UH corner store has the goods

When a newcomer threatens the jobs of one or more incumbent workers, logic follows that said newcomer will be met with hostility and resentment.

Incumbent Hawaii cornerback Myron Newberry instead welcomed junior college transfer Ryan Mouton of Blinn (Texas) Junior College with open arms.

"I hosted Ryan and Erik (Robinson, who plays safety) when they came in," Newberry said. "They told me they were pumped to just go up and meet early (before fall camp). It was pretty tight."

It helped that much of the UH secondary has common roots in the Texas junior college ranks -- Newberry and his fellow starting corner Gerard Lewis are former opponents at Trinity Valley and Tyler junior colleges -- and are now roommates.

The warm welcome for Mouton was no indication that Newberry and Lewis, both 5-foot-9, were complacent in defense of their roles from last year. They had to earn the right to remain where they were, and secondary coach Rich Miano believes they did just that.

Both will start Saturday in the season-opening game against Northern Colorado.

For Newberry, it was a matter of getting comfortable in the system and increasing his ball awareness. Lewis needed to work on his technique. Miano rated them good, but not great, before they both hit the weight room hard over the summer, and worked on basics such as footwork.

"They have that small man's complex," he said. "They're very competitive, they want to succeed, they want to excel, be good football players and help us. I thought they raised their level before (Mouton's arrival) because they know he, and other guys, were coming in."

Holdover corners A.J. Martinez (injury), C.J. Hawthorne (switched to receiver) and Ryan Keomaka (awaiting academic clearance) are not factors, but returnee JoPierre Davis and junior college transfer Calvin Roberts, in addition to Mouton, had to be fended off.

Mouton -- after a snafu involving paperwork clearance -- has impressed leading up to Saturday's game. Miano said yesterday he expects Mouton to be competitive as a third wheel with as much playing time as Newberry and Lewis in that game.

But the 5-foot-10, 182-pound newcomer's performance hasn't unseated either of the returning starters so far. Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin arrived this year with an open mind, not having seen much of any contender at the position.

"I feel very strongly about both of them. We've given them a lot of fundamental time to the positions, so they have really improved themselves as defensive corners," McMackin said.

Both Lewis and Newberry brushed off any worry about increased pressure to perform.

"Somebody goes down, the next person, they will do the job," Lewis said. "Only thing I was thinking was, do your job, and everything else pays off."

Newberry doesn't dwell on it. He lets his talking take place on the football field.

"I just try not to think about it," Newberry said. "Other people coming behind me, I just play my game, and let it go from there. Me and Gerard had a lot of experience. We just keep getting better every day. We worked hard in the offseason, kept working, and when you keep working, it adds up."

And for the record, the roommates went 2-2 in head-to-head JC games, Newberry added.