Saturday, August 4, 2001
[ UH WARRIOR FOOTBALL ]
Ilaoa pow-ah The University of Hawaii football team has family ties to thank for the arrival of one of last year's best high school players in Virginia.
The freshman picked UH over
many bigger programs
mainly because of familyBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comNate Ilaoa's extended clan of about 100 relatives on Oahu figured into his choosing UH over programs like Virginia Tech, Miami, Oklahoma and Brigham Young.
And Uncle Sam gets a big assist. Ilaoa's father, Filipo, was assigned last fall to command sergeant major (highest ranking enlisted man) of Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe.
"I actually didn't consider Hawaii until the very end," said Nate Ilaoa (pronounced "ee-LAU-ah"). "I knew a little about Hawaii's program and how they passed the ball a lot, but I started looking at it closer and it became not hard to decide, especially with all the family here. It's good to have family in the crowd."
He knows what it's like without that support.When his parents and five of his siblings (another, his older brother Robert, was on a church mission) moved to Hawaii last fall, Ilaoa remained in Stafford, Va., living with friends from church. He said he owed it to his high school coach, Chris Beatty, to stay at North Stafford High School for his senior season.
Ilaoa can consider the debt paid in full. He capped a stellar career by being named the Washington Post's Metro Offensive Player of the Year. He played wide receiver and running back as a senior, amassing 890 receiving and 1,200 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. As a junior, he set state records for receptions (82) and receiving yards (1,313)."Coaches like (Virginia Tech's) Frank Beamer were very impressed with him," UH head coach June Jones said. "We're very fortunate to get him. But he made the right choice by picking us because we will be able to really feature his skills."
Now the question is what to do with him. Ilaoa, 5-feet-10, 190 pounds, was an accomplished cornerback before moving to offense his junior year. He is also an exciting kick returner.
As a member of a warrior family, Ilaoa is used to moving around. As a member of the Warrior family, he could do some shifting, too -- at least at first -- from position to position.
The big-time programs are done hoping to be the one chosen by Ilaoa. Now it's the UH position coaches' turn to hope to land him.
Receivers coach Ron Lee and defensive backs coach Rich Miano both say they want Ilaoa to play the position at which he is most comfortable and where he can help the Warriors the most.
Ilaoa info
>> Born April 4, 1983, Oakland, Calif.>> Schools that recruited him include Oklahoma, Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech, Michigan State and Brigham Young. Said receiving a scholarship from UH is his proudest moment.
>> Ilaoa was so impressive as a junior at North Stafford High School in Virginia that an area recruiting guru mistakenly put him on his list of top 100 from the prep class of 2000.
>> Aspires to be a high school teacher and coach.
>> Favorite book is "Lord of the Flies."
>> Parents are Filipo and Vaisa. Brothers are Robert, Aaron, Kaleb and Toli. Sisters are Lima and Tai. Robert, 6-foot-2, 375 pounds, was a defensive lineman at Missouri Southern State. He has two years of eligibility remaining and plans to walk on at UH. Kaleb is a junior at Kalaheo High School and plans to play football.
But is that one and the same?
UH returns all four starters at the receiver spots, but cornerback is wide open, an area where UH can use some immediate help.
Officially, Miano and Lee defer to Jones. "It's up to the man," said Miano, pointing to Jones.
"Nate will have to sit down and talk to June," said Lee.
But, just below the surface, both want Ilaoa in their own breakout group when fall camp for newcomers starts a week from Monday.
"I know Rich would love to work with him in the secondary," Lee said. "And I'd love to work with him as a receiver."
It appears Ilaoa is so promising that -- at least at first -- he will get to choose where he wants to play. That would be offense, but "I wouldn't mind some defense," Ilaoa said.
Lee said he is impressed by Ilaoa's ability to run after a catch, and that would make him a good fit at slot.
"He's strong and has that extra gear," Lee said. "That's his strongest asset. He always tries to get a little more after the catch and sometimes he gets a lot more."
Quarterback Tim Chang, who has run some plays with Ilaoa this summer, also likes his potential. "He's the perfect size for a slotback," Chang said. "He's got good hands, he's quick and he's strong. He's just now getting a chance to open up the playbook, so we'll see."
Ilaoa is soft-spoken and respectful, but you can see the strength and desire in his eyes and demeanor.
He's spending his days lifting weights and learning the run-and-shoot from his future teammates in informal workouts at UH.
"I'm getting excited about the new experience," he said. "I think the speed of the game will be different, but I'm looking forward to it."
Nate was born in Oakland, Calif. He has also lived in Oklahoma, Missouri, Virginia -- and a previous time in Hawaii.
"We moved here when I was 1, and stayed until I was 5 or 6. I remembered a few things, some beaches we used to go to," he said. "I'll miss friends in Virginia, but that's about it. I'm not too much for that cold weather."
As his mother, Vaisa, said, "This is where we call home."
UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii
