Friday, July 17, 1998

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Itula Mili, shown here doing squats, is trying to bounce back
from major knee surgery and make the Seattle Seahawks' roster.

Camp fires burning

A host of players with
Hawaii connections make the
trek to NFL camps
this month

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

WITH training camps opening throughout the National Football League in the next week, 19 players with Hawaii ties will be reporting to 13 teams.

As many as eight are favored to earn starting positions.

The American Football Conference has the market cornered on island talent with 12 players distributed among the Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers and Seattle Seahawks.

The Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos lead the list with four Hawaii roster members: Pro Bowl kicker Jason Elam, veteran defensive tackle Maa Tanuvasa, veteran offensive lineman Leo Goeas and rookie receiver Darrick Branch.

The New Orleans Saints are next with three Hawaii players: second-year guard Chris Naeole, second-year linebacker Ink Aleaga and veteran defensive end Pio Sagapolutele.

The three locally born players drafted this year -- Olin Kreutz of the Chicago Bears, Chris Fuamatu-Maafala of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Viliami Maumau of the Carolina Panthers -- were all-state prep players for St. Louis School.

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
A leaner Chris Fuamatu-Maafala works
out at Cooke Field last month.

The player poised to make the biggest offensive contribution is former Leilehua and West Virginia star running back Adrian Murrell. Murrell was traded from the New York Jets to the Arizona Cardinals after two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

The most likely breakthrough player on the defensive side is Tanuvasa, who co-led the Broncos in sacks last year with 8-1/2.

Fuamatu-Maafala hopes to back up Jerome Bettis. The former Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year at Utah has trimmed down from 280 pounds to 250 and has impressed Steelers' running backs coach Dick Hoak with his ability to maintain that weight.

Former Brigham Young tight end Itula Mili, who suffered a knee injury in the 1996 WAC championship game, is battling for a spot with the Seattle Seahawks. Mili, a sixth-round pick in 1997, spent his first year rehabilitating.

"We see Itula as an imposing target in our passing game, and that's an element we've missed here the last five or six years," said Randy Mueller, vice president of football operations for Seattle.

Mueller likened Mili's physical style to New England's Ben Coates and retired Pro Bowler Russ Francis (Patriots, 49ers).

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Olin Kreutz charges off the line
during a workout last month.

"Guys like that who are big and willing to block and run to get open -- that combination of abilities is hard to find," Mueller said. "He's agile, he has quickness, he can get away from people, and he can beat man-to-man coverage."

Said Mili: "Seattle wants you to do a lot of blocking -- it's not like BYU, where pass-catching is the first thing you think about. So in the past mini-camp, I worked more on my blocking. Anybody can run out and catch a ball, but not everybody can block real good. It takes a lot of practice on technique."

Not in NFL camps are two familiar Hawaii players: Pro Bowl offensive linemen Jesse Sapolu of the San Francisco 49ers and Mark Tuinei of the Dallas Cowboys.

A look at the players with Hawaii ties in the NFL:

Maa Tanuvasa, DT, 6-2, 277, Denver: Tanuvasa had five starts at right tackle for the Broncos in 1997 and is expected to open as a starter this season.

He tied Neil Smith for the lead in sacks. His best game was a three-sack effort against New England in a Monday night national TV appearance.

Jason Elam, Kicker, 5-11, 192, Denver: A 1995 Pro Bowl selection, he made 26 of 36 field-goal attempts in 1997, including three from beyond 50 yards. He tied his own franchise record for PATs by going 46-for-46. He is 201-for-202 in his career, the best percentage in NFL history.

Leo Goeas, DT, 6-4, 300, Denver: He has played in 112 NFL games at guard, center and tackle and is likely to stick with the Broncos.

A third-round pick of the Chargers in 1990, he started seven games with the Baltimore Ravens in 1997. He suffered a pectoral muscle tear near the end of the season, which rendered him inactive.

