Thursday, August 27, 1998
By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Nose tackle Tony Tuioti (92) anchors an experienced
defensive line for the Rainbows.
UH's three starters aren't huge,
By Paul Arnett
but their experience and ability
to fire off the ball make them
a force to be reckoned with
Star-BulletinIf the linebackers are the stars of the show, the defensive linemen at the University of Hawaii must be the stagehands.
Without the three men up front -- UH employs a 3-4 defense -- there wouldn't be a headline act for Butkus Award nominee Stephen Gonzales or speedy outside linebacker Rinda Brooks.
"Those guys have to do the dirty work," Gonzales said. "They have to hold the point and disrupt the blocking so the linebackers can flow to the gaps and avoid being blocked by the big boys."
In other words, starting defensive linemen Tony Tuioti, Ben Bright and Matt Elam have to occupy as many offensive linemen as possible so the linebackers can make most of the tackles.
That makes it tough to get your name in lights.
"But that's OK because this is a team game," starting nose tackle Tuioti said. The senior from Santa Ana, Calif., has been so dominant during fall camp that hardly a man has laid a hand on him.
"We know the linebackers are going to make most of the plays," he said. "But we can still make an initial hit on a back by shedding the blocker or by forcing our man straight into the backfield."
That's the kind of attitude defensive line coach Doug Semones is looking for this season. Granted, a down lineman is rarely going to have the tackles of an inside linebacker in the 3-4, but that doesn't mean he can't make plays by being overpowering or quick.
Hawaii's three starters aren't exactly monsters of the midway. Tuioti weighs 287, Bright is 269 and Elam tips the scales at 270. But they have experience in this system and the ability to fire off the football in a hurry.
"I've been fortunate because I have veteran guys I've been around and know what to expect from me and the defense we're running," Semones said. "Now we can concentrate on the nuances of the defenses that are called.
"When this guy is being blocked on this kind of play, the other guys don't have to think what to do. They know what to do and can react accordingly."
This familiarity with each other's strengths and weaknesses will only help the Rainbows' defense in coming weeks. They are an intricate part of a front seven that has the potential to be as good as any in the Western Athletic Conference.
"There's no question about that in my mind," UH defensive coordinator Tom Williams said. "They are very talented and very good players. I'd say they're one step below the linebackers in terms of talent and ability, but they're still the best we've had here."
Tuioti and Bright are the leaders of the pack. Bright walked on at Hawaii in August 1994 before being awarded a scholarship the following spring. He and linebacker Kamuela Cobb-Adams are the only fifth-year seniors on the team.
"Ben and Tony provide us leadership on defense," UH head coach Fred vonAppen said. "They've been around and understand what we expect from those guys up front.
"We're not the biggest line around or even the most talented, but we're counting on these guys to get the job done. We believe they can provide us with what we need in our basic 3-4 package."
Bright finished with 26 tackles last year, including three sacks. Bothered by nagging injuries throughout his career, Bright didn't miss a day of spring or fall camp.
Tuioti was slowed by a shoulder injury earlier in fall camp, but has been formidable when on the field. Last year he had 28 tackles.
Elam also was slowed by injuries last year, but managed 17 tackles, including two sacks.
"All three of us have a good understanding of what the other guy is going to do," Bright said. "I feel good about our line. We're working well together."
The key backups are nose tackle Miles Garner, strong tackle Mike Iosua and weak tackle Joseph Correia. They can step in and get the job done, and that's what the coaches are looking for entering next week's opener with the University of Arizona.
"Our line has done a good job against our offensive line, but I'm curious to see how well we do against somebody like Arizona," Semones said. "We've come a long way together, but this is a journey that just keeps on going."
Three of a kind
How this year's starting defensive linemen fared in 1997:
Tony Tuioti: 28 tackles
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
