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Home > Blogs > Big C's NFL Blitz > Archives > 2009 > August > 03 > Entry
Bengals Training Camp Day 4
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — With the Bengals holding two-a-day practice on Monday, I used the morning session as an opportunity to hone in on individual players and evaluate their performance in camp thus far. The team will hold its evening practice under the lights at Toyota Stadium in Georgetown, Ky.
Here are some early observations:
Tonga Truck
Rookie seventh round pick fullback Fui Vakapuna has proven to be a load to bring down running the ball.
The 6-foot-0, 260-pound Vakapuna plowed his way through the line like a bulldozer. He shows good versatility catching the ball out of the backfield. Vakapuna caught a number of passes and turned them up field for big gains during drills. He also did a really fine job pass blocking, especially when he drove linebacker Abdul Hodge into the ground on a play. Vakapuna is listed as the No. 1 fullback on the depth chart and is earning his stripes.
Quarterback by default
Starting quarterback Carson Palmer rejoined the team in practice today after missing the last two due to having flu-like symptoms. Palmer’s return was a good thing for the offense. Quarterbacks J.T. O’Sullivan and Jordan Palmer are best suited for their current positions as backups. O’Sullivan is the No. 2 guy behind Palmer and there’s a reason. He struggles throwing the deep route and his 3/4 delivery is subject to batted passes. O’Sullivan threw a badly under thrown pass to receiver Chad Ochocinco who had beaten the defender on a deep-out-route.
Young Palmer has all the arm-strength you ever want to see from a quarterback, but he struggles throwing the ball over the middle of the field. His passes are subject to being intercepted.
Roster move
The Bengals today signed rookie OT Augustus Parrish of Kent State. Parrish (6-4, 303) started the last three seasons for Kent State at LOT. He signed with the New Orleans Saints as a college free agent on May 6, and was released by the Saints on June 4.
Keep checking Big C’s NFL Blitz for updates on the Bengals training camp throughout the week.
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Comments
By Michelle
August 3, 2009 5:18 PM | Link to this
Tonga Truck…love it! Where did you get that from!?
By Jerome Christian
August 3, 2009 5:49 PM | Link to this
how is Abdul looking? Does he have a shot to be the #1 MLB?
By Jeff Tuha
August 4, 2009 2:27 AM | Link to this
“Tonga Truck” was a nickname given to the first Tongan fullback to play in the NFL. Tim Manoa played for the Clevelend Browns in the late 80’s. He played at Penn State in college.
By Jeff Tuha
August 4, 2009 2:28 AM | Link to this
“Tonga Truck” was a nickname given to the first Tongan fullback to play in the NFL. Tim Manoa played for the Clevelend Browns in the late 80’s. He played at Penn State in college.
By Mike in the Ukraine
August 4, 2009 10:07 AM | Link to this
I listened to him play at BYU. The Bengals will be very happy. Greetings from Kherson, Ukraine.
By Dan in Provo
August 4, 2009 10:32 AM | Link to this
If you want to see how hard it can be to bring Fui down, find highlights to the BYU/Tulsa game from 2006. I guarantee you any Tulsa player that reads the “Fui has proven to be a load to bring down” quote above is saying, “Uh, yeah. I could’ve told you that a looong time ago.”
By Stevenson Sylvester
August 4, 2009 1:45 PM | Link to this
I was a rival to Fui in college and I remember plenty of times not wanting to see him steam rolling at me. He is a great competitor and a beast to bring down. Way to represent the MWC Fui!
By Brian Johnson
August 4, 2009 1:50 PM | Link to this
I also played for a rival school against the “Tonga Truck” I have to say that I wasn’t surprised to find that he is #1 on the depth chart. I only wish I had a contract with an NFL team like Fui does. BYU seems to be pumping out quality NFL players year in year out!
By Steve Tate
August 4, 2009 2:02 PM | Link to this
I played in the MWC, and while Fui “Tonga Truck” Vakapuna hits like a beast, he aint got nothin’ on Michael Reed.
By Max Hall
August 4, 2009 2:07 PM | Link to this
I played with the “Tonga Truck” at the same school. While I miss his blocking ability, what I miss most is showering with him.
By royce
August 4, 2009 2:11 PM | Link to this
I smacked that clown a few times in my day. Tonga truck always broke down against me.
By royce
August 4, 2009 2:22 PM | Link to this
Ok I am just messin, I got ROCKED plenty of times by “tonga truck” or as we would call him “the great brown thunda”
By Ray's mama
August 4, 2009 2:37 PM | Link to this
Ray (Royce), Stop pretending to be other people. BTW, Dinner’s ready, your basement better be clean!
By goatnapper'96
August 4, 2009 2:41 PM | Link to this
Fui makes my nipples erect.
By Jan jorgensen
August 4, 2009 4:04 PM | Link to this
Fui rammed me a few times in my day as well.
