STAR-BULLETIN / 2000
Coming off a strong season, coach June Jones and the Warriors hope to avoid a repeat of the 2000 collapse.
Warriors In two of three seasons under June Jones, the Hawaii football team has knocked on the door of the Top 25. This year, the Warriors' goal is to break it down.
going deep
With 4 years of his own recruits
in the fold, June Jones feels UH
can pick up where last season left offBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comUH has proven that the gimmick offense called the run-and-shoot can produce lots of points and -- when combined with a turnover-inducing defense and fabulous special teams, as last fall -- lead to victories.
Hawaii won nine games in both 1999 and 2001 and the Warriors promise no repeat of Jones' sophomore slump of 2000, a season that began with an embarrassing loss to Portland State and ended with a mere three victories for Hawaii.
Jones knows there's a big difference between posting a winning season every other year and putting a consistent winner on the field season after season.
Four of his own recruiting classes will now be in camp as practice begins tomorrow. Jones feels he and his staff have brought in enough talent to pick up from the end of last season, when the passing combination of Nick Rolovich and Ashley Lelie and the opportunistic defense led Hawaii to wins in eight of its last nine games.
Rolovich and Lelie -- along with four other offensive starters -- are gone. But the defense remains basically intact.
Despite a tough road schedule (UH plays fellow Western Athletic Conference contenders Fresno State and Boise State, and rival Brigham Young on the continent), Jones said depth should equal consistency -- and not another even-yeared flop.
"I think we have more depth than we've ever had, especially on the offensive and defensive lines," Jones said. "Those are the positions where it gets real physical, and we'll need as many capable players as possible."
The Warriors have 15 returning starters. But none are guaranteed to retain their jobs.
"It's always competitive," Jones said. "And as always, the best players will play."
Here is a position-by-position look at the Warriors as they head into fall camp:
QUARTERBACK
As it was last year at this time, the job is sophomore Tim Chang's (6-1, 195) to lose.
The public perception is that Chang doesn't have as tight a grip on the starting spot as he did going into last fall.
But coaches and teammates have expressed nothing but support for Chang, as he has rehabbed strongly after surgery necessitated by ligament damage from an injury in UH's third game last year.
Chang has put up some fancy numbers in his 13-game career, averaging 318.5 passing yards per outing, with 25 touchdowns. But he will have to cut down on the interceptions (also 25) to improve the bottom-line numbers: Chang is 3-9 as a starting quarterback.
Fifth-year senior Shawn Withy-Allen (6-4, 220) had a strong spring, and will probably get the first chance should Chang falter or get hurt again. Junior college transfer Jason Whieldon (6-0, 187) is a fast learner and found the open guy, at least in practice last spring. Redshirt freshman Jeff Rhode (6-5, 233) continues to improve. True freshman Ryan Stickler (6-3, 215) wasn't highly recruited because of injuries in high school, but has potential.
RUNNING BACK
Sophomore Mike Bass (5-6, 158) could redshirt if he isn't totally healed from hernia surgery last spring. That would leave the bulk of the playing time in the one-back set to senior Thero Mitchell (5-10, 215) and JC transfer John West (5-10, 173). Both did well in the spring, and Mitchell added speed and flexibility since last season.
Other possibilities are seniors Josh Galeai (5-11, 233), Jonathan Kauka (5-11, 215) and Keiki Misipeka (5-10, 215) and freshman Pesefea Fiaseu (5-9, 248). But the bulk of this four's contributions will likely come on special teams.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This unit should remain one of the Warriors' best, with three returning starters from the group that allowed one sack in each of the last three games of 2001. They include senior right guard Vince Manuwai (6-2, 285), who is being promoted for the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy. Sophomore Uriah Moenoa (6-4, 331) returns at right tackle, and senior Lui Fuata (6-3, 313) moves from left tackle to center.
If there's a question mark, it's on the left side, where junior Wayne Hunter (6-6, 278) is a neophyte at left tackle, having moved over from defense, and Shayne Kajioka (6-3, 323), another junior, worked himself into a starting spot last spring.
Line coach Mike Cavanaugh is high on sophomore Ryan Santos (6-5, 335), who leads a young but promising group in the second tier that also includes freshman Brandon Eaton (6-2, 292), sophomore Chad Kahale (6-1, 313), freshman Derek Faavi (6-0, 261) and sophomore Phil Kauffman (6-1, 269).
RECEIVER
The pass-catchers took the biggest hit in the offseason, as four of the top five from last fall have either expended their eligibility, or, in the case of Ashley Lelie, left early for the NFL.
Senior Justin Colbert (5-7, 160) is the lone returnee with extensive game experience. The third-year starter at left wideout has 120 catches for 1,603 yards and six touchdowns in his career.
Although sophomore Chad Owens (5-8, 175) at left slot and senior Neal Gossett (5-10, 172) have had limited playing time, they know the run-and-shoot intricacies as well as their predecessors. Junior Gerald Welch (5-7, 201), freshman Nate Ilaoa (5-9, 190) and junior Clifton Herbert (5-7, 162), who will battle for the other slot position, are also at one with the schemes.
