Every team needs a leader. Every team needs that one guy that can step up and inspire his team to victory. Every team needs a fighter that can rally his team when down and tell them to keep fighting with him.
Linebacker Christian Tago is that leader for San Jose State.
Tago is in his fifth season with the Spartans, his third as a starting middle linebacker and was named a captain by his teammates in his junior year.
“It is amazing how fast time went by,” Tago said. “I could see myself evolving over time here and I feel great being a captain.”
He said he was honored when his teammates chose him to become a captain and saw himself as a vocal player on and off the field.
“He is a super talented player,” said linebacker Frank Ginda. “I learn a lot from him and he is one of those players that is really inspirational and he teaches me how to diagnose plays.”
Tago said his family has had a large influence on his football career, helping him persevere through even the roughest of seasons. He looks up to all of them as role models.
“My grandpa,” Tago said. “He is one of the hardest working men in my life and he brought our family to America from American Samoa and he never complained once. He never asked for anything in exchange for what he did and I try to put that to football and work my hardest.”
Football has been his life ever since he was a kid, going forward he wants to try to play pro, but also understands entering the NFL is not easy.
“I want to take it to the next level with football if I can,” Tago said. “But if not, I plan on going back down south and becoming a police officer.”
Before each game Tago said he tells the team “We are all we got and we are all we need” to inspire them before they take the field.
Beyond the team game, every player has their own way of pumping themselves up before each game.
“In high school I used to eat a Subway sandwich before each game,” Tago said. “Now I just try and calm myself and even listen to some R&B music to calm myself down before games.”
Along with playing the game and working with his teammates, Tago said he loves all facets of the game, travelling, summer practice and spring football after the season is over.
“I love traveling,” Tago said. “I love seeing all the different cities and meeting people from those cities. Growing up you want to play in that. They (Auburn University) had thousands, I mean like a billion people it was crazy and it was a great experience.”
Besides football, Tago has started a family of his own with his fiancee, they have two kids and they live in Southern California.
“I am pretty relaxed and kicked back guy off the field,” Tago said. “I have two daughters and a fiancee, when I am not in San Jose I go down to Southern California to be with my family, take them out and enjoy life.”
On the field Tago has been a force for the Spartans linebacking core for the past three seasons. He has amassed 311 tackles, which ranks 10th on the all time SJSU list.
Week 9 preview
Coming off a tough road loss to San Diego State, the Spartans will look to turn the corner at home when they host UNLV this Saturday at CEFCU Stadium.
This will be one of the lighter matchups for SJSU in conference play this season before they head to Boise State next week for a brutal game against the Broncos on the road.
The Rebels come into Saturday’s game against the Spartans 3-5 on the season and are coming off a loss to Colorado State 42-23 last Saturday.
Last season the Spartans won a thriller over the Rebels in Las Vegas, when SJSU blocked the field goal in overtime to go on to win 33-27.
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