[RAINBOW FOOTBALL PREVIEW]
[OFFENSE] [DEFENSE] [HIGH FIVE TO IMPROVING]
[1998 SCHEDULE]
ON OFFENSE
RUNNING BACKS
If running backs coach Don Dillon could whip up the prototype running back, he would put in a lot of speed, add a dash of quickness, a pinch of durability and 200 pounds of beef.
"Every coach is looking for that type of player," Dillon said. "In this day and age, you need more and more guys, who offer the complete package of size, speed and quickness."
The tailback in Hawaii's offense must be able to get to the edge or cut up field on an off-tackle play. The Rainbows run the old Houston Veer out of the I-formation. The first option is the fullback, the second option is the quarterback keeper and the third is the pitch to the tailback.
"We've got to get guys, who can put pressure on the defensive perimeter," Dillon said. "You need a difference-maker, who forces a defense into a quick decision and maybe commit a mistake."
When the Rainbows switch to pass mode, the tailback must be prepared to catch passes in the flat or off the screen. Versatility is key.
"We're not going to split the tailback out wide as much as we did last year," Dillon said. "If we line up three wide, the fullback will probably be the only guy behind the quarterback."
That doesn't mean the fullback will be an offensive threat on only passing downs. But realistically, the fullback must be able to block first and ask questions later. There will be running plays to keep a defense honest, but the tailback will carry the load.
By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Tailback Charles Tharp led the Rainbows in
rushing and receiving yards last season.
TAILBACK
WHO: Charles Tharp (21) 5-9 Soph., 200 pounds
1997: 195 carries, 796 yards. 42 receptions, 435 yards
SKILLS: The most versatile back on the field. He can run, block, throw, catch and even punt.
COACH DILLION SAYS: "We're going to have a heavy dose of Charles in every game. He's cat quick."
WHO: Robert Grant (25) 6-0 Fresh,, 179 pounds
1997: First year on team.
SKILLS: Good perimeter speed, can turn up field quickly.
COACH DILLION SAYS: "Robert is a freshman, who is bright-eyed out there. Early on, we'll use him more in certain situations."
FULLBACK
WHO: Calvin Mims (24) 5-11 Sr., 221 pounds
1997: 42 carries, 209 yards. 19 receptions, 175 yards
SKILLS: Best blocker of the bunch. Good hands. Gives solid effort on every play.
COACH DILLION SAYS: "Calvin has plenty of game experience and is very dependable throwing that clearing block for the tailback."
WHO: Avion Weaver (20) 5-10 Soph., 220 pounds
1997: 14 carries, 43 yards. 1 reception, 8 yards
SKILLS: Excellent size and speed. Can run, catch and is developing into dependable blocker.
COACH DILLION SAYS: "Avion has the potential to be our regular fullback. He still needs some work and game experience."
QUARTERBACKS
Pick a quarterback, any quarterback. Got one? OK, put him back in there with the other ones. Now, let's shuffle them up here. Wait a second. OK. You cut them. All right. Now tap the top quarterback one, two, three times. And ... voila.
Was it Josh Skinner?
How did we know? Magic, my friend, magic.
The truth be known, Rainbow fans could pick Skinner, Dan Robinson, Bronson Liana, or even Shawn Withy-Allen and have a better chance of winning than someone slapping down $25 on a blackjack table in Las Vegas.
The over-under on the total number of quarterbacks used in the opening game against Arizona tonight should be 41/2. Arizona will play at least two, and the Rainbows could go even higher.
"In this day and age, you have to enter a season with three quarterbacks ready to play," offensive coordinator Don Lindsey said. "We could play as many as three quarterbacks in this first game."
Quarterbacks coach Tim Green believes any of the three could step in and not fumble the snap from center. The one thing the assistant is looking for in a quarterback is the ability to make a correct decision.
"I don't care if we're running the option or throwing out of the shotgun," Green said. "If you don't make good decisions you aren't going to win football games."
WHO: Josh Skinner (16) 6-1 Jr., 193 pounds
1997: 109 of 195 passes for 1,416 yards and 3 touchdowns. 58 carries, minus-31 yards, 2 touchdowns.
SKILLS: Skinner runs the option better than anyone for the Rainbows. When in the Veer, Skinner is the man.
COACH GREEN SAYS: "Josh has the most experience and the best grasp of the option offense."
WHO: Dan Robinson (9) 6-4 Jr., 213 pounds
1997: 2 of 4 for 30 yards and no touchdowns.
