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WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY
Saint Louis graduate and Weber State starting quarterback Cameron Higgins says he is treating tomorrow's Weber State at Hawaii contest as just another game.
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Weber State maintains strong Hawaii presence
One thing the Weber State football team won't have to worry about this weekend is getting lost.
The Wildcats boast 10 players with local ties on the roster and defensive line coach Chad Kauhaahaa spent three years as head coach at Baldwin, where he also went to high school.
Of the 10, five players are listed on this week's depth chart: backup defensive tackle Ryan Eastman (Saint Louis '08), starting left guard Lawaia Naihe (Kapaa '00) and his backup Alex Tupulua (Waianae '07), starting tight end Cody Nakamura (Baldwin '06), and starting quarterback Cameron Higgins (Saint Louis '06).
Higgins has established himself as the leader of the group, despite his sophomore status. Just four games into his freshman season, Higgins took over at quarterback. In his first start, he nearly led the Wildcats to an upset over Montana, which was ranked No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision.
He finished the year throwing for nearly 2,000 yards and accounted for 21 touchdowns in leading Weber State to five wins in his eight starts.
As the returning starting quarterback, Higgins has entered this season trying to be a role model on and off the field, and his teammates have noticed.
"He's being a team leader," Eastman said. "He's doing that role now and he prepares for every practice, for every game. He doesn't goof off at all. He hits the weight room. He does everything a leader should."
One of those responsibilities will be getting his team focused for tomorrow night's game against Hawaii. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for most of the local boys, and there are sure to be plenty of distractions.
The message Higgins has given his squad is simple.
"Just treating it like another game," Higgins said. "It's not really a homecoming. You've just got to treat it like any other game. Just be focused a little bit more."
But even while taking a business-like approach to the game, it also gives the guys a chance to acknowledge the people who have helped them reach this point in their careers.
"We're all just excited to go back home to say to our family and friends and our coaches, if they come to the game, thank you," Eastman said. "Thank you for getting us this far."
Eastman, a true freshman, was a big recruit for the Wildcats. Citing the chance to get to play right away, Eastman chose to play at Weber State and wasted no time turning heads.
Although not the way he probably wanted.
During the team's first practice in the fall, Eastman rushed Higgins on a play and decided to tackle his high school teammate, which resulted in whistles blowing from all directions.
It was a good play, except for the fact that quarterbacks are off limits in practice.
"He tackled me and Coach (Ron McBride) just went off on him," Higgins said. "Later in the locker room I was like, 'I thought we Saint Louis boys. I thought you weren't going to hit me.' "
Although he was chewed out by his coach, Eastman didn't mind.
"Yeah, I did it, but it was worth it," he said. "It was funny."
The Higgins family is well represented at Weber State. Cameron's younger brother, Zach (Saint Louis '07), is a redshirt freshman who plays defensive back for the Wildcats. Another one could be on the way, maybe even as Cameron's replacement.
Jeremy Higgins is the starting quarterback at Saint Louis this year as a junior.
Cameron got the chance to evaluate his brother when Saint Louis played Mililani a couple of weeks ago. The game was broadcast on the Internet, allowing Cameron to break down his brother's game.
"He was all right," Cameron said. "I can't let him get too cocky. Can't give him too much praise or else it will go to his head."
Tomorrow night will be Higgins' first time in Aloha Stadium since the all-star game his senior season. But it's the time before that, a shutout loss to Punahou in an ILH playoff game for the right to play in the state tournament, that Higgins remembers the most.
"We didn't play well," Higgins said. "I got hurt in the third quarter and couldn't come back in and that was it."
His backup at the time was Jeremiah Masoli, who is now a quarterback at Oregon and saw extensive playing time last week against Washington.
The two keep in touch, and Higgins isn't afraid to remind people about his high school days.
"Yeah, I tell everyone up here he was my backup," he said laughing.
When the Wildcats kick off against the Warriors tomorrow night, Higgins plans on lighting up the scoreboard. Weber State scored 62 points in its season opener last weekend against Montana-Western, and the dual-threat sophomore said he's bringing an offense with him that can beat you many different ways.
"We'll do a little bit of everything," Higgins said. "We'll spread it out at times, we'll go two tight ends and two running backs, and we'll play smash-mouth football a little bit.
"From there, we'll see what happens."