By Brent "I gaurantee I will win the heisman" Casteel
August 4, 2009 6:26 PM | Link to this
Fui was good, but guys look at the numbers I put up….If I would have gone to a bigger school I would have won the heisman. Gaurantee. Percy Harvin has nothin on me, I just got screwed
By Fui Vakapuna
August 4, 2009 6:48 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the support everyone!!! Hit me up if any cougar fans ever need tickets! Fui.Vakapuna@gmail.com Go Cougars! Crush the utes!
By Kyle Whittingham
August 4, 2009 10:00 PM | Link to this
If only he had played for Utah, I would not have cried after we played BYU in ‘06 and ‘07!
By Harvey Unga
August 4, 2009 10:04 PM | Link to this
I can’t believe I started ahead of the Tonga Truck at BYU. Actually… I can. I broke his ankles in his sleep.
By Brian Johnson
August 4, 2009 10:25 PM | Link to this
I would love to assist an NFL organization like Fui. Any openings in food services at your stadium?
By Bernard
August 4, 2009 10:54 PM | Link to this
I snuck up behind Fui and touched his jersey once. I didn’t wash my hands for 3 weeks. The best part was sniffing them all the time. Ok, I was trying to touch his butt but his sweaty jersey was ok. Fui is hot. I am important on Cougarboard.
By Paul Kruger
August 4, 2009 11:26 PM | Link to this
I got stabbed
By Zoob dude
August 4, 2009 11:43 PM | Link to this
I saw fui at a golds gym the other day and was surprised at how small he was. This guy will not be running over NFL players. His face pretty much matched the pictures I’ve seen on the bengals web site, and to top it off he was wearing a bengals t shirt. Is it possible there is a younger vakapuna in town as well?
By mpfunk
August 5, 2009 12:04 AM | Link to this
I am one of the lame Utah fans that posts on cougarboard. I am also gay, very, very, gay.
By Freddy Kruger
August 5, 2009 12:05 AM | Link to this
I stabbed someone.
By Coach Weber (BYU offensive line)
August 5, 2009 12:49 AM | Link to this
Wow. I am not surprised. I can’t tell you how often our o-linemen would complain of bruised backs at practice after Fui ran into them because they were too fat to get out of the way. Man are our o-linemen fat. And Anae never is good enough, and Bronco sucks and isnt good.
By Brian Johnson
August 5, 2009 11:15 PM | Link to this
If any of you are in Salt Lake City and need mobile phone service, stop by the AT&T kiosk at South Towne Mall and I’ll hook you up.
By An irritated cougar fan
August 6, 2009 12:19 AM | Link to this
Could we please talk about the subject at hand and not about stupid impersonations??? And WHY, whenever i read about a byu player, current or past, why is there a stupid ute fan badmouthing them, I mean EVERY article, dont u have something better to do with ur life????
By Urban Meyer
August 6, 2009 7:02 AM | Link to this
Fui Vakapuna…the “Tongan Truck.” An impressive player. Wish we would’ve recruited him. He would have made a fine Gator. But it’s good to see BYU pumping out NFL players year in and year out. Someone in Utah has to step up to the plate! Too bad the guy Utah hired after me can’t do the same. Oh, well, at least he beat an SEC team in the Sugar Bowl! I’m sure that helped his recruiting. What? BYU is kicking Utah’s trash in recruiting? Kyle…you have much yet to learn…
By Kirk Herbstreit
August 6, 2009 7:12 AM | Link to this
Fui Vakapuna is indeed the “Tongan Truck.” I can vouch for that. While I pretend to despise non-BCS teams and conferences, I secretly watched all of BYU’s games in 2008, and on Game Day broadcasts, I can’t tell you how many times I had to bite my tongue to keep quiet and keep BYU’s secret weapon out of the spotlight! Now that he’s in the NFL, soon the whole world will see the Tongan Truck in action. I wish BYU were in the Big-12, or that the MWC dumped Wyoming and New Mexico and brought in BSU and Colorado; that might convince the BCS cartel to let them in, if they have another strong year like last year…but hey, at least BYU keeps their NFL player manufacturing line producing! If only the rest of the non-BCS teams were as good as BYU, we could justify a playoff system! But let’s be honest, BYU needs to add on another 16,000 seats to Lavell Edwards stadium; it’s a beautiful setting, one of the best stadiums in the nation, but they need to make it a bowl and increase seating to 80,000 before they win another national championship so when they’re invited into the BCS they will bring enough ticket sales cash to the table…
By Michael Jackson
August 6, 2009 7:18 AM | Link to this
This is Michael Jackson, posting from the beyond. It’s just horrible how Fui Vakapuna, the “Tongan Truck” powers through defenses and refuses to go down. Someone could get hurt! Someone probably already did! It’s savagery! Someone has to stop it!
By Bernard
September 11, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this
I am Bernard from Cougarboard and I am gay. I like short, stocky, bald men. Yes, I still lie with my parents but not in the basement. I have the room right next to theirs. BYU and cougarboard are my life. I get paid $200 a month to be a moderator on cougarboard.com. I little secret, I used to be a Utah ute fan, but they kicked me out of the school, so now I root for BYU even though I am gay.
By seo lace
May 2, 2010 5:08 PM | Link to this
I am having a helluva time seeing yolur age in Firefox 7.1, I just thought I might tell you about it?