SKILLS: Robinson has the strongest and most accurate arm of the bunch.
COACH GREEN SAYS: "Dan has the ability to throw the deep routes. His ball gets there in a hurry."
WHO: Bronson Liana (18) 6-1 Fresh., 198 pounds
1997: Did not play.
SKILLS: Liana doesn't run as well as Skinner or throw as well as Robinson, but when he's in there, the offense moves down the field.
COACH GREEN SAYS: "Bronson had an excellent spring. We have the confidence to put him in there, even though he's never played a Division I football game."
WIDE RECEIVERS
Eleu Kane believes the wide receivers have something to prove.
The past two seasons haven't exactly been kind to that position. Either the receivers couldn't get open or the quarterbacks couldn't locate them when they were. Be that as it may, Kane and fellow senior Wesley Morris are here to take on all doubters.
"We will be more of a threat at receiver than we were last year because everybody worked so hard over the summer to get better," said Kane, who caught 20 passes in 1997. "Wesley is back at full speed and we have some guys behind us who can get the job done, too."
Morris overcame a leg injury to finish strong the last half of the season. The Rainbows will need him to be a threat.
"Teams aren't going to be able to play us the way they did last year or we'll burn them," UH receivers coach Tim Green said. "All we have to do is get the ball to them and let them do the rest."
The tight ends also are improved. Adrian Klemm made such a strong transition, he'll be the starter for the season opener.
Wide receiver (X)
WHO: Wesley Morris (12) 5-10 Sr., 194 pounds
1997: He overcame a serious leg injury to close the season on a high note. He caught 17 passes for 350 yards and 1 score.
SKILLS: Probably the best all-around receiver. Worked hard in the weight room and believes added strength will enable him to beat cornerbacks trying to jam him on the line of scrimmage.
COACH GREEN SAYS: "Wesley played through a lot of pain last year, but never complained about it. Once he got healthy, he became a deep threat for us."
WHO: Dwight Carter (3) 5-10 Jr., 174 pounds
1997: Played for Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) College.
SKILLS: Might have the best mixture of hands and speed. What he lacks is experience, and he'll get plenty of that this season.
COACH GREEN SAYS: "Dwight is really smooth out there, isn't he? He also runs very good routes without tipping off the defender what he's going to do. He's going to be a good one for us."
Wide receiver (Z)
WHO: Eleu Kane (28) 5-9 Sr., 165 pounds
1997: Caught more passes than any other returning receiver with 20 for 157 yards and no touchdowns.
SKILLS: Has the best open-field speed. He also can catch it in a crowd on the crossing routes.
COACH GREEN SAYS: "Eleu is like a track guy out there. Robert Kemfort might beat him in a race, but Eleu is more of a darter and that makes him more elusive."
WHO: Robert Kemfort (26) 6-2 Soph., 200 pounds
1997: Made the transition from running back to receiver during the spring. Caught 3 passes for 38 yards.
SKILLS: Has a chance to break a long one based on his speed alone. He has that extra gear that allows him to separate from a defender.
COACH GREEN SAYS: "Robert has done a good job of moving from tailback to receiver. He started to make some nice receptions the latter part of spring."
Tight end
WHO: Adrian Klemm (80) 6-5 Jr., 276 pounds
1997: Was Hawaii's second-best tackle last year. Made the transition to tight end during the spring.
SKILLS: Has good hands and speed for someone his size. Also like having another tackle in the running game.
COACH LINDSEY SAYS: "Adrian has done a good job moving to tight end. We would like to leave him there, but he could end up back at tackle if things don't work out at some other spots."
WHO: Jimmy McClain (89) 6-2 Sr., 246 pounds
1997: Played sparingly because of injuries. Caught one pass for 14 yards.
SKILLS: Gained 30 pounds in the off-season and is a much better blocker than a year before.
COACH LINDSEY SAYS: "We weren't sure if Jimmy was going to be able to play football again after some nasty injuries. We're glad to have him."
LINEMEN
The one constant at Hawaii is the uncertainty surrounding the offensive line.
Year in and year out, the Rainbows never develop a deep enough stable of linemen. Injuries, position changes, transfers and academics seem to take their toll. The fact there have been five offensive coordinators in as many years, hasn't helped either.
This year began with the departure of Gary Krug. The senior guard announced his retirement, declaring eight knee surgeries were enough. And it didn't end there. Top lineman Kaulana Noa missed nearly a week of spring drills with a sprained ankle. Senior guard Andy Phillips will miss tonight's season opener because of a heart condition. That means Dustin Owen will move from backup center to the starting spot at right guard.
