He might be a bit biased, considering he played quarterback at Hawaii. Jones’ backyard
full of scouts
Prospect watch
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comBut Jeff Duva's credibility as a recruiting analyst over the past 20 years is based on separating hype from reality. So when he says some of the best football talent in the nation comes from these islands and Polynesia in general -- and it is only getting better -- Duva speaks from his head, not his heart.
"If Hawaii could keep all its homegrown talent every year, it would be contending for the national championship every year," Duva said.
Duva, in a telephone interview from his College Sports USA/PrepStar Magazine office in Woodland Hills, Calif., was asked if that is what he really meant. Contend for the national championship?
"Absolutely," he said. "With their style of play and the coaching and the program they've built now, they can be as good as anyone in the country. They proved it against Alabama. But a lot of other coaches realize now how many great players come out of Hawaii and Samoa and their recruiting raids are going to hurt UH, unless UH can keep them there."
Hawaii coach June Jones has been saying something similar all along -- if the Warriors can get all the local blue chips, they can be a Top 25 team. What about his fellow former UH quarterback's taking that claim a step further?
"I'd say that he's correct," Jones said.
Although UH's local recruiting has vastly improved, many of the biggest names in the past two recruiting classes, like Jonathan Mapu (Tennessee) and Aaron Francisco (Brigham Young), have gotten away. But UH appears to be off to a good start with this year's crop, which will sign binding letters of intent Feb. 5.
The caveat Duva mentioned -- more recruiting from mainland programs -- is coming into play. While the pipeline of talent to Utah was shut off when local-bred assistant Tommy Lee left the Utes, others are filling the void. For example, Alabama took advantage of its game here to get to know Kailua linemen Pat So'oalo and Xavier Ho'olulu, two of the Star-Bulletin's Top 20 Hawaii prospects.
But will the Crimson Tide's new coaching staff be inclined to follow up?
So'oalo said after Friday's HUB Goodwill Classic that he is leaning his 6-foot-6, 285-pound frame toward the Warriors.
"Most likely UH," So'oalo said. "I really like Coach Cav (offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh) and the system."
Ho'olulu said he and Soo'alo might be a package deal.
"I just got offered by UH and that looks good," he said.
They would be joining former Surfrider linemates Kahai LaCount and Sam Satele.
But the recruiting battles are far from over. There are visits to make and, for some, SATs to take. The state's top two prospects, St. Louis defensive lineman Tolifili Liufau and wide receiver Jason Rivers, are still waiting for test scores.
Jones can't speak about specific players, but it's no secret he wants Rivers badly; when he mentioned on his radio show there is a high school receiver who could be a four-year starter at UH, everyone listening knew he was talking about the tall speedster.
"I'm excited about this year's class. I think there are some very good players out there and we have a good shot at getting a lot of them," Jones said yesterday. "Winning every year helps. We've gotten the attention of a lot of the local athletes that wouldn't even consider staying home before. We've changed their attitude toward the program. They realize now that their best opportunity of getting to the NFL is by staying home."
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The Star-Bulletin's top 20 college football prospects from Hawaii high schools are ranked by Jason Kaneshiro and Dave Reardon after consultation with high school and college coaches. Other prospects are listed in alphabetical order. The list will be updated weekly until Feb. 5, national letter of intent day, when high school players can first make their commitments binding. Asterisks indicate a player has been offered a scholarship by that college. Dates in parentheses are visit weekends. Prospect watch
HAWAII'S TOP PROSPECTS
No. Player Pos. School Ht. Wt. Colleges 1. Tolifili Liufau DE St. Louis 6-3 310 USC, Wash. St (this weekend), Hawaii*, Wash.
