Lessons Learned?

UH athletic director Herman Frazier talks to Robert Collias of The Maui News. He talks about how unique and difficult his job is, and downplays the lack of a 13th game.

“It was something I worked on every single day,’’ he said. “And we called in all kinds of stops and then it became a partnership between the Western Athletic Conference, ESPN and ourselves. This is an interesting thing that I found out just the other day – two schools that can play 13 games are Boise State and Fresno State because they are playing in Hawaii this year. Both of them are only playing 12 games. That is something that I find to be amazing because everybody was putting the emphasis on us about playing 13 and two of the schools we are competing with aren’t playing 13. I think at the end of the day, the 13th game was overplayed.’’

Although it played a huge part, the lack of a 13th game by itself wasn't the most upsetting thing about this whole schedule fiasco. It was the lack of big-time, big-name teams on the 2007 schedule, and the 13th game was supposed to help remedy that.

And then Frazier talks about how Colt Brennan learned his lesson because of the facilities fiasco.

“I think if Colt knew that this was going to happen he would have shut his mouth and never said a word about it. He is a great guy and he has been in my office to talk about it and he said, ’I never meant for this to happen. That was never my intent.’ I said to Colt, ’Even though you did that, you have got to be careful. You have got to be a leader because things like that are going to happen in your pursuit of this Heisman or anything else, so let that be a lesson to you.’ That is what college is all about – learning lessons. And this was a lesson for Colt Brennan.’’

I really don't know what to say. Colt learned to shut up? This coming from a guy who regularly put his foot in it these past few months. Hey, since Colt learned to shut up, maybe he can teach Herman how to as well. Heyoooohhh!

I thought a lot of good came from Colt speaking out. There is now soap in the lockers, there is more oversight and attention being paid to athletic department expenses... Maybe this is all just a perspective thing. Maybe Frazier is still upset he got called to the principal's office over Colt's comments.

Mental Reps

Dan Robinson has a new article up at Warriors' Haka, where he talks about the importance of off-season training, both physically and mentally. An excerpt:

Getting your mental reps in the film room right now is probably one of the most crucial things you have to do. Now is the time to actually spend hours looking at what you did through the spring practices. This is when Colt sits down with Coach (Dan) Morrison and goes through every bit of film, every read, getting up on the board, and drawing every read that every route contains.

In the Run ‘n’ Shoot, the offense is whatever the defense gives you. When you take the snap, every single decision you make on the field, you should have already made that decision 1,000 times in your head, and visualized it over and over in your mind.

Coach Morrison is great at that. He used to sit down with me and go through every single read, and he’s currently doing that with Colt, pre-camp. I spoke with Coach Morrison last night, and he tells me that he’s now making Colt teach the younger quarterbacks. If you want to do something and do it well, then learn how to teach it … now Colt is at the stage of maturity that he can teach the younger ones. That’s big-time, right there.

Great insight from Dan. Looking forward to Coach Jones answering the first round of "Ask Coach" questions at Warriors' Haka. Haven't asked Coach Jones a question yet? Be there!

Fendo / Europa

The Warriors Haka website has a new article about former UH running back James Fenderson, who talks about his appreciation for Hawaii and the UH coaches. An excerpt:

Like the entire Warrior family, James enjoys Hawaii’s newfound respect.

“It’s really neat to see what they’ve accomplished,” he says. “But those guys that are there right now need to remember that it’s a game. They are there to play a game. None of this stuff is life-threatening, you know. It’s a game, so have fun. Train, study, and go out there and do what you love. Don’t worry about the other factors. Don’t worry about money. Don’t worry about the future.

“I’ve always believed that if you do your best, it will all come to you.

“I just want to say God bless the coaches, and the players, and everything they’re doing. I appreciate everything they did for me, and I know June will have them ready to go.”

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And Stephen Tsai writes about the shuttering of NFL Europa, UH offering a scholie to defensive end Kenneth Frankson, and an update on Nick Rolovich. Here's a quote:

He is likely to re-sign with the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena Football League.
"It was a good experience for me, even though we weren't very good and didn't win many games," Rolovich said. "I think the organization made a commitment to make improvements."

It's Aloha Friday! No work til Monday! Except I gotta work Saturday, crap. Doo doo doo doo! Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo dooooooo!

Just Win Camp

Here's an article by Robert Collias of The Maui News about the Just Win Football Camp being held on Maui. Jeff Reinebold is there as one of the coaches. Read the article for more about the camp, but here's a cool bit of info from camp organizer J.W. Kenton, who is also coach of King Kekaulike HS:

King Kekaulike opens with Japanese powerhouse Kwansai on Aug. 24, and will play Southern California’s El Capitan on Aug. 31. Both games will be at King Kekaulike Stadium.

