COURTESY OF BYU BYU safety Aaron Francisco, a former Kahuku standout, will play in today's East-West Shrine Game in San Francisco.

Former Kahuku teammates
hoping to shine at Shrine

SAN FRANCISCO >> With NFL coaches and front-office personnel such as Steve Mariucci, Norv Turner and Matt Millen watching his every move, former Brigham Young safety Aaron Francisco executed his pass coverage perfectly and then took a deep sigh following the play.

It was only a one-on-one drill during practice for today's East-West Shrine Game at SBC Park in San Francisco, but those very elite eyes leave the players feeling like they are performing in the national championship game.

"It is difficult with so many scouts on the sideline," said Francisco, who helped lead Kahuku to the 2000 Hawaii High School Athletic Association state championship before embarking on a career with the Cougars. "There is so much pressure. They are watching everything, and that always is in the back of your mind.

"It's a lot different than in the game. In the game, you just play. Here, you know the scouts are looking at everything, looking at your technique. And there are so many other good athletes out there. But it's fun."

Francisco probably is having a bit more fun than his former high school teammate, offensive guard Chris Kemoe'atu, the University of Utah star who was slowed a bit early in the week due to a turned ankle.

"I hurt it in our last game (the Fiesta Bowl) in the second quarter," said Kemoe'atu, who is trying to make a successful transition to the NFL like his brother, Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Ma'ake. "The same exact thing happened to me here on Monday. Somebody stepped on it. I just have to play through it."

Early in the week, Kemoe'atu wasn't sure if he would be able to practice, but he had the ankle taped up and he participated in the drills. He wasn't too concerned about performing when he wasn't 100 percent healthy.

"They've seen me on TV," he said of the scouts. "But it would be nice to let them see me perform here (at full strength)."

Although his ankle remained sore, Kemoe'atu was expected to play today and he still planned on playing in the Hula Bowl next Saturday at War Memorial Stadium on Maui.

"You always have something to prove," he said.

Like Kemoe'atu, Francisco will play in the Hula Bowl. Besides wanting to end his college career in front of his local fans, he wants to give pro scouts plenty of opportunity to size him up.

Neither Kemoe'atu nor Francisco have an idea where they might go in the NFL Draft. "You predict this, and you predict that, and next thing you know you are a free agent," Kemoe'atu said. "My plan is to play at the next level if I get lucky. If not, I will have to find another profession."

According to scouts at the Shrine Game practice sessions, both Kemoe'atu and Francisco should be drafted.

"Kemoe'atu is a big offensive lineman who is tough and aggressive," said Ed Lambert, who scouts the western states for the Denver Broncos.

"He is going to be a pretty good player.

"Francisco is aggressive, he can play man coverage and he always is around the ball."

Lambert was asked where he thought the two players might go in the NFL Draft.

"It's hard to make that decision right now," Lambert said. "You really don't know how anyone compares at this point. You have to get back to the office, then consider everyone else in the country to see where they stand."

Detroit tight ends coach Andy Sugarman noted that the all-star games are just the beginning of a long evaluating process that continues with individual workouts and the NFL scouting combine.

"We're just starting to meet these guys," Sugarman said. "We're getting our first real look at them."

And even with the eyes of the NFL upon them, both Kemoe'atu and Francisco realize there is another meaning to this particular all-star game, which benefits the Shriners' hospitals.

"We know this is for a good cause," Kemoe'atu said. "It's been nice this week."

Kemoe'atu arrived too late to participate in a trip to a Shriners' hospital in Sacramento on Sunday, but Francisco was able to make it.

"It really gave you a better understanding of this game," Francisco said. "It was interesting to see how (the hospital staff) could make the kids smile ... to see how they could make them happy ... make their life better.

"I spent an hour playing video games with the kids. It was great. It really made me appreciate how lucky I am to be a healthy athlete."

Francisco already had some appreciation for the Shriners' hospitals because his father, James Francisco, benefited from their service when he was an infant.

"I had two club feet," James Francisco said. "My mom's family worked on coffee land, kind of like sharecroppers. We wouldn't have had the means to have that kind of treatment done. We couldn't have afforded it. But they operated on both my ankles.

"When Aaron was born, the first thing I did was to look to see if he had two good feet. I know my whole family is proud to have Aaron playing in this game."