2. Jason Rivers WR St. Louis 6-2 193 Hawaii*, Ore., Wash. St. (this weekend), Wash. 3. Viliami Nauahi DB Kahuku 6-2 200 Hawaii*, BYU* (Jan. 16), Wash., Penn St. 4. R.J. Willing OL Kamehameha 6-5 300 Ore., Wash., BYU, Utah, Hawaii, Alabama 5. Pat So'oalo OL Kailua 6-6 285 Hawaii* (Dec. 20-22), Ore., Wash. St., Dixie 6. Brandon Rodd OL Aiea 6-5 275 Hawaii* (Dec. 6-8), Wash. St., Ariz. St., Ore., San Diego St. (Jan. 3-5) 7. Wilson Afoa DL St. Louis 6-3 260 Wash. St., Wash., Hawaii*, Alabama, San Jose St. 8. Michael Lafaele OL Farrington 6-1 275 Hawaii 9. Jeremy Inferrera OL St. Louis 6-3 270 Hawaii*, Ore., Wash., Wash. St., Nevada 10. Timo Paepule DB St. Louis 6-0 210 Wash., Utah, Hawaii*, Alabama 11. Quin Ah You DL Kahuku 6-3 310 Hawaii 12. Xavier Ho'olulu OL Kailua 6-4 290 Hawaii, San Diego St., Alabama, Ore. 13. George Perry DB Kahuku 5-11 165 Hawaii 14. Bobby George QB St. Louis 6-0 185 Utah, Wash., Hawaii 15. Frank Fernandez OL St. Louis 6-2 275 Stanford 16. Joseph Napeahi OL Kahuku 6-3 320 Hawaii 17. Taase Jennings OL McKinley 6-3 345 18. Tu Tui DB Kahuku 6-1 195 Wash., Hawaii 19. David Alisa LB Kahuku 6-1 230 Hawaii 20. Blake Wong DB Iolani 6-1 190 Wash., Ore., Colo., Nevada OTHER PROSPECTS FROM HAWAII
Player Pos. School Ht. Wt. Colleges Ikaika Asinsin RB Nanakuli 6-1 245 Nevada, Dixie Aliikea Basham WR Campbell 6-2 180 Hawaii Shane Butcher WR St. Louis 5-10 165 Justin Cabansag RB St. Louis 5-8 195 Matt Culver DB Punahou 6-2 190 McShane Dator QB Pac-Five 6-2 205 San Jose State Stan Fisher DB Punahou 6-3 185 Vili Fonokalafi DE Kailua 6-1 240 Dixie Kala Ka'aihue LB Iolani 6-1 228 Reyn Kaupiko OL Kamehameha 6-0 265 Nevada, Air Force, Navy Mapa Malupo RB Campbell 6-1 210 Menlo Brandyn McCall DE Pac-Five 6-5 202 Karl Noa DE Kamehameha 6-3 215 Hawaii Chris Perreira DL St. Louis 6-2 270 Hawaii Caleb Spencer QB Kamehameha 6-1 170 Daniel Tautofi LB Kaimuki 6-2 230 Josh Vierra WR Kamehameha 5-10 160 Matai Ware OL Aiea 6-3 270 Levi Wyman OL Aiea 6-1 240 MAINLAND AND SAMOA PLAYERS RECRUITED BY UH
Player Pos. Town Ht. Wt. Colleges Ray Bass CB Corona, Calif. N/A N/A Hawaii*, Fresno St. Maikolo (Mike) Liti RB Santa Ana, Calif. N/A N/A Hawaii*, Colo. St., UCLA, USC Brett Martin LB Corona, Calif. 6-1 215 Colo., USC, Cal, Hawaii*, Ore., Wash. Armani Purcell LB Pago Pago, N/A N/A Hawaii, Am. Samoa Desmond Reed CB Temple City, 5-9 175 USC, Colo. St., Hawaii, Notre Dame, Wash., Calif. Jack Rolovich QB San Marin, Calif. 6-3 195 Hawaii, Cal Hercules Satele DL Long Beach, 6-4 250 Ariz. St., Ore., USC, UCLA, Wash., Calif., Wash. St., Fresno St., Hawaii Devin Stearns WR Gardena, Calif. 6-2 175 Ariz. St., Cal., Hawaii, Ore., UCLA, Wash. Drew Tate QB Baytown, Texas 5-11 170 Texas A&M, Iowa, Hawaii, Houston, Tenn. Notes: Asinsin, one of the top two RB prospects, has qualifying grades. He said he hopes to increase his options after he receives his SAT scores. ... Liti's first choice is USC, but the Trojans have not offered yet. ... Butcher hopes he increased his stock with three TD catches in Friday night's HUB Goodwill Classic. "If I can do it against all-stars, I can probably do it against anybody," he said. Like Iolani's Ka'aihue, he is an outstanding baseball player and may go that route instead. ... The junior college mid-year transfer period begins Wednesday and runs through Jan. 15.
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