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Tuesday, February 27, 2001
Three top UH The University of Hawaii football team suits up Thursday for spring practice without top defensive players Nate Jackson, Lui Fuga and Keani Alapa.
players to miss
spring practice
Warriors to start football drills
on Thursday without defensive
players Jackson, Fuga
and AlapaBy Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinAll three underwent surgery in the off-season to repair damage suffered in the fall and will miss the spring. Members of the UH training staff expect them to be at full speed once fall camp begins this August.
"It gives us a chance to experiment in the spring," UH defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa said yesterday.
"All three of those guys will be on our depth chart in August, with Lui and Nate starting for us."
Jackson had surgery on his left foot to repair a stress fracture that drove him to the sidelines last fall camp. Despite the injury, Jackson finished second on the team in tackles with 112. The hard-hitting free safety was first in interceptions with seven.
"He technically played on a broken foot all year," Lempa said.
"We asked a lot of him," added Lempa. "He needs time to get some rest and get back to full speed."
Fuga had surgery on his right shoulder that he also injured in fall camp. The defensive tackle played through the pain well enough to finish 11th on the team with 42 tackles. He also had three quarterback hurries.
Alapa is still recovering from knee surgery from an injury that he suffered in the fourth game of last season.
The outside linebacker from Kaaawa will begin fall camp as the backup to Pisa Tinoisamoa, who is vacating his middle linebacker spot.
"We're going to move Chris Brown into the middle to see how he does," Lempa said. "He has good quickness and is mentally tough. We need somebody in there who can help us stop the run between the tackles."
Offensive tackle Ryan Santos will also sit out the spring. He came to the Warriors from Mililani High School with a shoulder problem that kept him from being effective last year. UH offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh will welcome him in fall camp. He will likely compete at right tackle.
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