Freshman might
inspire kick units
Brad Kalilimoku’s play has been
a bright spot on otherwise slumping
UH special teams
One guy can't turn around the Hawaii kicking game by himself, but Warriors coaches hope freshman Brad Kalilimoku can at least inspire his teammates.
SJSU AT UHWhen: Saturday, 6:05 p.m.Where: Aloha Stadium TV: KFVE (Ch. 5), delay at 10 p.m. Also available live on pay-per-view. Radio: Live, KKEA, 1420-AM
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"He's made so many plays on special teams, we have to give him a chance. That's what you want to do, reward those guys," coach June Jones said.
Unfortunately, Kalilimoku's level of consistency and competency is a rarity for the Warriors special teams this fall. As UH (2-3, 2-2) goes into its Western Athletic Conference game against San Jose State (2-3, 1-1) on Saturday the Hawaii kicking game needs another kick start.
That seemed to happen in the Warriors' victories over Tulsa and Nevada, as Chad Owens returned a punt for a touchdown in both games, and Justin Ayat tied the school record with a 56-yard field goal against the Golden Hurricane.
But those events seem like ancient history after numerous special teams breakdowns in Saturday's 51-20 loss at Texas-El Paso. Ayat missed a 29-yard field goal and had a point-after kick blocked. Owens dropped two punts. And Chad Kapanui and Kilinahe Noa failed to hook up on two fourth-down passes from punt formation.
Those are just the more obvious failures. The most telling evidence of a problem on special teams is that Hawaii trails its opponents in every kicking game statistic listed in this week's UH football news release: kick-return yardage, punt-return yardage, punting, field-goal percentage and point-after-touchdown percentage.
Special teams coordinator Mouse Davis pointed out that the Warriors have blocked two kicks this season (Tony Akpan and Abraham Elimimian). But they've also had two blocked.
Davis did a quick, team-by-team critical analysis yesterday:
"The kids are getting steadily better on punt return. We've had a lot of changes on the punt team, and we've got to work through that. On kickoff cover, we have a strong leg (Ayat), and we kick it out often, that's the best coverage you can get. Extra-point and field-goal has been embarrassing at times. We should never get one blocked in the A gap (between center and guard), which we did. We were a little wide in our initial alignment."
Several players and coaches said the Warriors have had problems on special teams because of lots of personnel changes due to injuries and other reasons.
Jones talked about using more starters to bolster special teams.
"But we're so injured we can't. In fact, I'm pulling some of them off," he said. "(The young players) have to do a better job on their assignments. They're getting chances, they need to do better.
Ayat said once the Warriors get through this learning period, they'll be OK.
"As the years went by we lost some veteran guys," the senior kicker said. "We've thrown in new freshmen, getting them used to it. The coaches and veterans have been patient. They're getting it, it's not completely their fault. As a unit, we're not performing the way we should be. I'm sure it will turn around. ... We've had flashes of greatness here and there. I don't know if we've been lazy in technique. Players just have to build up some consistency rather than taking some plays on and off."
Ayat said he "hit it good" when he missed the 29-yard field goal, but "it just drifted off to the right."
Overall inexperience is a factor on special teams, Kapanui said.
"We had some good veterans. I don't know if these young guys really know this yet, but it's a privilege to be playing on special teams," said Kapanui, a starting linebacker who is on every special team. "You get to go in one play and do your best. Overall, they're getting better, competing against each other," he said. "But some people (make) choke mistakes so they take them out, next week it's someone else."
Kapanui said Kalilimoku and Chris Cole, another freshman, are doing a good job. Also, Davis complimented the play of gunner Omega Hogan.
Davis, who was hired a week before the start of preseason camp, has plenty of experience coaching special teams -- even though he didn't coach the punting game for much of his career because it was in arena football, where there is no punting.
"I sat down and talked to a couple of NFL special teams coaches before the season," he said. "But it might have been a waste of time, because we just do what we do. We just have to get better at it. It's not reinventing the wheel. We just have to execute better."
Like Kalilimoku. He's parlayed his efficient play into a promotion. Linebackers coach Cal Lee said he doesn't expect him to play on defense this week, but he will likely in the future.
"He does some natural things we saw on kickoff. He has a great burst to the ball-carrier, and I think Coach Jones saw that, and he'll be a player down the road," Lee said.
Kalilimoku, the brother of former UH middle linebacker Chad Kalilimoku, played inside 'backer at Roosevelt High School.
"They've got me at WILL (weakside). It's kind of different for me, but I guess it's a good fit," he said.
So is covering kicks, Davis said.
"He's got great flow to the ball and he's got want-to," Davis said. "We try to get him to the spot where he can get loose and make plays. Eventually, they're going to start having two or three blockers on him. But he's very dedicated, and we've expanded his overall role."
Jones said he needs more like him.
"It is consistency. We've been rotating a lot of people in there, so that hurts your consistency when you don't have the same guys," he said.
Chang a finalist: Tim Chang is among nine quarterbacks selected as finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which goes each year to the nation's top senior quarterback.
The other finalists are Jason Campbell (Auburn), Charlie Frye (Akron), David Greene (Georgia), Stefan LeFors (Louisville), Dan Orlovsky (Connecticut), Kyle Orton (Purdue), Andrew Walter (Arizona State) and Jason White (Oklahoma).
Injury report: Chang did not practice again, but the word is still he will likely play Saturday.
"I think he's probable. I believe he'll play," Jones said.
Chang declined to talk to reporters.
Jones said the cornerback situation is still iffy, as starters Kenny Patton and Abraham Elimimian are still dealing with strained hamstrings.
"Kenny did not practice. Abraham and those guys were running a little bit today. We'll see how they are game-time," the coach said.
Hogan and Ray Bass were among those getting a good share of reps yesterday at practice.
