Jack Rolovich saw 72 reasons to consider playing football at Hawaii -- that was the number of points the Warriors scored against Brigham Young on Dec. 8, 2001. Then he looked around Aloha Stadium and saw 50,000 more. Rolovich sold on Hawaii
during 2001 BYU game
Prospect watch
By Dave Reardon and Nick Abramo
dreardon@starbulletin.com | nabramo@starbulletin.com"The place was rocking," said Rolovich, who watched in person as his brother Nick threw a school-record eight touchdown passes in that game. "I knew by seeing Nick that day that nothing would be a better fit for me."
Rolovich, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback who completed his UH visit yesterday, committed to coach June Jones and assistant coach Dan Morrison on Saturday.
"I told them there's nothing I'd rather do than play for this team in this offense," Rolovich said. "With my brother playing here before me, that made it easier to get to know people and feel like I'm already part of a family. But we're definitely two different people and I plan to make my own mark as well."
Rolovich, who threw for 19 touchdowns last year at San Marin High School in Novato, Calif., also visited Cal. He joins cornerback George Perry (Kahuku) and offensive lineman Michael Lafaele (Farrington) as players who have orally committed to UH. They can make their commitments binding beginning Feb. 5.
Quarterback Taylor Tharp (Fairview, Denver) and running back Mike Liti (Foothill, Santa Ana, Calif.) also visited UH this weekend. Both have been offered scholarships but neither has committed.
Tharp, the son of Colorado athletic director Dick Tharp, is a late bloomer who passed for 3,939 yards and 31 touchdowns and took his team to the Colorado 5A championship game. He was being recruited by Boise State but has backed off since the Broncos have a commitment from another QB, Alex Brink.
Liti is hoping for a late offer from UCLA, or maybe USC. But UH really wants him, and Liti, who is of Tongan descent, could choose Hawaii for cultural reasons. For example, he is interested in fire dancing; while on his visit he met former UH running back Afatia Thompson, who is a professional Polynesian dancer.
Bulldog banter: Daniel Tautofi, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker from Kaimuki, has narrowed things down to Hawaii and Oregon. He said he is not leaning toward either school, but Oregon could have a slight edge since Tautofi admits to curiosity about the mainland and has been a Ducks fan since early childhood. He visits Eugene this weekend and Hawaii on Jan. 24.
Tautofi's brother, defensive lineman Darrell, committed to Hawaii as a junior-college transfer last year, but did not have enough credits. Daniel said Darrell's academic situation is much improved and he will enroll at UH next semester.
Another Tautofi brother, David, made five tackles including two sacks as a backup defensive end at UCLA last fall.
Black and blue Buffanblu: Two prospects from Punahou have been hurt by injuries.
Defensive back Stan Fisher's torn ligaments and bone chips from a fractured leg have left him on crutches and with a dubious athletic future. Oregon State and Colorado showed early interest, but Fisher said he doesn't really want to leave Hawaii and is thinking of walking on at UH.
"He's tall and athletic and has decent grades," Punahou coach Kale Ane said.
Safety Matt Culver drew lots of attention (Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona State, Hawaii) after an outstanding junior season, but he missed his entire senior year with a knee injury. Ane said Culver has worked hard in rehab and is ready to begin sprinting again, but will likely also have to walk on somewhere.
Red Raiders under radar: UH might have picked up a sleeper in Perry, who was considered the best cover cornerback in the state.
"I think George's best football is still ahead of him," Kahuku defensive coordinator Byron Beatty said. "He struggled this past year with injuries, but came back. And he didn't get any action on his side because people avoided him, they threw the other way. He was out on an island, but people knew who was out there."
Although Perry has shutdown skills, he might eventually become a safety for the Warriors because of his strength.
Linebacker David Alisa is another Red Raider who might be underrated.
"He passes the eyeball test with his long limbs," Beatty said. "One thing he struggled with is playing with leverage. He plays a little too tall, but that can be corrected."
On the trail: Jones and UH assistant Rich Miano leave for a recruiting trip in Samoa on Jan. 30.
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The Star-Bulletin's top 20 college football prospects from Hawaii high schools are ranked by Jason Kaneshiro and Dave Reardon after consultation with coaches. Other prospects are listed in alphabetical order. Out-of-state prospects considering Hawaii are compiled with assistance from coaches and recruiting services. The lists will be updated until Feb. 5, national letter of intent day, when high school players can first make their commitments binding. Asterisks indicate a player has been offered a scholarship by that college. Dates in parentheses are visit weekends. Prospect watch
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII COMMITMENTS
Name Pos School Ht Wt Note Michael Lafaele OL Farrrington 6-1 275 Mold of Vince Manuwai George Perry CB Kahuku 5-11 165 Outstanding cover guy Jack Rolovich QB San Marin 6-3 210 "Rolo II" is bigger (Novato, Calif.)
