Walk into the Manatee High School locker room and the Canes are blessed with skill and talent in just about every locker. Championship banners draped above with reminders of the Hurricanes that came before. Special players such as Tommie Frazier and current Auburn War Eagle, redshirt sophomore Cord Sandberg.
The next wave of Canes will blow in this season and one to keep an eye on is 6’2″220 lbs 2022 LB Samu Vave. Blessed with size and athleticism, Vave is the prototypical LB to look at. Thick frame, muscular look, and height.
“He came near the end of the season. I didn’t believe he was a freshman he was so big,” said Manatee Head Football Coach Yusif Shakir. “He had a natural understanding of the game. Was raw but naturally talented.”
Watching his film, he moves well. Show a disciple for his position and has a relentless motor. But, it’s hard to get past his imposing size. He is so far from reaching his potential it is scary what the future could hold.
When asked how has he grown as a player? Coach Shakir responded with, “Really understands the overall game better now and his role as a player fits into the system.” Last season, 16 solo tackles and 1 tackle for loss. A super raw player with little experience. With a strong offseason and a better understanding of his responsibility to the team, Samu’s numbers will explode.
“He is always willing to learn so that really helps when the other kids see that. He does a great job of accepting coaching and applying it to the task immediately” said Shakir. He provides the defense “physicality, experience, size & athleticism. Can play in space and be an edge rusher.”
Coach Shakir is excited about Samu and his 2020 Hurricanes as a whole. Keep a look out for this young man when the season kicks off.