McGuire may catch on
with Indianapolis

The former St. Louis and
BYU star has 6 receptions in 2 games

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Kaipo McGuire said he points to both his heart and his head when it comes to questions about his chances to earn a berth on the Indianapolis Colts' final roster.

They're both invaluable in his quest.

After all, beating National Football League pass coverage is one of the most difficult challenges in sports.

Overlooked in the April draft because of doubts about his speed and durability, McGuire, a two-time all-stater from St. Louis, is trying to do what few locally born players have ever done: make it as an NFL wide receiver.

Kalaheo High product Mike Akiu was a wide receiver with the Houston Oilers between 1985 and '86, but no one can seem to think of any other homegrown receiver who has played on Sundays.

Despite the odds, McGuire, a Brigham Young University graduate, currently is the leading receiver on the Colts' preseason roster. He caught four passes in the Colts' 23-17 loss to the Chargers in San Diego on Saturday and nearly got the chance to make a game-saving play.

Receivers coach Jimmy Robinson saw that McGuire was beating his coverage handily in the closing moments while free agent quarterback Kelly Holcomb's passes were going to the other side of the field.

With Indianapolis at the Chargers' 6 in the final seconds, McGuire was sent into the end zone but Holcomb overthrew him.

McGuire made two receptions against the Cincinnati Bengals the week before and four in a scrimmage against St. Louis.

One of his grabs was a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jim Harbaugh -- an experience that McGuire said still gives him chills.

His next step is to survive Tuesday's big roster cut to 60 players, and speculation is that he has a better-than-even chance.

His chances might have further improved when veteran receiver Sean Dawkins was sidelined.

Gone are concerns about McGuire's durability. The 5-foot-10 McGuire is up from 165 pounds to a lean 182 and he's bench-pressing 335 pounds.

McGuire also has gotten faster. He sought coaching, from his girlfriend, Windy Jorgensen, a Western Athletic Conference indoor sprint champion. McGuire credits her with helping him improve to 4.5 seconds in the 40 when NFL scouts came to watch him in March. She personally timed him in 4.35, he said.

"But I haven't heard anything about my chances here," McGuire said last night at the Colts' Anderson (Ind.) University training camp. "Being in the NFL is what I've always dreamed of."