Darrick Branch, WR, 6-0, 196, Denver: Branch, who spent last spring playing for Frankfurt of the NFL Europe League, has a tough challenge to crack the lineup with 11 wide receivers in camp.

Branch, the nephew of former Oakland Raiders great Cliff Branch, spent time with the Broncos practice squad in 1996 and was with the club again in 1997.

Kimo von Oelhoffen, DT, 6-4, 300, Cincinnati: The Molokai native became the Bengals' starter at nose tackle last season and is likely to remain in that role. He led his line in tackles prior to an ankle sprain in mid-November. He was Cincinnati's sixth-round pick in 1994.

Kaipo McGuire, WR, 5-10, 182, Indianapolis: The former St. Louis all-state receiver, who spent most of the 1997 season on the practice squad, might find it even tougher to make the team this year as the Colts picked receivers in the second and third round of the draft. McGuire played in three games last year, but did not have a reception.

Siupeli Malamala, OT, 6-5, 305, N.Y. Jets: The Kalaheo High alum will return to the starting lineup at right tackle for the first time since 1995. He has overcome a serious knee injury.

Taase Faumui, DE, 6-3, 278, Oakland: The Farrington High product played for Amsterdam in the NFL Europe League after a stint with Pittsburgh. His NFL experience is expected to earn him a job with the Raiders.

Tim Carey, QB, 6-4, 190, Oakland: With Jeff George and Donald Hollas back, it's unlikely Carey will stick.

Chris Fuamatu-Maafala, RB, 5-11, 250, Pittsburgh: Fuamatu-Maafala is expected to carry the ball a lot in the preseason.

"The kind of runner I am, I won't be looking at the long one," he said. "I'll just be pounding out those five hard yards. That's the kind of back they've had at Pittsburgh with (Bam) Morris and (Jerome) Bettis. It's power, power, power."

He will compete to be Bettis' sub.

"Right now, I'm just a runner who turns it up and tries to hit the hole as fast as I can," he said. "But Bettis is more patient and knows how to set up his blocks. That's what I have to learn. "

Kurt Gouveia, LB, 6-1, 240, San Diego: The Waianae High alum is the dean of active Hawaii players in the NFL with a dozen years of experience. He is expected to start again at inside linebacker.

Owner of two Super Bowl rings with the Washington Redskins (1987, 1991), he started six games last season for the Chargers, playing with Junior Seau. But a herniated disc in his neck ended his season.

NFL Camps Atlanta -- July 23, Suwanee, Ga. Arizona -- July 23 (rookies and veterans), Flagstaff, Ariz. Baltimore -- July 21 (rookies), July 24 (veterans), Westminster, Md. Buffalo -- July 23, Fredonia, N.Y. Carolina -- July 23 (rookies and veterans), Spartanburg, S.C. Chicago -- July 20 (rookies), July 23 (Platteville, Wis.) Cincinnati -- July 23, Georgetown, Ky. Dallas -- July 16, Wichita Falls, Texas Denver -- July 24, Greeley, Colo. Detroit -- July 19 (rookies), July 23 (veterans), Saginaw, Mich. Green Bay -- July 16 (rookies), July 17 (veterans), Green Bay. Indianapolis -- July 23, Anderson, Ind. Jacksonville -- July 23 (rookies), July 24 (veterans), Jacksonville, Fla. Kansas City -- July 23, River Falls, Wis. Miami -- July 21 (rookies); July 24 (veterans), Davie, Fla. Minnesota -- July 26, Mankato, Minn. New England -- July 19, Smithfield, R.I. New Orleans -- July 23, LaCross, Wis. New York Giants -- July 24, Albany, N.Y. New York Jets -- July 22. Oakland -- July 21 (rookies), July 24 (veterans), Napa, Calif. Philadelphia -- July 19 (rookies); July 22 (veterans), Bethlehem, Pa. Pittsburgh -- July 20 (rookies) July 23 (veterans), Latrobe, Pa. San Diego -- July 24, San Diego. San Francisco -- July 17 (rookies) July 20 (veterans), Stockton, Calif. Seattle -- July 19, Cheney, Wash. St. Louis -- July 18 (rookies); July 23 (veterans), Macomb, Ill. Tampa Bay -- July 19, Tampa. Tennessee -- July 24, Nashville. Washington -- July 20 (rookies); July 26 (veterans), Frostburg, Md.

