[Waves crashing]
[Chanting]
Jordan Ta'amu's home may be over 4,000 miles away from Oxford, Mississippi,
but the senior quarterback always holds Ole Miss close to his heart.
What's up guys?
I'm here back on the island, back on the rock for two weeks
before I got to go back in June,
but I'm out here spending time with family and friends
and enjoying the beach, enjoying this spicy Ahi bowl
and rocking my Ole Miss tee shirt, so Hotty Toddy.
You know the thing I think that's so special about the islands
is just whenever you get there, you feel the love from the people.
The people back home they're very friendly oriented, they're family oriented.
You know, they're right there to welcome you when you come in.
The people are nice, the food is great.
Growing up in Hawaii for our family is –
it's all about the family oriented spirit that's there.
The aloha.
As soon as I go home, spend time with my family, of course.
And then I'm always going out to the beach, it's just awesome to be home,
just the wind, ocean breeze flowing through your hair,
you just walk around with no shirt, it's the greatest feeling ever,
just being relaxed and nobody cares how you dress, nobody cares how you look
and you just hang with the guys and just going hiking all over the place,
eating great food, great seafood and who doesn't want to be from Hawaii?
Let's give a round of applause for Jordan Ta'amu, ladies and gentlemen.
[Applause and cheering]
[MUSIC]
Hello guys.
Good to be here, I'm super honored and blessed
and it's good to be home with family before I go back to Mississippi later.
I'm super proud and just representing the island, representing my culture.
I've always told Jordan this,
and I'm sure Miss Louisa and Mr. Billy have told Jordan this;
is always be humble and don't forget where you came from.
At the 2018 SEC Media day it was certainly hard to forget where Jordan came from
when he and his culture were front and center.
Here at SEC Media Days in Atlanta with Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta'amu.
Growing up in Hawaii, what if anything did you know about Ole Miss?
I want to go into your life man.
You're a Hawaiian kid.
How does a quarterback from Hawaii end up playing over in Oxford, Mississippi?
How did you end up in Oxford, Mississippi?
I took the junior college route in New Mexico,
it's called New Mexico Military Institute.
The first game I threw eight touchdown passes,
so that's what sparked up D-1 level eyes.
Give me the exact correct pronunciation.
Tah-AH-moo.
Okay, I was saying tay-AH-mo.
Well a little south.
Say your last name so we all can get it right.
Ta'amu.
I would say Jordan Ta'amu, I am wrong?
So just go ahead and just let the world know how to say your name.
Alright, Ta'amu.
Ta'amu?
Yep.
Tay AH- mo.
Ta-AH-moo.
I said Ta'amu.
Ta'amu.
Jordan Ta'amu.
Jordan Taalolo Ta'amu-Perifanos.
[Laughter]
That wouldn't fit on the back of the jersey, would it?
No it would not, it would not, it would not.
I got another "a" here?
Yep.
And now do the ‘m".
‘U'
I'm glad I'm writing this down.
Before anyone was trying to pronounce Jordan Ta'amu's name,
he was a second string quarterback
thrust into the spotlight on national television.
Hey, hey, hey nobody panic, nobody panic, just do your job, baby.
Just do your job, we're in good shape.
Hey, let's get our tempo and go on and finish, we good, we good, let's go.
So here is Jordan Ta'amu in at quarterback for Ole Miss.
I'm like super nervous, I'm super pumped at the same time.
And I'm like this is really going to happen, I'm really going to go in.
And I said to myself, this is my shot, this is my opportunity
and I'm going to go and make the best out of it.
It was kind of nerve wracking for us at first, but we knew he can do it,
you know, he was prepared for his whole life for this.
Once I started doing the plays and just going with the flow
everything just started coming natural and I said to myself,
I prepared for this, and I'm made for this, I dreamed about this my whole life,
I'm going to do what I can to help my team out.
There is a designed quarterback run and look at him go, Jordan Ta'amu
and smartly gets out just inside the 20.
Let's go Mariota.
Mariota.
After leading two scoring drives, Ta'amu was handed the keys to the offense,
but was unaccustomed to the driver's seat.
It's too chilly out here.
It's not like Hawaii.
You look different.
Huh?
You look like an athlete.
I feel different.
Oh shoot, oh yeah.
I'm always used to that side.
Nah, nah, nah, you're over here now.
I'm feeling good.
Alright.
I'm feeling good because I get to throw to you.
[Laughter]
Ta'amu.
Jordan Ta'amu.
Ta'amu.
His name's not Ta'amu, it's Mariotta.
Mariotta.
Little Mariotta Ta'amu.
