Aleki Pascua joined the Portland State staff in 2008 as an offensive line coach. He begins his second season with the Vikings, and shares duties with ninth-year assistant coach Jim Craft.

On the line, PSU has three returning starters, two other returning letterwinners and eight redshirts from last season that Pascua will work with. The leader of the group is fourth-year player, and third-year starter Moses Punzal, an honorable mention All-Big Sky choice last season. LT Matt Leunen and C Tyler Staley were starters last season, while RT Dustin Waldron started the last two games of the year. Player development is also going to be a key.

“Aleki has real good knowledge on protection schemes,” said Head Coach Jerry Glanville. “I was looking for someone to do a great job teaching our individual techniques in the first 20-minute period of practice. I think both Jim and Aleki will be better than ever in that area. With all of our young offensive linemen coming in the past two years this is very important.”

Along with his coaching duties, Pascua recruits the state of Oregon, California and the Hawaiian islands.    Pascua joined Portland State from Western Oregon University, where he had been offensive line coach for the past two seasons. Prior to that, he coached one year at Western Washington, and had spent three years as a graduate assistant at Oregon. Pascua also has experience as a high school coach at Willamette and Churchill in Eugene.

A 1999 graduate of Linfield College, with a degree in physical education, Pascua was a member of the Wildcat football team. He also served as an assistant coach for one season following his playing days. Born is American Samoa, Pascua is a native of Waipahu, HI where attended St. Louis High School.

THE ALEKI PASCUA FILE

Hometown: Honolulu, HI
Alma Mater: Linfield, 1999
Playing Experience: Offensive Line, Linfield, 1993-97
Family: Wife, Corina; daughter, Matalasi (1)

COACHING EXPERIENCE:

2008-09   Portland State Offensive Line
2006-07   Western Oregon Offensive Line

2005        Western Washington, Defensive Line and Linebackers

2002-05   Oregon, Graduate Assistant

2001        Willamette HS, Head JV and assistant varsity
1999-01  Churchill HS, assistant varsity
1998        Linfield, defensive assistant

Name pronunciation: uh-LECK-ee PASS-kwah