Adrian Klemm, who was Hawaii's second-best tackle to Noa last year, is now a tight end. Senior Vincent Street didn't respond to the challenge of being effective at left tackle. Junior college transfer Douglas Gosling hasn't progressed quickly enough. And Chris Smith, who has played defense his entire life, will be the starting center.
"You don't like to do what we've done, but what else could we do?" UH offensive coordinator Don Lindsey said of all the shuffling during spring and fall camp.
Left tackle
WHO: Jose Martinez (70) 6-5 Sr., 266 pounds
1997: He played mostly on special teams, and was backup left tackle. Exited spring as starting right guard.
SKILLS: Has good size for a tackle. Offers experience where much is needed.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "The tackle on the weak side must be able to pass protect. Jose has good size, but he needs to work on his foot speed."
WHO: Aaron Leverenz (78) 6-4 Fresh., 317 pounds
1997: He was a high school senior at Radford where he was named first-team OIA.
SKILLS: Has great size and good movement for a man so big. Promising, but inexperience could work against him.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "Chris has a lot of potential. The main problem is his shoulder. He probably needs surgery, so we don't know how long we'll have him."
Left guard
WHO: Keith Tomomitsu (58) 6-3 Sr., 264 pounds
1997: Played mostly on special teams, started against Air Force at right guard. Exited spring as starting center.
SKILLS: Has fair size and quickness. Versatile, but lacks experience.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "Keith can play a lot of positions for us up front. If somebody goes down, he'd be able to slide over and do the job if necessary."
WHO: Kynan Forney (62) 6-4 Jr., 282 pounds
1997: Was all-conference lineman for Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas. His team won national junior college championship with a 12-0 record.
SKILLS: Has great size and understanding for the game. Limited practice time is the only thing keeping him out of the starting lineup.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "We knew this guy had potential, but because we didn't get him cleared academically until recently, he's a little behind. The faster he learns his plays, the more time he'll see."
Center
WHO: Chris Smith (73) 6-2 Fresh., 272 pounds
1997: Was "grayshirted" last year, which means he joined the team at midterm. Exited the spring as the No. 2 center, despite never playing on offense in his prep career.
SKILLS: Was able to comprehend the position quicker than coaches expected.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "Chris has stepped in and done a great job for us. He's our best center, which is saying a lot for a guy who was a defensive lineman all his life."
WHO: Keith Tomomitsu (58) 6-3 Sr., 264 pounds
1997: Played mostly on special teams, started against Air Force at right guard. Exited spring as starting center.
SKILLS: Has fair size and quickness. Versatile, but lacks experience.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "Keith can play a lot of positions for us up front. If somebody goes down, he'd be able to slide over and do the job if necessary."
Right guard
WHO: Dustin Owen (74) 6-2 Jr., 318 pounds
1997: Played two seasons at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif. where he was named first team All-American. His team also finished 12-0 and claimed the rights of national champion.
SKILLS: Has good size and quick feet for a big man, but may not be ready for rigors of Division I.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "Dustin is going to have to slide over and step up for us big time. 'Snickers' can get the job done. He has game experience in junior college."
WHO: Brian Smith (66) 6-0 Fresh., 282 pounds
1997: Was playing high school football in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Smith walked on and could start if Phillips can't make it. Is also the top deep snapper for punts and place-kicking.
SKILLS: He is short and stocky, with relatively good quickness for a guard, but he lacks experience.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "What can you say about this guy? He's come in and become an important part of this program already."
Right tackle
WHO: Kaulana Noa (71) 6-5 Jr., 317 pounds
1997: Started all 12 games last year at right tackle. Is the best offensive lineman and is the man running back Charles Tharp is counting on to open some holes.
SKILLS: Has good size and excellent footwork. Is the most experienced lineman and the leader of the pack.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "A lot of our success on offense will depend on Noa. We will run his direction a lot of times. We're also counting on him to be a good pass blocker."
WHO: Manly Kanoa (76) 6-5 Fresh., 301 pounds
1997: Redshirted. Second team all-ILH in 1996.
SKILLS: Gained 25 pounds in the off-season and still retained his footwork. Lacks experience at this level.
COACH OLEJACK SAYS: "Manly is going to be a good linemen down the road. He's much stronger than he was, but still kept his quickness."
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