Hey Marcus.
I guess this is the life now, I guess.
You know what you're going to say?
What do you think they're going to ask you?
Uh, how I feel about the starting job and all that.
But, we'll see and hopefully I'll answer everything correctly.
I've been getting texts and all that from the team saying that they got my back
and I've been texting them saying I got their back too and I'll give it my all.
After dipping his feet in the water,
Ta'amu and the Rebels were looking to dive headfirst into a new era.
Not many people in our culture are given this opportunity.
You know what I mean?
Just take advantage of it.
I will.
You know put them on the map.
I will.
Ta'amu, do what you're doing baby.
Third and four, Ta'amu wants to throw, quarterback draw,
keeps it, straight up the middle, first down and more.
Go Jordan, go Jordan, go Jordan, go Jordan.
He's at the 30, he may outrun him, he's at the 15, 10, 5 in the end zone.
Touchdown Ole Miss.
[Cheering]
There you go.
Yes, sir.
That boy nice, that boy nice.
That's the player way baby.
That's the player way.
Yeah, Hawaii.
Hawaii, that way.
Jordan Ta'amu will trot back on the field
and they'll need him to be clutch down the final 2:14.
I mean we were all just out there knowing that we had to have a touchdown
and knowing, you know, what we had to get it done.
They knew that they were going to go down and score,
they knew they were going to go down and do what they needed to
to win that football game.
In the huddle we were saying we're fitting to win this game.
Like, no pressure.
I think everybody on the whole sideline had a feeling,
"Okay we're about to score here."
D.K. one-on-one with a little guy like that, I'm like; they got to throw this up.
What play call you going to next?
Fade it?
You going to fade?
Fade it to D.K.
D.K.?
We have three receivers to the right and then D.K. to the left one-on-one,
I knew my matchup on one-on-one, I knew it was nice.
Third down and goal, trips to the right again,
D.K. Metcalf is one-on-one here, wide left.
[MUSIC]
That's it, it's a touchdown.
Touchdown Ole Miss, it stands for D.K. Metcalf, the former Oxford Charger.
I knew he had a really big arm, but like,
I didn't even know he was that accurate.
One thing I always mess with D.K. Metcalf about,
is hey man you're the big man, man go up and get it.
You know, a ball is going to come to you, and so it comes to him
and he gets it and it's a touchdown.
You know, you can see it and everybody's livid and fired up
and you know, things like that is very special that you don't forget,
you know what I mean?
Those moments, you know, rather than, you know every play in the game,
but you just remember those times.
As far as Jordan, he's a cool customer.
I knew we had the right guy back then.
It was a great turning point for us just to see where he is as a leader,
you know, as a guy.
His composure came into play and that really helped us.
The dude, he's not really an outspoken guy, but he's able to lead by example.
Here you go buddy, it's my towel.
Thank you.
Yeah, any time.
Yeah.
Oh yeah, lighting.
Got to get that lighting.
You ready?
Yeah.
One, two, three.
It's just an awesome feeling, just to give back to the community
because of what the community gave me and the kids just mean everything to me.
How old are you?
Uh, 12.
You're 12?
Yes, sir.
Okay.
What position are you going to play?
I was playing – I played D-tackle.
Yeah.
Like now I get my grades up before I think about playing football.
Exactly, that's where it all starts is in the classroom.
He's a good young man and he was raised the right way and he is an awesome kid.
He was a guy that could always, you know, make people feel special around him.
I go to class every day and it starts in the classroom
and translates on the field.
So just keep working hard, alright?
Sure.
Alright, have a good one.
You too.
Bye Mom.
Bye-bye.
So dreams come true, just to be a role model to these young ones
and just getting the time to say what's up to them,
putting a smile on their face
and that's the main reason why I do this is for the kids
and it's all glory to God the reason why I'm here.
So, it's a blessing.
Thank you.
I know I was little once and I looked up to a lot of guys,
and the best thing you can do to a kid is just give them advice
and that's what I did.
Good throw, from a kid?
You could be a quarterback one day; alright?
I see it.
You want to try on some jerseys?
Going to try on some jerseys.
I want number 13.
He had a great affinity for and a great devotion to young people.
Oh that was good, that was good.
And it means a lot to me because it gives the little kids at home hope
that they can come out here, they can go anywhere they want or dream of,
and become a starter, become whatever they want to be
and just being a great role model to my culture
and just being a great model for the kids back home at the island
and it's just awesome and just going and seeing kids
and putting smile on their faces
and just being out here shows them that they can do what I can do
and I believe they can do whatever they can.
[Waves crashing on shore]