Sophomore Britton Komine (5-9, 184) and senior Omar Bennett (6-1, 178) also add depth at slot. But the unavailability of sophomore Mark Tate (6-1, 212) due to injury and freshman Frank Rivers (6-4, 205), whom sources say has left the team, could hurt the Warriors at the wideouts if Colbert or Gossett gets hurt. Freshman Mike Akiu (5-7, 151) and sophomores Kanale George (6-1, 199) and Bryant Stevens (6-1, 191) are possible contributors.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Two of the best ends in the WAC -- senior La'anui Correa (6-4, 267) and junior Travis Laboy (6-5, 253) -- are poised for big seasons. Correa added speed and flexibility in the offseason. Only injuries seem able to stop Laboy, a spectacular athlete who makes plays veteran coaches have never seen before. Juniors Houston Ala (6-1, 251) and Kevin Jackson (6-5, 244) will also play a lot.
At the tackles, junior Lui Fuga (6-1, 302) returns after injuries to both shoulders kept him out last year and is penciled in to start. Another junior, Lance Samuseva (5-11, 285), held the point admirably for the Warriors last year.
The team's most intriguing newcomer is junior Isaac Sapoaga (6-2, 310), who will dominate if he lives up to half his press clippings. Sapoaga, highly recruited out of junior college two years ago, sat out last season while getting his academic house in order. Senior Viliami Taufa (6-0, 260), who was out with a bad knee last year, is listed as Samuseva's backup. JC transfer Rocky Faga (6-2, 320) will likely challenge for playing time.
LINEBACKER
If the Warriors ran a more conventional offense, they might have more talent at linebacker than coaches Kevin Lempa and George Lumpkin would know what to do with. But because the run-and-shoot -- whether it succeeds or fails -- puts the defense on the field for so long, there's no such thing as too many skilled defenders.
UH is simply loaded in this spot, with seniors Matt Wright (6-1, 222), Lombardi Award candidate Chris Brown (6-2, 258) and Pisa Tinoisamoa (6-0, 217) starting from left to right. Brown and Tinoisamoa were second and fourth in the WAC in tackles, and Wright has a penchant for the big play.
When those three need a rest or the Warriors go into their Okie package, look for juniors Keani Alapa (6-0, 222), Chad Kalilimoku (6-0, 240) and Marco Chavez (6-3, 248), sophomore Tyrone Brown (6-0, 203) and Patrick Harley (5-11, 210) and freshmen Ikaika Curnan (5-10, 235) and Isaiah Alameda (6-1, 212). Kalilimoku was a JC All-American last year.
SECONDARY
Cornerback is another position where there are never too many good ones. UH is fortunate to have at least three solid players for two starting spots. Sophomore Abraham Elimimian (5-10, 180) routinely shuts down opposing receivers, junior Hyrum Peters (5-8, 190) is strong against the run, and junior Kelvin Millhouse (6-1, 198) led the WAC with five interceptions last year. Sophomore Josiah Cravalho (5-9, 186) also has a chance to become a contributor.
The undersized but huge-hearted safety tandem of Nate Jackson and Jacob Espiau is gone. DBs coach Rich Miano sees freshman Leonard Peters (6-1, 163) as a potential prototype strong safety, and senior Sean Butts (6-3, 193) will try to translate his speed and special teams skills into a successful go at free safety.
Sophomores Chad Kapanui (6-0, 213) and Matt Manuma (6-1, 200), junior David Gilmore (6-0, 188) and senior Keith Bhonapha (5-9, 188) will also get their opportunities to show what they've done over the summer. Like the running backs, several, if not all of these players will likely play special teams.
SPECIAL TEAMS
UH hopes to again have many happy returns, even if Owens -- a preseason All-American -- is not the primary guy running back kicks and punts for TDs because he is now a starter at receiver. Owens took three to the house last year in just seven games as the primary return man. But Jones and special teams coordinator Tyson Helton will look at Ilaoa on punts and West on kicks, among others.
Sophomore kicker Justin Ayat (5-11, 203) is developing one of the stronger legs in the nation, and senior punter Mat McBriar (6-1, 202) is already among the best at his position.
Freshman T.J. Moe (5-11, 222) will try to replace the efficient Brian Smith at snapper. Withy-Allen is slated to be the holder.
The Warriors have candidates for all three special teams awards: Ayat (Lou Groza), McBriar (Ray Guy) and Butts (Mosi Tatupu).
... In 1980, the Rainbows won their last four games of the season to finish 8-3. Following the conclusion of the final game, a 20-12 victory over Air Force, senior safety Blane Gaison and offensive lineman Ed Riewerts walked around the stadium to acknowledge the fans, unwittingly starting the Senior Walk tradition that goes on to this day.
Gaison won the Stan Bates Award as the WAC's top scholar-athlete and went on to play for the Atlanta Falcons.
Today, Gaison is an athletic director at Kamehameha Schools.
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