A representative of a company that sells AstroTurf has responded to complaints by Brigham Young football officials about the playing surface at Aloha Stadium. BYU coach Gary Crowton and trainer George Curtis said last week that the surface caused several injuries to Cougar players in BYU's 72-45 loss to Hawaii last year. Company says
stadium turf safeBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comCrowton told UH coach June Jones that the Cougars will not play on the surface again. BYU is scheduled to play here next in 2004.
"These statements are a slap in the face to Aloha Stadium personnel and my company, Southwest Recreational Industries, Inc.," wrote SWR vice president Jim Savoca in a letter to the Star-Bulletin. "Injury rates on AstroTurf surfaces have been studied and analyzed by all recognized bodies, including NFL, NCAA, NAIRS (National Athletic Injury Report System) and the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission over the last 30 years. These studies continue to reflect our position that well maintained playing surfaces, both natural and synthetic, are only minor factors in injury frequency and severity."
Jones and others advocate a change to FieldTurf, a synthetic surface that is softer than AstroTurf. Several college teams play on the surface now, and Utah is in the process of switching to it. St. Louis School has a FieldTurf practice field.
Two bills concerning Aloha Stadium -- one regarding turning control of the facility over to UH from the state and the other calling for a study of the playing surface -- have stalled in this session of the state Legislature.
Also, the NFL, which plays the Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium, has requested a replacement surface.
Working vacation: The UH football offices are a little quieter than usual during spring break, but not by much. Though there is no practice this week, coaches are around every day watching tape and tinkering with ideas to add to the offensive, defensive and special teams playbooks. Players also come around to review their technique on tape.
"We try to get away a little bit, but most of us are here for a while each day," defensive line coach Vantz Singletary said. "There are a lot of things we have to tweak a little bit, like maybe dropping a different player into coverage than we did before on a certain play. We don't throw everything away and start anew, but we have to switch up little things or teams get a feel for you and catch up to you. If you don't change, you set yourself up for failure."
Quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison spent time Thursday with Jeff Rhode going over tape from the previous Friday's scrimmage.
"With his busy baseball schedule, it was his first chance," Morrison said. "It's good for him to digest what he can from the tape because we'll be adding new stuff starting Monday."
Jones said none of the three quarterbacks in spring camp has moved ahead of the others as the No. 2 man behind Tim Chang, who is still recovering from wrist surgery.
"I thought Shawn (Withy-Allen) and Jeff showed a lot of improvement," Jones said. "(JC transfer) Jason (Whieldon) is doing very well, considering he's only been here for six or seven practices. There's no clear leader. I don't think there will be one until we play Eastern Illinois (to open the season)."
Sleepers: It's obvious who the big five are on the UH defensive line this spring -- veterans Kevin Jackson, Lance Samuseva, Lui Fuga, La'anui Correa and Houston Ala. And Travis Laboy (injury rehab) and Isaac Sopoaga (clearing academic hurdles), among others, are expected to make a big impact in fall camp.
But Singletary said he has a couple of other guys pushing their more heralded teammates.
"Colin Wills has done everything we've asked of him and more. He has worked his butt off, put on some weight and gotten stronger," Singletary said. "He's basically an extra coach on the field. He might not have the speed or strength of some of the others, but he flies around and is a leader. He has a chance to be in the rotation."
The 6-foot-1, 251-pound Wills played in four games last year, making three tackles.
Singletary also likes the effort from converted linebacker Wilson Cluney. The 6-2, 235-pound sophomore transfer from Kamehameha and Snow (Utah) Junior College gives UH depth at defensive end.
"He's a guy always in the office watching film, if he's not out there on the field working on technique after practice," Singletary said. "I don't know how much he can play now, because we've got four at defensive end, but he's a guy who can help and won't have you pulling your hair out."
Short yardage: Former defensive tackle Mike Iosua is rehabbing from surgery to his right shoulder. He hopes to get a pro look somewhere once he gets his strength and flexibility back.
"The surgery went well, and I was in a sling for six weeks," he said. "I'm cleared to work out, but won't be really ready for a while. I can run, but I'm not in top shape yet."
Also, former special teams player and reserve linebacker Lonnie Williams said he will participate in an open tryout being held by the Dallas Cowboys next month.
"You never know until you give it a shot," he said.
Clarification: There will not be a workout for pro scouts next week at UH as was reported in the Star-Bulletin. Possible first-round draft pick wide receiver Ashley Lelie had originally planned to work out for scouts here, but changed his plans and performed for them in California two weeks ago instead. Several other former UH players also participated in that workout.