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Jones satisfied with
scrimmage
The Warriors coach says his team
looked game-ready in its first
full-contact session yesterday
Part 1 of 12
June Jones has one major goal any time his Hawaii football team scrimmages. Yesterday, that goal was satisfied.
"Nobody got hurt. That's what I was hoping for," the Warriors coach said after a 50-play full-contact session at the quarry practice field.
But what of the other goals, such as determining who will be ready to play when UH opens its season in less than two weeks against Florida Atlantic?
For starters, the Warriors looked game-ready to their head coach, even though most of them were in for just a dozen or so plays.
"I thought the first groups did a lot of good things. I didn't see a lot of busts," Jones said. "We didn't have the normal penalties and fumbled snaps and all that kind of stuff that you usually have in a first scrimmage."
There was one slightly humorous mistake, when senior quarterback Tim Chang delivered a beautiful 50-yard pass to a wide-open Jason Rivers. Only problem is Chang was a good 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Flags went a-flyin'.
"Sometimes I have a feel for that, and if I'm close to the line I'll throw it even if I may have crossed it," Chang said. "He was so wide open, maybe if they (the officials) missed it, it'd be a touchdown."
As it turned out, that was the only long ball Chang threw in his 12 plays. He completed six of nine passes for 53 yards. He scrambled once for 5 yards.
"I thought he looked sharp," Jones said. "He's more ready to play than I've ever seen him. I'm excited for him for this year."
The backup quarterbacks followed in this order: freshman Jack Rolovich (1-for-3 for 5 yards), junior Kainoa Akina (3-for-4 for 32), freshman Taylor Humphrey (2-for-6 for 15 yards with an interception), freshman Tyler Graunke (6-for-7 for 125 yards) and freshman Brandon Satcher (2-for-5 for 50 yards and an interception).
Graunke and sophomore Marcus Weems connected on the pass of the day, a 50-yard bomb that Weems caught with his fingertips and held on to after falling to the ground.
Satcher took a pounding, but also displayed the most speed and athleticism. He was sacked twice, but he also turned a bootleg into a 20-yard gain.
Jones said it's too early to assume Satcher might move to another position.
"He looks like he's a gamer. He didn't have much of a chance, the protection wasn't as good when he was in there," Jones said. "That's how it goes some days."
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A former quarterback was in the thick of things physically. Ryan Stickler, as usual in scrimmages, threw his body around with reckless abandon. Now, as a running back, that's expected.
He took a swing pass from Graunke and rumbled down the left sideline for a 40-yard gain, running over a couple of defenders along the way.
The offense ran the same play immediately. But this time Arizona-transfer safety Landon Kafentzis used his 200 pounds to pop the 230-pound Stickler and stop him before he could perform a similar rampage through the secondary.
The two became workout buddies over the summer, but there are no friends in full-contact scrimmages.
"Once I saw Stick I knew he wasn't going to put a move on me, he was going to run me over. We've been talking about that this summer, if we meet, no moves, we're just gonna hit. That's how it ended up."
Scrimmage plays are scripted, which made it surprising to Stickler he'd be getting the ball again.
"I was gasping a little bit, so that tells me I gotta get in shape," he said. "Landon basically got lower than I did, and he had great position on me."
With West Keli'ikipi being of questionable availability for the opener, Stickler's physical presence could come in handy.
"I would say that it's still both Michaels (seniors Bass and Brewster) would play," Jones said. "But he's working hard. He'll play special teams and one day he'll get in there."
Other highlights included:
» Sacks by senior linebacker Patrick Lavar Harley and freshman defensive ends Daniel Tautofi and Karl Noa.
» An interception by backup safety Patrick Jenkins.
» The day's final play, in which Satcher was intercepted by walk-on safety Dane Porlas, who then recovered his own fumble after a wild scramble that left four players pulling themselves up slowly from the grass.
While the backups provided a lot of entertainment value, the coach is worried if enough of them are ready for a real game.
"As it went on, I could tell a lot of guys still don't know their assignments," Jones said.
The Kaimuki Five: Justin Faimealelei, Kila Kamakawiwo'ole, Matt Faga and Darrell and Daniel Tautofi have more than their alma mater of Kaimuki High School in common. They all are also UH defensive linemen. What makes it stranger is that Faimealelei and Kamakawiwo'ole played quarterback and receiver in high school.
Yesterday, Faimealelei, a 6-1, 244-pound junior, got lots of action at left defensive end, where he's playing behind Kamakawiwo'ole.
"I was very surprised," Faimealelei. "But I needed those reps. If you want playing time, you need to get that kind of work. I needed a chance to show what I can do, but I still need to do a lot of work."
Faimealelei was cut after spring practice, but managed to find his way back onto the fall camp roster when some other defensive linemen didn't report.
"I worked all summer and talked to (senior defensive tackle) Lui Fuga, and he helped me, and I worked out with (strength) coach Mel (deLaura), every morning," he said. "Me and Kila started out at quarterback and receiver, and now we're defensive linemen. Five of us from Kaimuki on the defensive line. That's kind of cool."
Jones said he needs Faimealelei or Kamakawiwo'ole, or both, to step up.
"We're a little thin in there with Lui and Mel (junior end Purcell) out, and we didn't want to risk Matt (Faga) and Tony (Akpan) very much," Jones said. "We're thin in those areas, so a lot of those guys are getting their chance. I need one of 'em.
Short yardage: At least four former UH players were among those taking in yesterday's scrimmage -- linebacker Alvis Satele, offensive lineman Doug Vaioleti, slotback Craig Stutzmann and safety David Gilmore. ... With the beginning of classes today, practice returned to the usual 7-9 a.m. time slot.
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