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Sidelines Kalani Simpson |
Warriors’ spring game
was just what Hawaii fans
neededNEXT year is going to be a lot more fun.
You can already feel it. Hawaii needed to do this, needed to have a spring game again. Needed to sign the autographs, and get the families back. Needed to get people out to the stadium, with the fight song playing and the ball in the air.
Needed to clear the slate.
Needed to get a fresh start with the public for a team that might be another good one.
Needed to show that its team motto is not "Wot! Bodda you?"
Not this year.
And the people came. They were hungry for something like this. They were ready to feel good again about UH football. They wanted to, needed to. And did.
(And don't the boys look good in green and white and kalakoa stripes?)
I can't confirm it, but the PA guy announced that even UH prez Evan Dobelle was giving in to autograph requests. Is this a town overexcited for football season or what?
(The guy sitting in the row in front of me in the stands cheered for the defense on every play.)
Having a spring game was good for an untold number of season-ticket renewals.
It was good for the entire state.
I like Jack Rolovich, after last night. He can shake people. He can think on his feet. He can stand in there. He can complete a pass while getting smacked in the face.
You have to like Kainoa Akina, and I do. He's a vet, he thinks on his feet. He can run. He can throw on the run. Nothing will shake him.
Unflappable. He could get out of bed and throw a touchdown pass.
He had a nice touchdown strike to Sean Stennis.
He's the kind of guy you want at No. 2.
But my goodness, Rolovich looks like the real deal. Even when he throws it up for grabs, he's throwing it to you.
But he's young.
This is definitely going to be interesting.
Receivers. It looks like I was right about Patrick Olchovy -- he did make one play that made everybody wonder who he was. He was in a lot and before a couple of people who actually have scholarships.
It looks like Jason Ferguson tweaked his ankle (but he was amazing making his cuts in warmups, he may yet be as fast as advertised). It looks like Denny Flanagan isn't back yet, not even close.
Jason Rivers is a new man this spring. And the old one wasn't bad, either.
What do you do when guys are getting upfield? You trap them. And Chad Kahale had a good one.
And speaking of getting upfield, I'm not driving his bandwagon yet, but Tony Akpan doesn't look bad. There are a lot of prospects at defensive end. The question is how and when and if they develop.
Prospects everywhere.
UH has the WAC's best talent pool.
After that statement, I was about to write that every team looks great in its spring game, but that's not true. Many don't.
That's another thing for last night's crowd to feel good about, heading into summer. That's what spring games are for. For making you feel good about your team again. They are the fuel of summer dreams.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com