Interview with Dane

Stephen Tsai has a Sunday interview with offensive lineman Dane Uperesa. Here's a quote on when he first started playing football, trying out for the team at Punahou.

"They told me to line up at defensive end. I ran 20 yards away from the coach. He was yelling: 'What are you doing?' I didn't really know anything about football. If I ever watched a game, it would be to see who would score a touchdown, because I knew what that was.

"I've been a project the day I first put on that helmet. Football never came naturally for me. In basketball, if you throw me the ball, it feels right. You put me in pads across from a guy just as big as me, I have to adjust."

And now he's one of the strongest guys on the UH team, and a pro prospect to boot.

Tsai also has a good breakdown of the depth at each offensive and defensive position, who's injured, who's making strides, etc.

Dave Reardon has a good breakdown as a well, along with an injury report on freshman free safety Spencer Smith.

"It felt good today, but coach (defensive coordinator Jerry) Glanville wanted me to give it one more day so I could have Sunday (today's off day), too. The main part is I'm happy it just wasn't too serious. I heard it pop and that scared me. After a couple minutes it felt fine, but it swelled up. Been icing it, rehabbing it, ready to go Monday.

All these injuries are starting to add up, but reading the articles you find out most of them are minor and everybody should be ready to play on opening day. Plus, seems like UH got a lot of depth this year.

And Jason Kaneshiro has an article profiling the Warriors' gigantic running backs, lead by the one, the only, The Juggernaut, aka "Reagan Mauia", who talks about his focus.

"I had to discipline myself," Mauia said. "It was hard trying to get out to the track, but it's the discipline that gets you to get out there. Just did a lot of running, a lot of weight-room work."

"Reagan is used to carrying a 380-pound body. His leg strength is good and he's able to move around real well," Suan said.

As you can see, with The Juggernaut's leg strength, it will be no problem for him if a linebacker or two decides to hang onto him as he makes his way into the end zone. He'll just be saying, "That's funny, I feel like I've put on a few pounds. Oh well, I better go score this touchdown." And then, still not recognizing his own strength, he'll send Vili the Warrior crashing into his own drums with a celebratory chest bump. But Vili will be okay. He'll just learn to be prepared the next time. But being prepared for The Juggernaut does not prepare you at all, as Vili will realize when he flies into the stands on the next touchdown.