UH football preview Day 7: Defensive lineman Luther McCoy

Hawaii defensive lineman Luther McCoy was Aquaman.

“I grew up in the water,” said McCoy, who was reared in Jacksonville, Fla. “It was kind of my thing. Tubing, wakeboarding, everything you can do with a boat, that’s how I grew up.

When he was a child, he would go to the beach with his family. As he got older, his group of friends would go to St. Johns River, where there were sandbars and, occasionally, dolphins passing.

“The water and playing sports,” McCoy said, “helps release stress.”

But two years ago, McCoy felt emotionally adrift.

Despite finding academic and off-the-field success at the University of Minnesota, when it came to football — the sport of his dreams — McCoy admittedly had lost that lovin’ feeling.

Maybe it was the latent toll of injuries. He underwent four surgeries — two at Creekside High School in Jacksonville, another two at Minnesota — to repair a labrum tear in his right shoulder, essentially costing him four years of development. Maybe it was finding greater rewards in the classroom, where he was twice named to the Big Ten’s All-Academic team, or in the work force. He interned as a financial adviser for Northwestern Mutual in Minnesota.

With a degree in business and marketing, McCoy sought a fresh start and renewed enthusiasm when he entered the transfer portal in December 2024. Jeff Reinebold, who coached UH’s defensive tackles and nose tackles at the time, reached out to McCoy.

“Coach Reinebold saw something very special in him,” head coach Timmy Chang said.

McCoy received a metaphorical group hug from teammates when he joined the Warriors in January 2025.

“This place is special,” Chang said. “It’s our culture. It’s this island, and state, and people. He knew we cared about him, that his teammates cared about him. And Luther bought into this place.”

Reinebold provided Miyagi-like lessons. Shadow boxing helped fight off offensive linemen. Jumping rope improved footwork. Visualization techniques led to calm execution. Teamwork made football fun again. The real McCoy resurfaced.

“I came here to play football, but I learned to love this place,” “McCoy said. “It’s awesome to have people who are supporting me and letting me fly. You can fly or you can be in a cage. I definitely feel people out here support me and want me to fly. It’s nice to have so many hands on my shoulder helping me. It’s great to have a real community out here.”

At 6-5, McCoy weighed more than 300 pounds at the start of the 2025 training camp. That allowed him to rotate between nose tackle and 3-tech tackle. He was able to hold the point against hefty blockers. When flexed to D-end in a three-man front, he used his long reach to obscure the passing lanes to the flats.

This offseason he dropped to 270 pounds while emerging as leader of the interior-defensive line. He also had to adjust to a new position coach. Former UH D-tackle Lance Samuseva succeeded Reinebold, who accepted a coaching job in the Canadian Football League.

“During spring and summertime, we asked him to put on weight,” Samuseva said. McCoy now weighs between 280 and 285.

“Very energetic,” Samuseva said of McCoy. “The guy just does the right things. I expect him to be the leader of our unit. He’s always on time with things. He’s always where he’s supposed to be. I hope he keeps leading by example.”

McCoy also has reconnected with his other passion.

“I like the waves,” said McCoy, who often drives around the East side, stopping at Sandy’s, Waimanalo or Makapu‘u. “I drive around the island by myself. It doesn’t take much to go from this place to the North Shore.”

He also enjoys his version of a 5K. He will jog from the Manoa campus toward Waikiki, circle the Ala Wai Canal, and then watch a sunset on the beach.

“I know it’s crazy,” he said of the late-afternoon run. “But I like to do it. I enjoy Hawaii.”

AT THIS POSITION

NO.	PLAYER	HT.	WT.	CL.
Nose tackles
88	Elijah Williams	6-3	300	Jr.
97	Jordan Lynch	6-3	290	So.
98	Tonga Paea	6-4	315	Jr.
99	Ozzy Pollard	6-4	300	So.
Defensive tackles
52	Luther McCoy	6-5	280	Gr.
55	Zoram Petelo	6-4	270	So.
92	Waipehe Winchester	6-2	265	So.
95	Geoffrey Speight Jr.	6-1	290	Sr.
96	Iosefa Letuli	6-5	270	So.