Warriors start
practice tomorrowHawaii is loaded with depth
at nearly every position as
fall football camp begins
Fall camp for Hawaii football starts tomorrow with practice from 4 to 6 p.m. at UH's grass practice field.
Here is a position-by-position look at the Warriors:
QUARTERBACKS
On the roster: Kainoa Akina, Tim Chang, Jeff Rhode, Jack Rolovich, Ryan Stickler, Jason Whieldon.His job to lose: Chang (6-foot-2, 205-pound junior) is being pushed for Heisman Trophy consideration. Whieldon (6-1, 187, Sr.) won the No. 2 job last spring.
Burning questions: Can Chang stay healthy behind a young offensive line? Can he cut back on his 22 interceptions of last season and still pass for 25 touchdowns?
RUNNING BACKS
On the roster: Mike Bass, Michael Brewster, Pesefea Fiaseu, John West.His job to lose: Bass (5-6, 158, Jr.) is a favorite of head coach June Jones, and has shown explosiveness when healthy. Brewster (5-6, 176, Jr.), Fiaseu (5-10, 250, So.) and West (5-10, 180, Sr.) will all likely see considerable action at various times this fall.
Burning questions: Can the smaller backs effectively pick up blitzing defenders in the run-and-shoot? Who replaces Thero Mitchell as the short-yardage back?
RECEIVERS
On the roster: Mike Akiu, Lenny Boatner, Jeremiah Cockheran, Ross Dickerson, Denny Flanagan, Kanale George, Clifton Herbert, Nate Ilaoa, Daniel Inferrera, Britton Komine, Michael Miyashiro, Chad Owens, Se'e Poumele, Jason Rivers, Marcus Weems, Gerald Welch, Orlando Wong.Their jobs to lose: Left wideout Komine (5-9, 184, Jr.), left slot Owens (5-9, 177, Jr.), right slot Ilaoa (5-9, 204, So.), and right wideout Cockheran (6-0, 193, Sr.) combined for 200 catches, 2,699 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall. Herbert (5-8, 157, Sr.) has experience, too.
Burning questions: Can Rivers (6-2, 193, Fr.), one of the best receiving prospects in state history, develop quickly enough to play this year? If so, who comes out?
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
On the roster: Lyle Castro, Brandon Eaton, Jonathan Ekno, Tala Esera, Derek Faavi, Dejuan Gatling, Xavier Hoolulu, Jeremy Inferrera, Chad Kahale, Shayne Kajioka, Marques Kaonohi, Phil Kauffman, Kahai LaCount, Michael Lafaele, Uriah Moenoa, Ryan Santos, Hercules Satele, Samson Satele, Larry Sauafea, Dane Uperesa.Their jobs to lose: Left tackle Samson Satele (6-2, 289, Fr.), left guard Kajioka (6-3, 308, Sr.), center Faavi (6-0, 266, So.), right guard Moenoa (6-3, 327, Jr.), and right tackle Uperesa (6-4, 305, Fr.) comprise the least experienced group of starters in Jones' and offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh's five-year tenure.
Burning questions: Will the freshman tackle tandem grow up fast enough? Who will emerge as a leader?
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
On the roster: Keali'i Aguiar, Nkeruwem Akpan, Houston Ala, Ikaika Alama-Francis, Lui Fuga, Kevin Jackson, Kila Kamakawiwo'ole, Travis LaBoy, Abu Ma'afala, Mel Purcell, Lance Samuseva, Isaac Sopoaga, Elijuawon Thompson.Their jobs to lose: Left end Ala (6-1, 250, Sr.), left tackle Sopoaga (6-3, 315, Sr.), right tackle Samuseva (5-11, 290, Sr.), and right end Purcell (6-5, 227, So.) top the latest depth chart. But the oft-injured LaBoy (6-4, 249, Sr.) is the most talented pass rusher (2002 team-highs of 17 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks) on quite possibly the program's best D-line ever; the coaches are sending him a message by listing him behind Purcell.
Burning questions: Will the Warriors go with a five-man front to get more of these studs on the field, or stick with a rotation to keep everyone fresh? How will basketball transplants Akpan (6-8, 250, So.) and Alama-Francis (6-7, 230, Fr.) react to being hit?
LINEBACKERS
On the roster: Keani Alapa, Ikaika Blackburn, Tyrone Brown, Ikaika Curnan, Patrick Harley, Chad Kapanui, Watson Ho'ohuli, Chad Kalilimoku, Anipati Mailo, Lincoln Manutai, Tanuvasa Moe, Kilinahe Noa, Timo Paepule, Daniel Tautofi.Their jobs to lose: Strong side Alapa (6-0, 221, Sr.), middle Kalilimoku (5-11, 243, Sr.) and weak side Curnan (5-11, 210, So.) replace three departing starters who combined for 272 tackles in 2002.
Burning questions: Will Alapa be as good against the run as he has been against the pass? Will Kalilimoku be as good against the pass as he has been against the run?
DEFENSIVE BACKS
On the roster: Ray Bass, Lamar Broadway, Abraham Elimimian, Brown Faavae, David Gilmore, Omega Hogan, Cameron Hollingsworth, Patrick Jenkins, Lono Manners, Matt Manuma, A.J. Martinez, Kelvin Millhouse, Kilinahe Noa, Kenny Patton, Hyrum Peters, Leonard Peters, Ernest Powell, Gary Wright.Their jobs to lose: Left corner Elimimian (5-10, 173, Jr.), strong safety Hyrum Peters (5-8, 188, Sr.) and right corner Millhouse (6-1, 205, Sr.) are all but entrenched, and Leonard Peters (6-1, 174, So.) and Gilmore (6-0, 197, Sr.) will likely split time at strong safety depending on the situation. Patton (6-0, 170, So.) and Wright (5-10, 201, Sr.) get the first shot at nickel and dime duty.
Burning questions: Will the Warriors play as much man-to-man coverage in their "new-old" (1999 vintage) defensive theme as they did last year? Can Hyrum and Leonard Peters and Elimimian avoid the injuries that cut into their playing time last year?
KICKERS
On the roster: Justin Ayat, Kurt Milne, Nolan Miranda, Tim Wright.Their jobs to lose: Milne (5-11, 199, Fr.) goes into camp ahead of Wright (6-3, 215, So.) at punter strictly due to having been here last year; it could be the most spirited battle for a starting spot in camp. Place-kicker Ayat (5-11, 205, Jr.) figures to bounce back after a so-so season.
Burning questions: Will not having Mat McBriar (44.8 yards per punt) around to blast the Warriors out of trouble change the third-down play calling? Can Ayat improve on his 1-for-7 on field goals of 40-or-more yards in 2002?
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