STAR-BULLETIN / OCTOBER 2005 Junior Keao Monteilh, shown making a flying tackle on Boise State's Drisan James in a WAC game, was named a starter at free safety by defensive coordinator Greg McMackin yesterday.

Coaches beware!

Jones and McMackin get in on the action during football drills

Mike Washington took in the punt and made a move, leaving just one man in his path.

June Jones.

Too late for Washington to stop or change direction -- he ran into his head coach. Jones was able to keep his feet and didn't get hurt.

"I got the best of that one, I think," the Hawaii coach said with a chuckle after practice yesterday. "He only weighs 120, 150."

Soon after Jones' unintended contact, it was Greg McMackin's turn. He was sent sprawling to the ground by a couple of entangled linemen.

"He's doubtful for today, probable for tomorrow," Markus Owens of the media relations department cracked. "You know I can't tell you about injuries."

The defensive coordinator was OK, despite the yells of "Trainer!" Then the rest of the UH staff had some fun replaying the tape of McMackin's misadventure yesterday afternoon.

"I got up quick, didn't you see? It took two or three of them to get me," McMackin said. "I just got too close and our guys are playing fast."

Maybe not as fast as Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp when he coached them at Miami. But they never bowled him over.

"I don't like to compare to the past, but this defense has really good depth and the guys are having fun playing," McMackin said.

"They're doing what they're asked of, playing responsibly and sound. They're playing smart and fast."

With little more than a week remaining before the season opener, McMackin completed his starting lineup yesterday, naming junior Keao Monteilh at free safety and Fale Laeli at tackle.

McMackin sets UH’s starting defense

The Hawaii football coaches needed just one more answer about Keao Monteilh.

Could he dish out a hit?

"They should've just asked me," Monteilh said with a smile yesterday after practice. "I would've told them."

No, they had to see it. And they did. Five plays into Saturday's scrimmage at Aloha Stadium, there were no more questions.

"He made the first four tackles," defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said.

"He has no weaknesses," secondary coach Rich Miano said.

Two of the tackles weren't just your run-of-the-mill stops. They were sticks, and they helped Monteilh secure the starting job at free safety.

That -- along with Fale Laeli moving ahead of Keala Watson at left tackle -- completes the starting 11 for the 23rd-ranked Warriors' defense with the season opener nine days from today. Alterations are possible (especially if the three gimpy starting linebackers don't continue to heal up), but not likely.

"We're pretty well set -- I didn't really think of it, but we are," McMackin said. "We're still rolling three teams. We think our second unit is pretty strong too, and some of those guys on that third unit we respect a lot, too."

Especially if the Aloha Stadium game against Northern Colorado is the blowout expected (UH has been mentioned as a 53-point favorite), it'll be AYSO time -- everybody plays -- on both sides of the ball.

Monteilh's chief competition, fellow junior Desmond Thomas, will still play a lot throughout the season, even in close games. The rangy playmaker will start in both the nickel and dime packages when UH uses extra defensive backs. McMackin said Ryan Mouton (who intercepted Colt Brennan in practice yesterday) will be the sixth DB in the dime scheme.

"Nothing's etched in stone. Desmond's a great player and we've got several other good safeties," Monteilh said.

Thomas missed Saturday's scrimmage with a sore quad muscle and returned to practice yesterday.

"It's not a winner-loser thing," he said. "I'm still starting in two of the three packages."

Monteilh arrived at UH from Saint Louis School three years ago as a 160-pound cornerback. He's 5-foot-11 and 190 now and playing the position Miano says he was born for.

"His understanding of the defense is unprecedented," Miano said. "He has a knack. He understands football. He has good skills and a feel for the game. We thought he could tackle, but he was out all year (as a redshirt last season)."

Up front, Monteilh's high school teammate, Laeli, has moved up the depth chart in recent practices and is now the starter next to right tackle Mike Lafaele. But Laeli was held out of some drills yesterday with an injury.

"I think Jeff (defensive line coach Reinebold) is just keeping him out as a precaution," McMackin said.

Charleston Southern picked fourth in league

This is the fourth in a series on UH opponents.

Look closely enough anywhere and you'll find a Hawaii connection, even on the Charleston Southern football team.

Before Jay Mills took over at the Buccaneers' helm four years ago, he coached quarterbacks and ran the offense at Harvard.

His star pupil? None other than former Pac-Five standout Neil Rose. With Mills' help, Rose set school records for passing yards and total yards.

Success didn't come right away at Charleston Southern, with the I-AA Bucs going 1-11 in 2003, Mills' first season.

But they won their first nine games last year on the way to the best mark in school history, 9-2.

In between came a Big South championship and coach of the year honors in 2005.

Heavy losses to graduation leave the Bucs a pick to finish fourth in the five-team league.

There are a few notable returnees, including senior running back Kenny Harper (5-foot-10, 218). He gained 417 yards on 100 carries with five touchdowns and had 26 receptions for 205 yards.

Senior linebacker Jada Ross (5-11, 220) was All-Big South, and he is joined by senior kicker Nick Ellis and four other Bucs on the preseason all-conference team.

Defensive end Dennis Justiniani (6-2, 225) led the league with 15 tackles-for-loss, including six sacks. He came to Charleston Southern from Iraq, where he was serving with the U.S. Marines.

Free safety C.J. Hirschman (6-0, 185) averaged 13.58 yards per punt return and intercepted three passes last fall. Cornerback Okeba Rollinson (6-0, 170) and center Rick Howell (6-2, 306) are also expected to be top performers.

Mills has to find a replacement for quarterback Collin Drafts, the cornerstone of the team for three years.

Eli Byrd saw limited action as a freshman last fall in three games. Junior Sydney Bryant was also No. 2 to Drafts -- in 2005, when he played in seven games. Two true freshmen, Percy Freeman and Gabe Gilmour, probably won't be ready to roll this season.

Charleston Southern Buccaneers

2006 results (9-2)

2007 schedule