WARRIOR FOOTBALL
Pilares to play for Warriors
The Damien grad initially committed to Air Force
Kealoha Pilares, the most electrifying offensive football player in the state high school ranks last year, has decided to play at Hawaii.
Now the Warriors coaches must decided what to do with him.
The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Star-Bulletin Offensive Player of the Year excelled at running back at Damien Memorial last fall, rushing for 1,900 yards and 23 touchdowns. He had a 300-yard game against Iolani.
It is expected he will get his first look at receiver, probably slotback, when he joins the Warriors.
That is a crowded position, with returning starters in sophomores Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins. But so is running back, with Nate Ilaoa and Reagan Mauia.
UH coach June Jones is not permitted to talk about Pilares or any other incoming players until fall practice starts Thursday, so he could not say if Pilares will be in camp now or next spring.
The Warriors plan to bring in two walk-on running backs in addition to mainstays Ilaoa, Mauia, No. 3 David Farmer and No. 4 Jazen Anderson.
"We'll look at it (today) and see what we want to do," said Jones, who has left one of the 105 fall-camp roster spots open for receiver Ian Sample. Sample is still awaiting word from the NCAA on his appeal for a sixth season of eligibility. Jones said yesterday he still expects that appeal to be resolved before Thursday.
Pilares had committed to the Air Force Academy, but returned to Hawaii last week from the academy's summer orientation program.
Rudy Alejo, his coach at Damien, said Pilares could fill a variety of roles at the college level, but running back is his most natural spot.
"I think he'd be really good (in the run-and-shoot offense), especially at running back. I think people underestimate his blocking ability," Alejo said. "He's not a ferocious blocker, but he's a great technician."