Friday, December 24, 1999
THE PLAYMAKERS
LeJay has caught on
Carter made Jones a believer By Paul Arnett
at cornerback
Star-BulletinQuincy LeJay is the only starter in the Hawaii defensive secondary who won't be coming back after tomorrow afternoon's Oahu Bowl with Oregon State.
The old man of this foursome, LeJay is one of the success stories for a program that finds itself going from worst to first with basically the same cast of characters of a year ago.
In 1998, LeJay started the first four games at left cornerback, only to be shifted to the right side beginning with the game at San Diego State.
He remained there the rest of the way, finishing fifth on the team in tackles with 51. LeJay led the Rainbows in breakups with seven and interceptions with two.
But despite his versatility, LeJay had trouble landing a starting role in UH defensive coordinator Greg McMackin's zone-blitz schemes.
In the spring, UH secondary coach Rich Miano put junior college transfer Shawndel Tucker on the right side where he played particularly well.
LeJay shifted to the left side in fall camp and even lost his starting spot to fellow senior Phil Austin, who had the ability to play any position on the back end.
"We kept waiting for Quincy to kind of catch on to what we were trying to get done," McMackin said. "Despite not having any Division I experience, Shawndel seemed more comfortable in our schemes which mix zone and man.
"And then one day during fall camp, Quincy figured out what we wanted from him. He began to make plays in practice, so we decided to move him back to the right side and he has been there ever since."
LeJay gave a sign of things to come by scoring the only Hawaii touchdown in the 62-7 loss to Southern California on a 21-yard interception return midway through the third quarter.
It was the first touchdown of his collegiate career and kept the Rainbows from being blanked in the disastrous season opener.
"I felt good about my play, but really bad about the game because we just didn't compete like we can," LeJay said. "I had to work hard in the spring and fall to prove to the coaches that I belonged on the field.
"It was frustrating sometimes, but my faith kept me going. I knew I could make the kind of big plays Coach McMackin was looking for, but I had to prove it on the practice field."
LeJay doesn't have to prove himself anymore. He not only led the WAC in picks with seven, but his third interception return for a touchdown in the win over San Jose State put him briefly in the NCAA record books.
He would later lose his mark after California's Deltha O'Neil returned his fourth interception for a touchdown two weeks later.
"I had a chance for my fourth one in the Washington State game," LeJay said. "I had the flat covered and if I had looked up, I could have picked the (Jason Gesser) pass and walked in.
"But that's OK. I would trade in all my interceptions if it meant we had a winning season. The reason for our success this year is because team always came first."
LeJay first developed this unselfish attitude from his mother and father. Edwina and Jim LeJay of Chino Hills, Calif., instilled the kind of belief system that has made him one of the more popular players on the team.
Always understated, LeJay learned last month that his stellar play on the field led to him being selected as the only Rainbow in the Hula Bowl. It's an honor that could lead to bigger and better things at the professional level.
"We have several other guys I hope will be invited next month," LeJay said of teammates Dwight Carter and Yaphet Warren. "I'm really excited about playing in the Hula Bowl because it gives me an opportunity to show the NFL scouts what I can do."
It's likely the 5-foot-9, 183-pounder will get a good look from the scouts. Not blessed with overwhelming size and speed, LeJay still managed to finish fourth on the team in tackles with 80. He also had 10 breakups and was strong in the option game.
"You have to give Quincy a lot of credit for hanging in there and working hard to earn a starting spot," UH head coach June Jones said. "He made a lot of big plays for us. We'll certainly miss him next year."
Carter made a
By Paul Arnett
believer of Jones
Star-BulletinIt's hard to imagine now that Dwight Carter had to fight for a starting job in fall camp.
Coming out of the spring, the Hawaii wide receiver was expected to be pushed by freshman Neal Gossett, something that seems unimaginable considering Carter's numbers this season.
"I don't think the coaches expected me to do what I did this year," Carter said. "I was hurt for most of the spring, so the coaches weren't sure of what I could do on the field.
"But as the season went along, I think I showed that I could fit into this new offense. I wish I still had another year of eligibility because it takes a while to know all the schemes and reads."
Of all the players UH head coach June Jones has on offense, Carter would be one he'd like to have back. Next year, the Rainbows aren't going to have an experienced wideout such as Carter.
The senior from Santa Monica, Calif., not only was named first team All-Western Athletic Conference, he led the league in receptions with 77 and yards with 1,253 and nine touchdowns.
"What Dwight did for us on offense can't be measured just by statistics," Jones said. "He is a guy our younger players looked up to because he was able to grasp the offense so well.
"There isn't anyone on the team who makes better reads. He understands the little things of the offense that make everyone else around him that much more effective. I wish we could keep him around another season."
Carter is a junior college transfer from Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, Calif. He and cornerback Quincy LeJay and center Dustin Owen were teammates on this national champion JC team.
At one point, as many as five players were recruited from there by former head coach Fred vonAppen's staff. The remaining three had a big impact on the turnaround of this program.
"We came here to make a difference," said Carter, who caught 40 passes for 567 yards and three touchdowns in last year's disastrous 0-12 season. "Nobody had a lot of fun last year, but we stuck it out together and were able to make a difference this year.
"I don't know how many people thought we could play in a bowl game. But we felt like we would be competitive once everybody got used to the offense. What we did was a dream come true."
Carter will be a key component for Hawaii in Saturday's Oahu Bowl. Oregon State's strength all season has been its ability to defend the pass. The Beavers are ranked first in the Pac-10 and ninth in the nation, something not lost on Carter.
He has seen how well the secondary plays and how much pressure the front seven has been able to generate this season. He also knows that top OSU cornerback Dennis Weathersby is expected to guard him most of the game.
But that kind of respect suits Carter just fine. He has seen a lot of good corners and a variety of different coverages this year. And he was still able to set school records for receptions and yards in a single season.
"The thing about this offense is there's always somebody open if the quarterback has time to find him," Carter said. "Our offensive line did a great job this year protecting Dan (Robinson).
"It's up to us as wideouts to make the right reads and try to find holes in their coverages. There's no question this is a good team. But so are we."
Carter looks at this game as not only an opportunity to beat a good Pac-10 team, but to demonstrate his own abilities on national television. This may be Carter's last collegiate game -- he has started all 24 since joining the team in 1998 -- but he has aspirations of playing on Sunday. Some may question his speed, but Jones says Carter runs all the right routes.
"He is good at seeing what the defense is doing and making the right read off it," Jones said. "I definitely think he'll get a shot at playing at the next level."
Which might have been something Jones couldn't have stated at the beginning of fall practice. Like the team, Carter has been a pleasant surprise.
"This whole week has been great because we've been able to do things together as a team," Carter said. "This is something we won't forget. It won't take away from what we've done if we don't win this weekend, but it will hurt."
