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Saturday, October 14, 2000
Hits keep coming Eddie Klaneski came out to Thursday's practice in a wrinkled University of Hawaii Rainbows T-shirt looking fit for duty.
for safeties
Local boys Nate Jackson
and Jacob Espiau give UH
defense a one, two punchBy Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinThe former free safety for Hawaii still commands respect from certain members of the current team, who remember the nights in the '90s when the Damien High product butted heads on defense.
Free safety Nate Jackson is one of those Warriors who came by to shake the hand of the man who holds the team record for tackles in a single game with 23. Jackson flirted with that mark in last Saturday's loss at Texas Christian with 17 official stops, something not lost on Klaneski.
"I heard you really had 19 tackles after the coaches graded the film," Klaneski said to Jackson. "That's getting close, brah."
Jackson, who like Klaneski in his early days, resembles a whippet, shook his head, smiled briefly and said, "The coaches say I missed four or five tackles, so, I almost got you." They traded laughter, then moved on to other topics.
Game day
What: Western Athletic Conference football.
Unlike the former Rainbow, Jackson still has 20 or so games to erase Klaneski's name in the record book. But for now, he's content in the knowledge that he played the most complete game of anyone on defense this season. In addition to those tackles, the walk-on from Waianae High School had an interception and two pass breakups.
Not bad for a guy with a broken foot who weighs 167 pounds only after a plate-lunch or two.
"Pound for pound there's nobody tougher in the country than Nate," UH secondary coach Rich Miano said. "He played remarkable this past weekend. He's a great athlete, who is going to get a lot of interceptions before his career is over.
"He made a nice pick on that one pass play down the middle in the second half and he probably should have had two. We had him for 19 tackles, two forced fumbles, although one was ruled dead, and two pass breakups. It was the most productive game of anybody since we've been here."
Jackson isn't one to go looking for credit. Off to a slow start for a second consecutive season due to a fall camp injury, Jackson still isn't 100 percent and might not be until next spring. Playing on a broken foot that keeps him a step slow, Jackson is forced to go an entire game because of the hamstring injury to Dee Miller.
Is the junior near full speed?
"Not even close," Jackson said. "I'm way far from what I was summertime. Over the summer, I got a lot stronger and a lot faster than what I was last year. And after I got injured I'm nowhere near what I was. It's kind of hurting me, but I just have to play through it."
That kind of attitude forces fellow safety and local boy Jacob Espiau to forget his aches and pains. Last year, the promising player from Kalaheo High School went down with a nasty hamstring injury of his own to miss the final eight games of the season.
Projected as the third wheel behind Miller and Jackson, Espiau shifted from strong safety to free safety due to Jackson's injury in fall camp. And back to strong after Miller went down at Texas-El Paso. Miller will miss his third consecutive game tonight as Hawaii prepares for Southern Methodist at Aloha Stadium.
It forces Espiau to go the distance again. Jackson may have had the most complete game vs. TCU last weekend, but no one has played as well as Espiau through the first four games of the season.
"We're like a family at safety," said Espiau, who is second on the team in tackles to middle linebacker Rinda Brooks with 39. He has an interception, four pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. Jackson is third for the Warriors in tackles with 26.
"If one of us goes down, then the next man comes in to do his job," Espiau said. "It's been rough on Dee and Nate this year. Nobody knows what they're going through better than me because I've been where they've been.
"Playing next to Nate is awesome. We've got that East Island, West Island thing going between us. But we're close. We know what the other guy can do. Just watching Nate play with that broken foot gives me inspiration."
It's not lost on Hawaii head coach June Jones, who wishes every position on the field was as solid as safety.
"All three of those guys can play," Jones said. "They're tough kids who have great football instincts and work ethics. Jacob has played as well as anyone on our team. He has come in and done the job every game.
"I don't believe an injury should cost a guy his starting job, so when Dee comes back, he'll start. We'll have to evaluate the other position between Nate and Jacob. But all three of those guys are going to see a lot of playing time."
Jones wouldn't mind resting Jackson for prolonged periods so his foot could heal. At this point, the safety isn't sure if he will be able to play baseball in the spring. As for Espiau, his playing time may diminish somewhat with Miller's return, but not by much.
"If Jacob hadn't stepped in and done the job, things would have been worse," UH defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa said. "He could probably play corner if we asked him to.
"As for Nate, well, I can't even believe he's out there. He serves as an inspiration for everybody. If we could get the rest of the defense to play on their level, the last half of the season would be much different than the first."
2000 UH Football Special
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