Hawaii's top prospects
Player Pos. School Ht. Wt. Colleges 1. Tolifili Liufau DE St. Louis 6-3 310 Hawaii* (this week), USC, Wash., Wash. St (Dec. 13) 2. Jason Rivers WR St. Louis 6-2 193 Arizona St., Hawaii* (this weekend), Ore., Wash., Wash. St. (Dec. 13), 3. Viliami Nauahi DB Kahuku 6-2 200 BYU* (this week), Hawaii* (Jan. 31), Penn St., Utah* (Jan. 10), Wash. 4. R.J. Willing OL Kamehameha 6-5 300 BYU* (this week), Hawaii (Jan. 31), Ore.* (Dec. 13), Utah* (Jan. 24), Wash. (Jan. 10)* 5. Pat So'oalo OL Kailua 6-6 285 Dixie, Hawaii*, Ore., Utah, Wash. St. 6. Brandon Rodd OL Aiea 6-5 275 Ariz. St., Hawaii* (Dec. 6), Ore. (this week), San Diego St. (Jan. 3), Utah (Jan. 24), Wash. St. 7. Wilson Afoa DL St. Louis 6-3 260 Hawaii*, Wash.* (Jan. 10), Wash. St.* (Dec. 13), 8. Michael Lafaele OL Farrington 6-1 275 Commited to HAWAII on Jan. 8 9. Jeremy Inferrera OL St. Louis 6-3 270 Hawaii* (this week), Ore., Wash., Wash. St. 10. Timo Paepule LB St. Louis 6-0 210 Hawaii* (this week), Ore., Utah (Jan. 24), Wash. 11. Quin Ah You DL Kahuku 6-3 310 Hawaii 12. Xavier Ho'olulu OL Kailua 6-4 290 Hawaii, Ore., San Diego St., Utah 13. George Perry DB Kahuku 5-11 165 Commited to HAWAII on Jan. 8 14. Bobby George QB St. Louis 6-0 185 Hawaii, Utah, Wash. 15. Frank Fernandez OL St. Louis 6-2 275 Stanford 16. Joseph Napeahi OL Kahuku 6-3 320 Hawaii 17. Taase Jennings OL McKinley 6-3 345 San Francisco CC 18. Tu Tui DB Kahuku 6-1 195 Hawaii, Wash. 19. David Alisa LB Kahuku 6-1 230 Hawaii 20. Blake Wong DB Iolani 6-1 190 Nevada, Utah
Other prospects from Hawaii
Player Pos. School Ht. Wt. Colleges Ikaika Asinsin RB Nanakuli 6-1 245 Dixie, Nevada Aliikea Basham WR Campbell 6-2 180 Eastern Washington, Hawaii, Menlo Shane Butcher WR St. Louis 5-10 165 Menlo (baseball and football) Matt Culver DB Punahou 6-2 190 McShane Dator QB Pac-Five 6-2 205 New Mexico, Northwestern Stan Fisher DB Punahou 6-3 185 Vili Fonokalafi DE Kailua 6-1 240 Dixie Nailon Frank DE Roosevelt 6-5 226 Oregon State* Kala Ka'aihue LB Iolani 6-1 228 Hawaii (baseball and football) Reyn Kaupiko OL Kamehameha 6-0 265 Air Force, Navy, Nevada Mapa Malupo RB Campbell 6-1 210 Menlo, Utah Brandyn McCall DE Pac-Five 6-5 202 Karl Noa DE Kamehameha 6-3 215 Hawaii Chris Perreira DL St. Louis 6-2 270 Hawaii, USC Caleb Spencer QB Kamehameha 6-1 170 Daniel Tautofi LB Kaimuki 6-2 230 Hawaii, Ore. Josh Vierra WR Kamehameha 5-10 160 Matai Ware OL Aiea 6-3 270 Levi Wyman OL Aiea 6-1 240 Mainland and Samoa players recruited by UH
Player Pos. Town Ht. Wt. Colleges Ray Bass CB Corona, Calif. 5-11 165 Arizona (Jan. 10), Cal (Dec. 20), Colo. St. (Dec. 13) Hawaii* (Jan. 31), Kansas (Jan. 24) Jesus Gamboa LB Harbor City, Calif. 6-0 225 Colo. St., Hawaii, Fresno St., Wash., San Diego St., Ore. Maikolo (Mike) Liti RB Santa Ana, Calif. 5-11 205 Hawaii* (Jan. 10), Colo. St.*, UCLA, USC Armani Purcell LB Pago Pago, N/A N/A Hawaii, Am. Samoa Desmond Reed CB Temple City, 5-9 175 USC, Colo. St., Hawaii, Notre Dame, Wash., Calif. Jack Rolovich QB Novato, Calif. 6-3 195 Commited to HAWAII on Jan. 11 Joe Sample P/K Garnett, Kan. 6-0 210 Colo. St., Hawaii, Kan., Kan. St., Okla., Devin Stearns WR Gardena, Calif. 6-2 175 Ariz.*, Ariz. St.*, Colo*., Hawaii, UCLA* Eric Stewart DL Santa Cruz, Calif. 6-3 225 Ariz., Hawaii, Mich. St., USC, Wash. Willie Tagoai DB Palomar JC 6-3 206 Hawaii Drew Tate QB Baytown, Texas 5-11 170 Hawaii, Houston (Jan. 10), Iowa Taylor Tharp QB Denver 6-2 185 Boise State, Hawaii* (Jan. 10) Mike Tinoisamoa LB Palomar JC 6-0 220 Hawaii B.J. Vickers WR Venice, Calif. 6-3 215 Hawaii (Jan. 31), Louisville * (Jan. 17), Miss. St. (Jan. 10), Ore.* (Oct. 18), Tenn.* (Jan. 24)
