SI.com honors
Owens twice

UH’s playmaker is
named to second team
at WR and PR

He walked on as a no-name. He's walking off as one of the best in the nation.

Hawaii senior Chad Owens, a Roosevelt High School graduate, was named to SI.com's (Sports Illustrated magazine's Web site) All-America second team at receiver and punt returner yesterday.

"I was kind of surprised," Owens said. "But it was a goal of mine, I guess it's everyone's goal. It's great for our program and the state. I want to thank all the players who made it possible."

Utah offensive lineman Chris Kemoe'atu, a Kahuku graduate, was named to the first team. Tennessee defensive lineman Jesse Mahelona was selected as an honorable mention. (See Hawaii Grown Report on page B2 for details.)

"He deserves it," UH receivers coach Ron Lee said. "What a career, unbelievable. A little guy (5-foot-7, 173 pounds) walks on, just trying to play some more football. He took a chance, and here he is today, one of the top receivers in the nation."

Owens has 19 touchdowns this season, 15 as a receiver (tied for first in the country with Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield) and four as a punt returner.

Only three other players have more total touchdowns in Division I-A football this year.

Owens has tied the school single-season touchdown record held by Jamal Farmer (1989) and Ashley Lelie (2001). He could break the mark in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24 against Alabama-Birmingham.

Owens caught 13 passes for 283 yards and four scores last week in a 41-38 win over Michigan State. The previous week, he tied the school single-game record with five TDs (four receiving, one punt return) in UH's 49-41 victory over Northwestern.