HULA BOWL NOTEBOOK
Dibbles' rep no bum steer
Larry Dibbles is still enjoying the title of national champion more than two weeks after attaining it by helping Texas beat USC 41-38 in the Rose Bowl.
"I don't think the wheels will ever stop rolling. This is something no one can ever take from us. It'll always go down in history as a beautiful moment," said Dibbles, after Hula Bowl practice yesterday. "We played against one of the greatest teams ever in college football history and it's something to smile about. It will always be a good time in my life."
But he knows this is not the time to rest. Good performances this week by Dibbles will improve his NFL Draft stock.
And there's no such thing as over-hustle with the scouts watching.
So the 6-foot-2, 285-pound defensive tackle volunteered to help cover punts yesterday at Aloha Stadium when most of the other big boys were chilling in front of the mist blowers.
CRAIG KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Texas defensive tackle Larry Dibbles hasn't tired of talking about the national championship he helped the Longhorns win.
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"Whatever Coach wants. Hey, we need a gunner, I'm first in line every time," said Dibbles, who added that his kicking game experience is limited. "The only special teams I played was being special on that defense."
West assistant coach Dick Tomey believes in Dibbles. Tomey, the San Jose State coach who was the longtime Hawaii head man, knows him from two years ago when Tomey was a Longhorns assistant.
"I think he's as good a lineman as there is in college football. He plays so hard, consistently. I think an awful lot of Larry and he can do anything he wants in football," Tomey said. "I just know there's not an overabundance of guys that play as hard as he does and have the athleticism and want-to that he does."
Tomey was at the Rose Bowl as a guest of Texas coach Mack Brown.
"We really enjoyed seeing our friends have such a great experience," said Tomey, who is also close with Longhorns co-defensive coordinator Duane Akina, a Punahou grad and former UH assistant.
"I should call (Akina) on the cell phone and ask him where the good restaurants are to eat around here," Dibbles said.
Texas fullback Ahmard Hall and linebacker Aaron Harris are also on the West team.
The other side: USC safety Scott Ware was smiling and happy to be in Hawaii yesterday, but he said he isn't over the Rose Bowl loss.
"It hasn't quite run its course. Coming in here and seeing the burnt orange again got me a little hot. But I congratulated them and told them helluva game," he said. "Hopefully this will help me get over it, getting another game in."
Ware, a late bloomer who transferred to USC and started two years for the Trojans, hopes to improve his stock with the scouts this week.
"I think they know I can hit and I play hard," he said. "They probably want to make sure I have the coverage skills, that I have the total package."
Linebacker Collin Ashton also represents USC.
Good Manners: Hawaii safety Lono Manners made an early impression at practice yesterday, going full-speed to crush a lead blocker on a running play.
"Great Lono, but take it down just a notch or two," an assistant coach told him.
Manners, who can bench press 500 pounds, is one of the smaller Hula Bowl players at 5-foot-10 and 207 pounds, but one of the strongest.
"Hopefully I can perform to the best of my ability and show the scouts I can play," the Waianae alumnus said.
He's joined on the West squad by UH teammates Brandon Eaton (offensive line), Kila Kamakawiwo'ole (linebacker) and Tanuvasa Moe (linebacker/snapper).