Lipscomb, the Mustangs posted 14 shutouts with Ta'ufo'ou as the defensive coordinator and played to an overall record of 37-4 in his three seasons. Lipscomb concluded a perfect 13-0 season in 2022 with a 42-0 victory over rival Christ Presbyterian Academy in the state championship game.
Along with coaching at Lipscomb with Dilfer, Ta'ufo'ou has been on staff at the Elite 11 as a quarterback coach for the past decade.
A native of San Carlos, California, Ta'ufo'ou spent eight years as the head coach of two different high schools in California. He was the head coach at Menlo Atherton for five years (2012-16) before serving as the head coach of Archbishop Mitty for three years (2017-19). He earned three Coach of the Year awards during his tenure as a head coach.
Ta'ufo'ou played high school football at St. Francis (CA) and became an all-state linebacker at Community of San Mateo Community College. Following San Mateo, Ta'ufo'ou continued his football career at the University of Mary and graduated with a degree in business administration.
Ta'ufo'ou and his wife Alexis have one daughter, Mililani.
2023 Season Tickets:
Season tickets for the 2023 UAB Football season are now available starting as low as $99. Season ticket packages will feature all six home games during UAB's inaugural season in the American Athletic Conference and provide the most cost-effective way to attend games at Protective Stadium. For more information about season ticket pricing, call the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1. Fans may renew season tickets, purchase new season tickets or request more information on season ticket options here.
"I have known Sione since 2012 and found him to be one of the brightest football coaches I have ever been around," Dilfer said. "He is a great teacher, he inspires players to play to their potential, and he is an X's and O's mastermind. He is well versed in all three phases of football. Although he is our defensive coordinator, he could easily be an offensive coordinator or special teams coordinator as well. He is one of the most complete coaches I have been around in my 42-year football life."
Ta'ufo'ou comes to Birmingham after spending the three previous years with Dilfer turning Lipscomb Academy into one of the most dominant high school programs in the country.
Serving as Lipscomb's defensive coordinator, Ta'ufo'ou's defense allowed just 5.5 points per game in 2022 en route to claiming the Mustang's second-consecutive Tennessee state title.
In three seasons at Lipscomb, the Mustangs posted 14 shutouts with Ta'ufo'ou as the defensive coordinator and played to an overall record of 37-4 in his three seasons. Lipscomb concluded a perfect 13-0 season in 2022 with a 42-0 victory over rival Christ Presbyterian Academy in the state championship game.
Along with coaching at Lipscomb with Dilfer, Ta'ufo'ou has been on staff at the Elite 11 as a quarterback coach for the past decade.
A native of San Carlos, California, Ta'ufo'ou spent eight years as the head coach of two different high schools in California. He was the head coach at Menlo Atherton for five years (2012-16) before serving as the head coach of Archbishop Mitty for three years (2017-19). He earned three Coach of the Year awards during his tenure as a head coach.
Ta'ufo'ou played high school football at St. Francis (CA) and became an all-state linebacker at Community of San Mateo Community College. Following San Mateo, Ta'ufo'ou continued his football career at the University of Mary and graduated with a degree in business administration.
Ta'ufo'ou and his wife Alexis have one daughter, Mililani.
2023 Season Tickets:
Season tickets for the 2023 UAB Football season are now available starting as low as $99. Season ticket packages will feature all six home games during UAB's inaugural season in the American Athletic Conference and provide the most cost-effective way to attend games at Protective Stadium. For more information about season ticket pricing, call the UAB Athletics Ticket Office at (205) 975-UAB1. Fans may renew season tickets, purchase new season tickets or request more information on season ticket options here.
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