Making the most of injury rehab
All-ACC linebacker Mauigoa helps young LBs while working back from surgery
CORAL GABLES — Hurricanes linebacker Francisco “Kiko” Mauigoa did not need long to make an impact at Miami.
All Mauigoa did in his first year at UM after transferring from Washington State was lead the team in tackles (83) and tackles for loss (18) while tying for the team lead in sacks (7.5). He earned second-team All-ACC honors after the season.
But Mauigoa’s second year at Miami is off to a slower start. He needed surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, and he is working his way back during UM’s spring practices. He is not participating in practice yet.
“I get so anxious to get back on the field, but I’ve got to put my pride to the side and just listen (to trainers),” Mauigoa said. “I’m excited to watch these guys do their thing in practice. I’m just out there to support.”
Mauigoa has put the same attitude toward his rehab that he has toward his play on the field: just focus on getting a little better each day.
“You’ve just got to put in the work,” Mauigoa said. “You’ve got to show up on time, you’ve got to have the intention to be better every day. Get 10 percent better every day. That’s the kind of mindset you’ve got to go into it when you go into training, trying to rehab and get back on the field. Literally, everything you do, you’ve just got to have the mindset to be better.”
Although Mauigoa is not practicing with the team, he is still showing the young linebackers the ropes. Rising second-year linebacker Raul Aguirre Jr. did not play much last year, but he said he learned from watching Mauigoa last year.
“He’s always a leader, helping us out with everything,” Aguirre said. “I remember once I came in last year, and I saw him coming out of a D-line meeting. … The playbook is the biggest thing when you come in as a freshman, adjusting to that. I asked him, ‘What are you doing coming out of the D-line room?’ He told me, ‘Once you learn what you need to do, you can learn what everybody needs to do and help them play better.’ So that’s been my model for this year and what’s made me play way faster.”
Miami linebackers coach Derek Nicholson said he has taken to calling Mauigoa “Coach Kiko” because of how the veteran linebacker has been helping coach up the young linebackers.
“He is an extension of the coaching staff and what we’re doing,” Nicholson said. “I mess with him and call him coach
Kiko just because of how involved he is with the guys in the classroom and then carrying that out on the field. He’s constantly communicating, coaching, giving little tips and reminders of what we should be doing on every given play. He’s very involved mentally, so it was big for him to come back and take another step.”
After Mauigoa established himself in the Hurricanes’ defense last year, the expectations for Year 2 in Miami are high. Nicholson thinks the veteran will have even more success this season.
“Second year in the defense, growing physically, growing and maturing a little bit more, being a year older, I think all bodes well for his prospects going forward,” Nicholson said. “We’re excited about him for sure. He was a staple in that middle for us last year. He’s able to play a multitude of different positions. He affects the game in different ways. He had 7.5, eight sacks last year, so not only is he a really good run stopper and a true middle linebacker, but he can also get after the quarterback when asked to.”