Jenkins and Manners close
the gap on starting safeties
Broadway and Peters are the
current starters, but the backups
are pushing for playing time
With 11 days to go before the Hawaii football team's season opener against Florida Atlantic, UH defensive backs coach Rich Miano continues to tinker with combinations in the Warriors secondary.
While Lamar Broadway and Leonard Peters would likely be the starting safeties if the Warriors played today, Miano gave Patrick Jenkins and Lono Manners a look with the first team during yesterday morning's practice.
"I like to put different guys with different groups and see how they respond," Miano said.
"(Jenkins and Manners) have played well this summer and I wanted to get them the opportunity. They may start and I wanted to let the other guys know that nothing is set in concrete. We have to continually evaluate these guys and to me competition is the best motivation you can have. Let's see who's the most consistent, let's see who's going to get us lined up to play football the best."
Jenkins, a senior from Orlando, Fla., has played primarily on special teams during his UH career. Manners, a junior from Waianae, recorded nine tackles as a backup safety last year.
"Lono has played as well as anybody this summer," Miano said. "Patrick has come so far, he still has a long way to go, but he works so hard. I don't know when, but we have to get them on the field and give them an opportunity. It may not be as a starting role, but we need to find out, can these guys play under pressure?"
Broadway and Peters are taking most of the first-unit repetitions during fall camp as the Warriors look to fill the void left by the departure of safeties Hyrum Peters and David Gilmore. But Jenkins and Manners have closed the gap and are looking to make the most of their opportunity.
"We're all competing real hard," Jenkins said. "They'll put the right guys on the field no matter what, you just have to be ready.
"They're giving us looks and they're giving us a whole bunch of chances to show what we've got."
Said Miano: "I told them it might change (today). I might look at the film and change it back. I want all four of those guys to know that they could be starters, that's how close the competition is."
On the run: The Warriors are adding some of Florida Atlantic's plays into their practices and the defense devoted a sizable chunk of time working to stop the run yesterday.
The Owls featured a fairly balanced offense last year, running the ball 554 times for 1,788 yards as a team. Antonio Jackson led FAU in rushing last year with 779 yards and seven touchdowns.
"We always want to stop the run first," UH defensive coordinator George Lumpkin said. "Seeing FAU, we want to make sure we're sound against the run."
With the Warriors rebuilding their defensive front this season, being solid against the run has been a point of emphasis in the offseason. UH lost its entire defensive line of Travis LaBoy, Isaac Sopoaga, Lance Samuseva and Houston Ala, who were all seniors last year.
"It was probably the main focus because of all the guys we lost," senior linebacker Chad Kapanui said. "With the other players, they'd just react, it was their physical ability. This year, it's more alignment and assignment, doing your job and filling the gaps."
QB update: UH coach June Jones said the race for the backup quarterback role remains fairly even between Kainoa Akina and Jack Rolovich. Both saw comparable repetitions while backing up Tim Chang yesterday.
"Sometimes Kainoa's a little ahead and sometimes Jack comes out and he's ahead. It's pretty close," Jones said.
Jones said freshman Tyler Graunke will probably redshirt this season. Two more true freshmen, Taylor Humphrey and Brandon Satcher, are still being evaluated by the coaching staff. Satcher spent the tail end of yesterday's practice working with the scout team.
Another kind of score: The composer of the musical scores for such television shows as NYPD Blue, Law & Order, Magnum P.I., Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law is lending his talents to the UH athletic department.
Mike Post has coordinated the production of six musical tracks for UH athletics. The soundtrack will be used in various aspects of the game presentation, including player introductions, touchdown and field-goal celebrations and kickoffs.
www.hawaiiathletics.com
