Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.

TODAY'S WARRIORS NOTEBOOK

Change is good
for Warriors

Change is good. At least, that's what University of Hawaii head coach June Jones believes. So much so, he didn't practice his starters yesterday, preferring a live scrimmage with the scout squads. And for today's latest alterations, the team will practice in the afternoon.

"We're not winning, so we're trying to shake things up, break the monotony a little bit," Jones said this morning. "We're going to change it up even more tomorrow. We're going to have one session in the morning and another in the afternoon."

Jones may shake up the starting lineup as well as he tries to mix and match a lineup dotted with injuries and inconsistencies.

Offensively, Jones may replace longtime starter Channon Harris for fifth-year senior Davey deLaura. The walk-on from Fred vonAppen's era has always been reliable, but injury-plagued. His health has held, unlike Harris' hands in the clutch.

The junior slotback was benched by Jones during the Rice game after Harris dropped a potential tying touchdown pass in the first quarter. Jones may start deLaura this Saturday against San Jose State to see what he can do.

"I don't know if I would call it a battle," Jones said of the Harris-deLaura dilemma. "But Davey made some good catches in the game and we need that right now. I'm not sure who will start. We'll probably wait until game time to make that decision."

Defensively, Lui Fuga played a monster game at tackle in the loss to Rice University. Banged up shoulder and all, he did his best to keep the Owls from running through the middle untouched.

Jones expects Doug Sims (knee) and Mike Iosua (shoulder) to join their fellow tackle to add a little depth back to the depleted defensive front.

"We may shake things up a little, we'll see," Jones said. "Right now, we're trying a little bit of everything to see if we can do a better job the second half of our season."

No excuses

It would be easy to point to all the injuries and cry foul, but Jones prefers not to look at it that way. He talks about knowing the difference between pain and injury, as any coach should. As injured Pittsburgh Steelers running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala said after injuring his foot over the weekend, "This is a tough man's game."

You won't get any argument from offensive lineman Vince Manuwai, safeties Nate Jackson, Dee Miller and Jacob Espiau, defensive end Joe Correia or top running backs Avion Weaver, Afatia Thompson and James Fenderson. All have the kind of injuries you have to play through if you want to stay on the football field.

"You've just got to suck it up and go," Jones said. "And a lot of our guys are doing that. Injuries are a part of the game. Most of ours aren't the kind that will keep you on the sidelines for long. You have to play with pain. That's how this game works.

"Last year was freakish. We didn't lose anybody. But this year is more what it's like. I don't think we're hurt worse than anybody else. It's all equal that way."

Colbert coming on

If you had told Jones in fall camp that left wideout Justin Colbert would be his most consistent receiver, he might have done a double take. But that has been the case of late.

Despite not winning a starting job until the season opener with Portland State, Colbert is second on the team in receptions with 27 for 385 yards and one touchdown. He played so well at Rice, Jones sought him out and told him how proud he was of his efforts.

"He steps up big-time in a game and that's what we need," Jones said. "Watching the film, I think Justin is the only one offensively who really has stepped up and made some plays. There are guys who talk it, then there are guys who do it. And he's a doer."

---

Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin