Manners takes over
as starting safety

A starting linebacker vs. Rice,
the junior now teams with Peters
in the secondary

Now that he's gotten used to running backward, Lono Manners has steadily moved forward on the Hawaii football team's depth chart.

Manners, a standout running back at Waianae High School, is now a starting safety in the Warriors' secondary. He worked with the first unit during yesterday's practice and is slated to team with Leonard Peters in the defensive backfield for next week's Western Athletic Conference game against Tulsa.

"I'm just glad I got a chance to step in with the first team and hopefully I can hold the spot," Manners said.

Manners was plugged into the lineup as a linebacker last week to give the Warriors more speed at the line of scrimmage against Rice's option offense. He responded with a career-high 10 total tackles, eight solo, in UH's 41-29 loss to the Owls.

He's back in the secondary this week and is looking forward to his shot at playing safety.

"Just like most of the players, he's done some good things and some things that haven't been so good," UH defensive backs coach Rich Miano said. "But I think he's getting more consistent. For him it's a matter of game repetitions. I like his toughness, his speed, he's competitive and he's a good kid."

Manners steps in for Lamar Broadway, who started the first two games at safety. Broadway is second on the team in tackles with 15, but has had his rough moments in the first two games.

"He's struggled a little bit," Miano said of Broadway. "We still believe in him. But at this level of football you want to try to play who's playing the best.

"At that position there's four or five guys who were pretty similar talent level. It's not fair to not give them all the same type of chance and see who, when the lights go on, responds the best."

How Manners would respond under the lights was a question mark entering the season. He played on special teams the previous two years and admitted to a bit of butterflies when he took the field on defense in the opener against Florida Atlantic.

But his level of confidence has increased proportionally to the amount of playing time he's seen.

"I was kind of nervous because it was actually my first time getting into the game," Manners said of the FAU game. "The Rice game I felt comfortable the second half, same thing, I had my jitters (in the first half). Hopefully this time I can be confident enough and not start off slow."

Said Miano: "He got to see some things at game speed and he seems to be more comfortable all the time."

As a running back in high school, Manners was focused strictly on heading upfield for the Seariders. So getting into a backpedal at the snap was a foreign concept when he was converted to defense upon joining the program as a walk-on in 2001.

Three years later, the junior now feels like he's headed in the right direction.

"It was a big adjustment from running forward to now backing up and working on my break," he said. "It's a big difference --that's why it took me two years to get safety now.

"It's just doing the same thing over and over, learning my plays and doing the best I can do."

Curnan optimistic: After an all-around frustrating night against Rice, linebacker Ikaika Curnan is planning to be on the field for next week's home game with Tulsa. Curnan injured his left elbow in the second quarter of Saturday's loss and hasn't practiced this week.

"I have a little tear in one of my ligaments, but it's going to be all right. Every day it's getting better," he said yesterday.

"The bye is good, a chance to heal and try to get a win (next week)."

After hyperextending his elbow, Curnan, the team's leading tackler last year, had it taped up and returned to action later in the contest. But he said the injury limited his effectiveness.

"I was playing pretty much with just one arm," he said. "I wasn't really helping the team, so I couldn't really play.

"It happened early in the game. It was the second quarter and I was just getting into the groove of the (Rice) offense and I got hurt."

Poumele day to day: Slotback Se'e Poumele has suited up for practices this week, but his work load has been limited by a hamstring injury.

Poumele suffered a stretched nerve in his leg against FAU and is practicing as much as the leg will allow him. He made the trip to Rice last week, but aggravated the injury during practice and did not play in the game.

"It felt a little sore. The muscle's feeling tight, but it's pretty much the nerve that's bothering me. I'm getting sharp pains," Poumele said. "I just go in there and do what I can do and rest it."

Scouts honor: The Warrior scout teams get their opportunity to go full-speed tomorrow in the annual scout bowl.

The scrimmage between the offensive and defensive scouts will be held as part of the Warriors' workout that begins at 7 a.m. With the first-stringers cheering on the scouts, UH head coach June Jones said the game serves to unite the squad.

"I always feel like it does and it gives the other guys a chance to get in there and mix it up," he said.

The team will take the weekend off and return to practice Monday.

Jenkins out: Reserve defensive back Patrick Jenkins is currently not eligible to participate with the Warriors, according to UH media relations director Lois Manin.

Privacy laws prohibit school officials from commenting on specifics of the matter, but Manin said it's possible Jenkins could return later this season. The senior from Orlando, Fla., has seen limited action in his UH career and was expected to compete for playing time this season.