Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Saturday, September 30, 2000
Wideouts You won't find them huddled in the back reaches of the locker room, lifting any spells. And they aren't trying on a variety of gloves like debutantes preparing for a celebrity ball.
receive hands-on
coaching
UH assistant Ron Lee
stresses fundamentals of
catching the footballChang will start tonight
By Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinBut what the University of Hawaii wideouts did do this past week is review the first chapter in the art of receiving and take note of rule No. 1: Keep your eyes on the ball.
"It's a simple thing, really," UH wideouts coach Ron Lee said upon returning to practice full time this week. "You watch the ball go into your hands, and then you turn and run. You exaggerate it if you have to, just to make sure.
s "If you look away an instant before, chances are, you're going to drop it. That's what we did so many times in our first two games. It was very frustrating for me to watch on TV."
GAME DAY
Who: University of Hawaii Warriors vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
For tonight's 6:05 game with Western Athletic Conference foe Tulsa, Lee will be back in the booth, surveying the field. He is head coach June Jones' press box eyes.
What Lee knows about the run-and-shoot would rival Jones. But you don't have to be on Page 300 of the playbook to know that dropped passes are run-and-shoot killers.
A half-dozen times in the loss to Portland State, Warrior wideouts let footballs hit off their hands and fall harmlessly to the turf. That number shot ever higher to 10 in last Saturday's 39-7 loss to the Texas-El Paso Miners.
It's getting to a point where the receivers are pressing. They know more than anyone of their recent failures. But they promise to leave them behind in tonight's league game with the Golden Hurricane.
"It's not like we have some kind of a virus spreading among us," slotback Channon Harris said. "It's just one of those things. We know better than anyone how we've let the team down.
"We put our defense in too tough of a position with so many three-and-outs on offense. But we'll get better. Coach Lee is back with us to give us the confidence we need to make plays."
It's not as if Lee can go out and make the receptions himself. But what he can do is remind the players of what they did wrong and how it can be corrected.
For the past month, the receivers have been like foster children in Jones' home. He has spent added time with the wideouts, in Lee's absence, but it's not the same as the individual attention given by his assistant.
"Just having him back out here with us at practice, gives us such a boost," said slotback Craig Stutzmann. Lee also served as his offensive coordinator at St. Louis School.
"He's there to remind us of the little things that we may have forgot," Stutzmann said. "We might be doing something wrong, but we can't put our finger on it. Coach Lee can give us that guidance we need."
Jones is glad to have Lee back with him. He has been reluctant to point out the receivers' problems for fear of adding to it. He just hopes the drops have run their course.
"You can't say too much or they'll become aware of it even more and press too hard to make a play," Jones said.
"Sometimes, bad habits come back, like not putting your hands out in front of you properly. We need to work more on the ball machine after practice so it's second nature to us."
Through two games, speedy Justin Colbert is the leading receiver with 11 catches for 169 yards and no touchdowns. He is trying to replace Dwight Carter on the left side, who led Hawaii in receptions and yards last year.
Ashley Lelie is second with 10 catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns. But his play has been hampered of late by a bad hamstring pull.
"We need Ashley and Justin to stretch defenses, so we can open up the passing lanes more," Lee said. "Teams are kind of sitting down in there on us on the short routes, so we have to go over the top more.
"I know my guys can do it. They've had a couple of tough games, but I promise you this, we won't be dropping any more footballs this Saturday night."
Warriors quarterback Timmy Chang got a taste of Division I football last week coming off the bench. Tonight he'll get a full-course meal. Jones says Chang
will start tonightStar-Bulletin staff
University of Hawaii head coach June Jones said yesterday that the former St. Louis School standout will start against Tulsa.
"Timmy had a good week of practice," Jones said after yesterday's walk through on Cooke Field. "We're anxious to see how he reacts as a starter."
Chang, a true freshman, took over the offense in the second half of last week's game against Texas-El Paso and managed nine completions for 130 yards. His two interceptions were both tipped into the hands of defenders.
Chang replaces Nick Rolovich, a junior college transfer from City College of San Francisco who has started both games this season.
There are now three former St. Louis quarterbacks starting for Division I programs this season. Jason Gesser calls the signals for Washington State and Darnell Arceneaux runs the Utah offense.
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
