Wednesday, March 21, 2001

Cut survivor
hopes to survive
new position

UH's Robert Grant, who
weathered the cut of '98, must
adjust to life in the secondary

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By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

Robert Grant is part of a senior class that wasn't always portrayed in the kindest of lights.

Barely three months into his regime as the University of Hawaii head coach, June Jones made so many cuts after his first spring game, he must have thought he was still in the National Football League.

While fellow seniors Mike Iosua, Nate Jackson, Manly Kanoa and Craig Stutzmann are stars in their own right, not all the survivors from the previous regimes have lead roles. Grant is one of those still waiting in the wings.

During the off-season, the senior from Oakland, Calif., was asked to move from running back to safety. He played a little defense while at Skyline High School, but to say the shift is a natural one wouldn't be true.

"Robert put the team first and that's a lot to ask of a guy," UH offensive coordinator Wes Suan said.

"We needed to have some depth in the secondary and thought Robert was the kind of athlete who could make the transition."

No one can question Grant's athleticism.

He is a solid 6-feet and 211 pounds, blessed with good enough speed in the open field to make people miss. He just wasn't a comfortable fit in the run-and-shoot offense.

Last year was his chance to be the top back.

DENNIS ODA, STAR-BULLETIN
Robert Grant: "The switch has been good
for me, but I've still got to learn
to tackle better."

Unfortunately for him, it was James Fenderson who stepped in for the injured Avion Weaver and Afatia Thompson. Fenderson finished with 651 yards and seven touchdowns. Grant managed 23 yards on only 10 attempts.

"The switch has been good for me, but I've still got to learn to tackle better,'' Grant said. "I had a good hit (in last Saturday's scrimmage), but I'm not wrapping up like I'm supposed to."

The UH defensive coaches believe they can teach Grant how to tackle. What will be the real challenge for Grant is learning how to make the right reads in the secondary. He played cornerback his one year in high school.

"So being in the secondary is not strange for me, but it's at a different level," Grant said. "It's more competitive, you know? I like it. I've talked about it for the last couple of years, so when they asked me, I thought it would be good for the team and for me to try something new."

UH defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa likes Grant's athleticism.

It's likely his best shot would be in the nickel and dime packages, because Jackson and Jacob Espiau will start as long as they remain healthy.

"What we want to do is see if we can find some guys who can back them up," Lempa said. "This is where a guy like Robert can help us. It's a tough transition, especially for only one year.

"But both Nate and Jacob were hurt a lot last year. This is one area where we need some depth."

At this point, David Gillmore and Chris Riccardi are the top backups at safety. Sean Butts is getting a hard look. So are Keith Bhonapha and former quarterback Matt Manuma.

"This is part of the experiment of trying different guys at different spots and seeing who makes the transition quickest,'' Lempa said. "How it all shakes out will be determined in fall camp."

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