Itula Mili, TE, 6-3, 262, Seattle: The Seahawks hope to see Mili in the form that had NFL observers projecting him to be a first-round pick prior to his knee injury.

"I remember his senior year when he played against the Huskies, he caught the ball on a crossing route and hurdled a guy going full speed," Mueller said. "That's agility that's hard to find."

But most of all, the Seahawks like Mili's attitude.

"I think he's a kid who's passionate about his job," Mueller said. "He truly enjoys playing."

Adrian Murrell, RB, 5-11, 214, Arizona: With the Jets, Murrell gained 1,086 yards in 1997 and 1,249 in 1996. He will try to become only the fourth player in NFL history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with two different teams.

"At Arizona, he'll be in a potent pass-offense that will spread the defense thinner," said his agent, Steve Hayes. "And I think Adrian will be able to really take advantage of that."

Hayes said that for the first time in Murrell's NFL career, he will be with a team that can establish the run via the pass.

"Adrian will get 300 carries, and with a good offensive line, he'll get about 1,300 yards," he said.

Esera Tuaolo, NT, 6-2, 276, Atlanta: The Waimanalo native comes into camp as the No. 2 nose tackle for the Falcons. In seven years and 85 games with four teams, he has 45 starts, 208 tackles and 11 sacks.

Viliami Maumau, NT, 6-1, 302, Carolina: The seventh-round pick will get a chance at nose tackle in the Panthers' 3-4 defense. He has the ability to hold the point of attack with his low center of gravity and good lower body strength.

Olin Kreutz, C, 6-3, 297, Chicago: He is the only 1998 Hawaii draftee who hasn't signed, but Kreutz said he hopes to have negotiations wrapped up before Monday.

Kreutz could start at center, and has only third-year veteran Casey Wiegmann standing in his way. The former Hawaii state prep wrestling champion has tremendous upper-body strength and can bench press more than 500 pounds.

Chris Naeole, G, 6-3, 313, New Orleans: He played in only four games in an injury-plagued first year. But agent Dave Morway said the 1997 first-round pick is fully recovered and ready for his first full season as a starter.

Ink Aleaga, LB, 6-1, 225, New Orleans: The former Pac-Five star played in three games last season, starting one. He spent the rest of the season on the practice squad.

Pio Sagapolutele, DE, 6-6, 297, New Orleans: The eight-year veteran, also a former Pac-Five star, started 13 of the 14 games he played in 1997, his first season with the Saints. Sagapolutele started for New England in the 1996 Super Bowl.

NFL players with Hawaii ties Player Team Pos. College Year Jason Elam Denver K Hawaii 6th Leo Goeas Denver DT Hawaii 9th Maa Tanuvasa Denver DT Hawaii 4th Darrick Branch Denver WR Hawaii Rookie Kimo von Oelhoffen Cincinnati DT Boise St. 5th Kaipo McGuire Indianapolis WR BYU 2nd Siupeli Malamala N.Y. Jets OT Washington 7th Taase Faumui Oakland DE Hawaii 3rd Tim Carey Oakland QB Hawaii Rookie Chris Fuamatu-Maafala Pittsburgh RB BYU Rookie Kurt Gouveia San Diego LB BYU 12th Itula Mili Seattle TE BYU 2nd Adrian Murrell Arizona RB W.Va. 6th Esera Tuaolo Atlanta NT Oregon St. 7th Viliami Maumau Carolina NT Colorado Rookie Olin Kreutz Chicago C Washington Rookie Chris Naeole New Orleans G Colorado 2nd Ink Aleaga New Orleans LB Washington 2nd Pio Sagapolutele New Orleans DE San Diego St. 8th