Wow, Lau Lau

Dave Reardon profiles hard-working, overachieving outside linebacker Micah Lau.

"I always had thoughts (about starting), but I never thought this would happen," Lau said after yesterday afternoon's practice. "It's been a great experience this year, being able to play a lot. It's been a pleasure playing with all these guys, because if it wasn't for them, I don't think I'd be in there."

Lau's stats aren't super impressive; he has 21 tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a fumble recovery. But his attention to alignment and assignment prevents big offensive plays and allows other defenders to make the hits.

Freshman Blaze Soares has been getting more playing time in recent games, but Lau remains the starter.

"He plays hard and he's been accountable," UH coach June Jones said. "He completes his assignments and he's given us all he has. He's played well."

Outside linebackers coach George Lumpkin said Lau's work in the weight room allows him to play bigger than he is.

"He's always been a good player, a smart player. Tough guy. With his size, sometimes people think he's going to be overwhelmed, but he doesn't. He does his job and he does it well," Lumpkin said. "He's physical for a small guy and he's smart and he does things right. We thought we'd put him in there and see what he could do because he was always doing things right in practice."

What a Warrior!

Stephen Tsai has more good news on the injury front.

Running back Nate Ilaoa, who is recovering from a deep bruise in his left heel, participated in running drills during the University of Hawai'i football team's practice yesterday.

The Warriors, whose last game was Dec. 2, did not practice last week. Ilaoa did not participate in Monday's practice.

"I rested it a lot," Ilaoa said. "Getting off of it for a week was a real key."

Ilaoa said an MRI did not show any significant damage. "It's all good," Ilaoa said as the team prepares for the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl against Arizona State.

Nose tackle Kahai LaCount also did not experience any difficulty during 7-on-7 drills. LaCount missed the past three games because of a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Tsai also writes that Laupepa Letuli and Michael Lafaele have had time to heal as well.

I once said, without understanding what I was talking about, that the running back is underutilized in June Jones offense. That was before I realized how much blocking, and recently pass-catching, and other things the running back actually does. So I'm ashamed. But now I think, and I hope it continues to be the case, that the punter is underutilized in the June Jones offense. And I'm not ashamed to say it! From the end of Tsai's article:

It was fitting that in the corner of the soccer field, where the Warriors worked out yesterday, future punters were evaluated.

Kurt Milne, a fifth-year senior, completes his UH career following the Hawai'i Bowl. There is no apparent successor, said Mouse Davis, who coordinates the special teams. "It's a toss-up," Davis said, noting the candidates are freshmen Briton Forester and Kenji Hollaway, and sophomore placekicker Daniel Kelly.

Forester was used on extra-point kicks this season. Hollaway is redshirting.

"Kenji was behind, then he came on, then he got ahead," Davis said. In UH's two practices this week "Brit's come back."

In practices Monday and yesterday, Kelly punted.

"He could be a good punter if he spent some time on it," Davis said. "He has to work at it a little more. Right now he spends his whole time kicking. He'll be a good punter because he has a good leg snap, the same thing that makes him a good kicker."

The competition expands when Matt Mielke joins the team in January. Mielke, who is 6 feet 1 and 180 pounds, is enrolled at UH as a part-time student.

Whoever gets the job will probably need to take up crocheting or something to kill time on the sidelines. Give Boise's Ian Johnson a run for his money!