Mass Destruction : Brothers Create a Weighty Problem for Harbor Foes

Tyler and Jared Tuione are closer than most brothers. And bigger too. Tyler is 6 foot 4 and 330 pounds and Jared is 6-5 and 305 pounds. They eat together, study together and play side by side on Harbor College’s offensive line.

Jared, 18, starts at right tackle and Tyler, 21, starts at right guard. Although Jared could have gone elsewhere, he chose to attend Harbor in order to play with Tyler, a sophomore this year.

It wasn’t an easy decision for Jared, who was a Times 1990 South Bay All-Star selection, but playing with his big brother was too important.

After all, Tyler has been influential in Jared’s development as a lineman. Tyler, a standout prep lineman, taught Jared the fundamentals of playing the position. Tyler continued to advise Jared through Hawthorne High and last year persuaded him to attend Harbor.

“He recruited me to come here,” Jared said pointing to his brother. “I know that’s why I’m here.”

At the end of last season Jared was recruited by several Division I colleges, including Brigham Young, Washington and Oregon. But he failed to score 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test and decided to attend a community college.

“He was one of the top offensive linemen in the area,” said El Camino College Coach John Featherstone, who tried to recruit Jared. “There’s no question about it, he’s a Division I player. He’s got a ton of ability.”

Jared played three years of varsity football at Hawthorne and was twice an All-Bay League selection. He was the team’s most valuable player last year and an All-CIF selection.

“He’s the best offensive lineman I’ve ever coached,” former Hawthorne coach Goy Casillas said. “He’s very mobile. He moves his feet real well.”

Casillas says the Tuiones were the biggest players he coached at Hawthorne.

“They’re both big, strong kids and they’re very smart players,” Casillas said. “We always used to say that defensive linemen are the barroom brawler types and offensive linemen are the guys that go to work in three-piece suits with a briefcase in their hand. Both Jared and Tyler fit into that well.”

Tyler played only two years of high school football because he decided to seek employment. He was an All-Ocean League selection in 1987, when the Cougars won the league title and made it to the quarterfinals of the playoffs. He also threw the shotput and wrestled.

“He was the leader on our offensive line that year,” Casillas said.

Tyler took two years off before returning to football last year and moving to guard. A former high school coach who was serving as an assistant at Harbor suggested he try out for the team.

“After being off for two years it was rough getting back into it,” Tyler said. “I like being a guard better because there’s more man-to-man contact.”

Harbor offensive coordinator Jerry Aguilar says Tyler has improved steadily from last season.

“He just needs experience,” Aguilar said. “He’s had to re-learn a lot of the fundamentals. He’s an excellent pass blocker and he’s real agile for a man his size.”

Aguilar said Jared is Harbor’s prize recruit.

“He’s the kind of player big college football programs strive to get,” he said. “He has so much natural ability and he can do so many things. He’ll be a big-time player. He’ll be a star.”

The brothers say they motivate each other. They often discuss football at home and exchange advice on technique. They viewed film of last week’s season opening 16-15 loss to East L.A. College more than six times.

“We push each other,” Tyler said. “We keep each other going and we help one another stay aggressive and competitive.”

Jared says playing next to his brother is advantageous because they are so familiar with each other’s game.

“It’s hard when you play next to someone you don’t really know, but we know what we can do,” Jared said. “He knows me real well and I know him real well. If one of us misses a block we don’t get down on each other. We’re there to help each other out.”

Tyler is the stronger of the siblings, but Jared is considered to have more ability. Tyler bench-presses 420 pounds and Jared bench-presses 380.

“They’re very competitive,” Harbor Coach Don Weems said. “They’re like typical brothers, when they’re mad at each other I don’t want to be around. But they’re very close and they work very well together.”

The Tuiones, who are of Tongan descent, want to play for the same four-year college after completing their eligibility at Harbor. That would benefit their parents, Maureen and Isikeli, who attend all their games. Tyler and Jared say their mother has played a big part in their athletic careers.

“Our mom cooks for us every day,” Tyler said. “She really puts the food on the table. I guess that’s how we got so big.”