Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 51-10vs Clemson | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 45-14vs Louisiana Tech | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#44
Junior Tuihalamaka
Senior defensive lineman on LSU's 2026 roster.
6′2″ · 260 lb · Granada Hills, CA
CFB Index 25 · #354 of 426 edge rushersLow confidenceTransferred Notre Dame → LSU for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
2 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Clemson
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on LSU's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Notre Dame in 2022.
- Transferred from Notre Dame to LSU in 2026.
Junior Tuihalamaka
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Across five seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Marcus Freeman and Lane Kiffin. The receipt: 1 tackles against Louisiana Tech — Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
20224 games
- Signed with Notre Dame4-star out of Bishop Alemany
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Brian Kelly, Frank Wilson, and Lane Kiffin. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to LSU
2025Notre Dame
2026LSU
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Notre Dame9-4HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-heavy
2023Notre Dame10-3HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2024Notre Dame14-2HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning
2025Notre Dame10-2HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026LSU2-0HC: Lane Kiffin · Run-leaning, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lane Kiffin
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | LSU | 2 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Notre Dame | 12 | 9 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Notre Dame | 32 | 18 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Notre Dame | 9 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Notre Dame | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 61 | 37 | 9.5 | 4.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 51–10
vs Clemson
1 TOT
Dominant 41-point win at home against Clemson.
With S. Leavitt — 230 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · 113 rush yds (12 car) · 2 TD · W. Watkins — 14 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Michael Heldman’s 2023 season.
61%match
Matches Michael on
Hurry rate
Sack rate
Class year
Differs from Michael on
Height (lower)
TFL rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Diwun Black's senior season at Temple (2024).
50%match
All-AAC
Matches Diwun on
TFL rate
Weight
Height
Differs from Diwun on
Hurry rate (higher)
Sack rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Junior Tuihalamaka
The defensive line · LSU
- #1Princewill Umanmielen13 tackles for loss · 2025
- #47Malik Blocton4.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #29Jordan Ross4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #44Junior Tuihalamaka3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Dylan Carpenter2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · LSU team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology