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POSTED: Friday, December 05, 2008

So much has changed around Keao Monteilh since 2004.

                       

WARRIORS FOOTBALL No. 13 Cincinnati (10-2) at Hawaii (7-5), 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. TV: ESPN2; Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM

Yet when thinking back on his five years in the Hawaii football program, that freshman season doesn't feel all that distant.

“;It seems like yesterday playing with Timmy Chang and Chad Owens,”; Monteilh said. “;I used to watch them growing up and had a chance to play with them. It seems like a couple days ago.”;

Monteilh is among 14 members of Hawaii's 35 seniors who are closing out five-year Warrior careers with tomorrow's regular-season finale against No. 13 Cincinnati and the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve.

Since walking on with the Warriors, Monteilh has played four positions in the UH secondary. He's practiced against offenses led by Chang, Colt Brennan and three different starters this season. And, of course, there was this year's coaching change with Greg McMackin taking over for June Jones.

Still, the most profound changes have come off the field.

“;I'm more settled down. More focused, more mature,”; said Monteilh, who was married this summer and has two young sons.

Monteilh began his career as a cornerback, but earned a starting job at safety last season before suffering a shoulder injury that kept him out of the last five games of UH's Sugar Bowl run.

He returned to start 10 games this season and leads the Warriors with four interceptions while shifting among both safety spots and nickel back.

“;Another great story of a walk-on who got a scholarship and contributed greatly over his career,”; associate head coach and defensive backs coach Rich Miano said. “;Can't say enough about guys like that. That's what the fabric of University of Hawaii football is all about.”;

Just as Monteilh will be conspicuously absent from the practice field next season, so will his father.

William Monteilh has been a familiar figure at practices, spending most weekday mornings in the fall watching the youngest of his eight children work with the Warriors.

“;I'll miss the practices, but I'll still be a season-ticket holder,”; said William, who runs a limousine business and appeared in episodes of “;Hawaii 5-0”; in the 1970s.

“;I enjoyed it, watching him and a lot of the other kids who played with him at Saint Louis and watching them progress in their lives.”;

His father's presence has been a constant for Keao since his earliest days in football.

“;Even from Pop Warner he's been there every day,”; Keao said.

“;It's good because he's the first one cheering when I make a play, and he's the first one giving me that face like 'what happened?' when I mess up.”;

While William has tracked Keao's development as a player, he's also proud of his growth away from the game.

“;He's a good father with his kids and he's just grown up from a kid who wanted to go here or there or whatever,”; William said. “;But now he has responsibilities and he's accepted them.”;

When he's done playing, Monteilh envisions staying involved in football as a coach, joking with Miano that he'll be coming for his job in a few years.

“;I'd love to coach,”; said Monteilh, whose brother Anthony coaches receivers at Roosevelt. “;I'll take whatever opportunities come, but that's probably my passion, to coach one day. That's why I enjoy helping out at the speed camp, because I get a chance to coach.”;

Monteilh will have plenty of company among the defensive backs honored after tomorrow's game at Aloha Stadium. Nine are slated to participate in the senior night ceremony.

“;My mother-in-law makes leis for our seniors and usually it's two or three. This year it's nine,”; Miano said.

“;I'm going to miss this group. There have been players I've been extremely sad to see go. But as a collective group, this is has been the largest and probably one of the most productive because they're all players.”;

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Class of 2008

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

No.Name	Pos.	Joined
2		Ryan Mouton	DB	2007
3		Jameel Dowling	DB	2007
5		Mike Washington	WR	2005
6		Tyler Graunke	QB	2004
7		Erik Robinson	DB	2007
8		Jake Santos	QB	2007
8		Tyson Kafentzis	LB	2004
17		Solomon Elimimian	LB	2005
18 G	uyton Galdeira	DB	2005
23		Alonzo Chopp	RB	2005
23		Calvin Roberts	DB	2007
24		Desmond Thomas	DB	2004
26		Daniel Libre	RB	2005
27		Khevin Peoples	RB	2005
30		Dane Porlas	DB	2004
33		C.J. Allen-Jones	DE	2004
34		Ryan Perry	DB	2006
35		Keao Monteilh	DB	2004
44		Adam Leonard	LB	2005
47		Nathaniel Nasca	WR	2008
48		David Farmer	RB	2004
49		Tim Grasso	P	2007
51		Lafu Tuioti-Mariner	OL	2004
51		Francis Maka	DL	2007
57		Jake Ingram	LS	2005
62		Keith AhSoon	OL	2004
76		Nathan McKay	OL	2004
78		Keoni Steinhoff	OL	2004
81		Dylan Linkner	WR	2004
85		Aaron Bain	WR	2005
86		Dan Kelly	K	2005
93		Keala Watson	DL	2004
94		David Veikune	DL	2006
96		Fale Laeli	DL	2004
99		Josh Leonard	DL	2007