Vita Vea stood on a podium, surrounded by his teammates. Washington had just finished knocking off Colorado, 41-10, to win the Pac-12 championship and the celebration spread across the field before the Huskies finally congregated on an elevated stage.
And, as confetti rained down over the nation’s fourth-ranked program, Vea cradled the trophy.
“It was pretty amazing,” said Vea, not long after setting off a purple smoke grenade during a recent photoshoot in Dempsey Indoor.
Always blessed with talent on the football field, the 332-pound standout is here because of the way he worked in the classroom.
And, as much as he has studied for school, he has invested a similar commitment on the football field.
With a championship T-shirt worn over his pads and a matching hat flipped backward, the defensive lineman gave the trophy a loving look.
This was a moment he had been working for. This was a day that made his winding journey worth it.
“This has been a big step for me,” he said. “I’m improving a lot with my game, studying the game, stuff like that.”
Among Washington’s defensive linemen Vea is the unit’s leading tackler. Through 13 games this season, he has 35 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble. He has been a key cog along the defensive front for the program.
“It just feels good, we’re going with the flow, listening to what coach Pete (Chris Petersen) has to tell us and just moving forward throughout the season,” he said.
And now, here are the Huskies, heading to Atlanta to play top-ranked Alabama in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta at noon on New Year’s Eve.
“I knew it was possible, I just knew we had to work for it,” he said. “It wasn’t going to be handed to us.”
The Details: For Vea, Success In The Classroom Provides 'Proud Moment'
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