[ UH FOOTBALL ]

Warriors throw
experience at
special teams

Hawaii's newest graduate
assistant has coached since 1981

At 47, Jeff Reinebold is quite a bit older than your typical college football graduate assistant.

But June Jones believes Reinebold will jump into the position at Hawaii with all the fervor of a budding young coach.

"We've been talking four or five years," Jones, the UH head coach said. "He's been wanting to work here for a long time."

Reinebold's extensive résumé includes college, CFL and NFL Europe stops since 1981. The Indiana graduate was head coach at Winnipeg before a five-year stint in Europe from 1999 to 2004. Reinebold has also been an assistant at Louisiana Tech, Jones said.

Reinebold joins former UH special teams standout Keith Bhonapha as a graduate assistant.

One of Reinebold's strengths is also special teams, a facet of the game the UH coaching staff is re-tooling now in preparation for fall camp, which begins Aug. 4.

Mouse Davis will coordinate special teams again this year, Jones said yesterday. But he will have lots of help from the other assistants, including new defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville.

The kicking game will have a different look without return man Chad Owens and place-kicker Justin Ayat, both record-setters. The Warriors also graduated Chad Kapanui, a standout on nearly every UH special team.

Owens, drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, won't be around anymore as a threat to return every opposing punt for a touchdown (he took five punts back for TDs last fall). So the Warriors coaches are working on other momentum-swaying tactics, like kick-blocking.

The Warriors hope to approach and break the school record of eight blocks set in 1980 and tied in 1982 (both 11-game schedules). Hawaii blocked five kicks last year.

Two were by Melila Purcell, and Ikaika Alama-Francis, Tony Akpan and Abraham Elimimian knocked down one each; all except Elimimian are back this year.

Davis said the Warriors have some other candidates to go after opposing kicks.

"C.J. Allen Jones showed a little, so has Bradley Kalilimoku, and I think we've got some other guys. Tyson Kafentzis is another. All showed an ability that you flat turn them loose around a corner or go through a wall and block it.

"Chad was a great return guy," Davis said. "You don't necessarily teach someone like that, you put them in a position to let them use their skill. It's the same with guys blocking punts and field goals. You figure a way to get them involved."

Walk-ons Daniel Kelly and Jeremy Shibata will try to replace Ayat. Junior Nolan Miranda is not expected to return to the team this season.

At long snapper, linebacker T.J. Moe is back for his senior season. He will be challenged by junior cornerback Kenny Patton.

"T.J. has all the experience and snapped great in the spring," Davis said. "But Kenny would give us another cover guy. Hopefully he will give us another option."

Jones said sophomore Jason Ferguson has the inside track as the primary return man. Incoming freshman Michael Washington will also get a long look.

But it won't matter who is standing 40 yards downfield waiting for a punt if the Warriors block it.

It's a philosophy that might fit UH's personnel -- and coaches, including the risk-taking Glanville.

"You think?" Davis said with a laugh. "I would think yeah, we're not just going to be a return team, we'll be a block and return team.

"We have the plan of mixing it up." Davis added. "Then again we could be mixed up."