Scouts get own
bowl day to shineUH's seldom-used players have
chance to practice full speed
Few people seemed to know the score of the Hawaii football team's Scout Bowl yesterday, but fewer seemed to care. All that mattered was the opportunity for the Warriors' scout teams to go full speed into each other for the only time this season.
Most of the year, the scout teams spend practices simulating the opposition for the starters and rarely get a chance to hit the first-string players. Which is why yesterday's practice was highlighted on the calendars of many scout teamers.
"On defense we've been looking for this all year, it's like the only time we can put pads on and actually tackle people," said linebacker Zach Lee-Ho, who had a fumble return for a touchdown in the scrimmage. "During the season we're always asked to back off and we can't really hit the quarterbacks or hit the running backs or hit the receivers. Today they let us loose and we can smash people and hit them as hard as we want to."
The defense got the best of the action for most of the offense vs. defense scrimmage. Basketball player turned defensive end Nkeruwem Akpan opened the game by sacking quarterback Jeffrey Rhode and forcing a fumble. Three plays later Akpan jarred the ball loose from Rhode again.
"For me coming out today to play is awesome, for me to prove to the coaches that all they've been teaching me I'm learning and it worked well for me today," Akpan said. "It's great fun getting sacks and making some tackles. I'm sure my coach will be impressed. He taught me well."
Quarterback Kainoa Akina provided most of the offense's highlights. He completed five of eight passes and broke away on a 23-yard run on his final play.
Running back Doug Wylie, who usually spends his mornings taking hits from the starting defense, said the trash talking between the scout team players started back in fall camp.
"Usually the scouts just go against the starters, so I think we're ready for something like this," Wylie said. "We don't really go full bore when we do that, so this is the one time when we get to go out there and knock some heads."
The only people having more fun than the scouts might have been the starters, who cheered on their teammates and celebrated big hits by running onto the field.
"It's good to see how the young guys bring the wood, how they play and just learn and for them to have fun," said starting safety Hyrum Peters. "It's great to see big hits and all that kind of stuff."
Peters called most of the defensive plays, while Jeremiah Cockheran and Tim Chang did their share of coaching on the offensive side. Jones watched from the safety of the video tower behind the end zone.
Another player who tried a different role yesterday was senior offensive lineman Shayne Kajioka. The senior was a starting guard earlier this season, but lined up at defensive tackle yesterday and wore Isaac Sopoaga's 97.
"I just wanted to go out and have some fun," Kajioka said. "I really don't have that much time to play in the game, so I just wanted to go out and do something unique and this is my last year so I wanted to see what it's like to play defense a little bit."
But the game was primarily a chance for players still paying their dues to go full-speed.
"We have some good players coming up ... and with all the hard work they put in, it's good to get to see them finally get a chance to play," safety David Gilmore said. "It's good to see that they get a chance to get out there and actually play football."
The Warriors will have the rest of the week off and resume practice on Monday in preparation for their final road game of the season, a critical Western Athletic Conference contest at Nevada on Nov. 15.