“I have talked to some (University of Hawaii) coaches and they are recruiting a couple kids off the Kwansai team, which is one of the best teams in Japan,’’ Kenton said.

Very interesting. It would be really cool to have Japanese nationals on the UH football team. Allen Cordrey of Warriors' Haka also wrote an article a few days ago about UH recruiting in Japan. Guess we'll see what comes of this, hopefully in the near future.

QBs to Watch

Matt Hayes of the Sporting News writes about the QBs to watch when fall camp opens. He includes this brief mention of Colt Brennan, who he lists in his top five.

Colt Brennan, Hawaii: I'd love -- LOVE -- to see him in a BCS game against some hoity-toity SEC or Big Ten team.

That's all, but it's a nice thought for the day.

Le'Marcus / McKnight / Samson

Dave Reardon catches up with incoming safety Le'Marcus Gibson.

"I've been lifting in the morning and running in the afternoon when the sun goes down," said Gibson, who reports that the temperature has been nearing 100 degrees recently in Gulfport.

Gibson, who said he is 6 feet tall and 197 pounds, is fully academically qualified for Division I and UH coming out of Harrison Central High School -- where he was in on 142 tackles last season.

The article also has snippets of news about Bryce Kalauokaaea, Kevin Konrath, and ESPN's Ivan Maisel, who will be attending the WAC preview next month.

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And Dennis McKnight has a good story up at Warriors' Haka about how Kynan Forney owes him a motorcycle.

During our magical season back in 1999, Kynan (Forney) was a medical red-shirt, so he wasn’t even going to play in the bowl game. We had started allowing him to practice in October, and I quickly told June that he was the best lineman on the team, even though he couldn’t play until the next season. He was a guy that just kept wanting to get better, and he would do anything to get better, even if it meant knocking on my door at 9:30 at night to go watch film.

Now, when I say ‘watch film,’ you have to remember that he wasn’t practicing with the starters; he was playing on the scout team.

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Samson Satele is still getting good buzz in Miami.

Onto the good news...

Cameron appears to have already hit a home run in second-round center Samson Satele. The former Hawaii standout is versatile enough to play two positions (guard as well) but already appears to have the inside track on becoming the new centerpiece of a revamped offensive line. That's great new for Mueller, because if there has been one overwhelming area of ineptitude for the Dolphins, it is has been the O-line.

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And finally, WAC commissioner Karl Benson had his contract extended through 2010.

TC / Mauia

Ken Peters of the Hamilton Spectator writes about the Hamilton Tiger-Cats having only three quarterbacks now that third-stringer Rocky Butler asked for his release and got it.

Taaffe said the Cats will likely stay with just a trio of passers for the time being.

But the Cat bench boss admits the lack of CFL experience among his backups is a concern.

"But you have to make decisions. Timmy clearly showed that he has the ability to do it and played well.

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And from an article that will be published in Florida's Sun-Sentinel on Sunday, the Miami rookies talk about their initial impressions of the NFL and the Dolphins. Nothing from Samson or Tala, but here's a quote from Reagan.

Reagan Mauia, FB, 4th round: It’s just amazing to see speed of it, and the professionalism that the guys carry and the hard work that all the vets put in. I had to take it into perspective, and realize that I’m in the pros now, you got to adapt and you’ve got to adapt quick. Zach Thomas, when I first met him, he just told me, “Stay healthy.” That’s the best advice I’ve heard.

WarriorNet / Jeremiah Alexander

The Warriors' Haka site is looking for a few good beta testers for their new Warrior football social network.

We are now working on WarriorNet, a social network centered around UH Football. This will give the fan a chance to share their thoughts, videos and photos with other fans.

Since we are creating WarriorNet from the ground up, we need to send a call for help out to the Warriors’ Haka family. We need 4 or 5 people to be beta tester for WarriorNet. The beta testers will carry a lot of responsibility; they will help shape WarriorNet. If you are interested, please comment below and I will get in touch with you.

Sounds like a great idea. Visit the link to sign up as a tester.

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And Stephen Tsai writes that Jeremiah Alexander, an all-state corner from Texas, is considering UH.

"I'm very interested in Hawai‘i," said Alexander, who is entering his senior season at Jack Yates High School in Houston.
As a junior, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Alexander made nine interceptions, including five in three playoff games. He also returns kickoffs. Yates had the top-ranked defense among 4-A teams in the Greater Houston area last year.

Sounds like a big game player! Read the rest of Tsai's entry for a quote from his coach, news that Marquez Jackson is transferring, and some info on the 12 Pigskin Pigout.

TC at #2

After starting the pre-season competing with four other QBs for a spot on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Timmy Chang has been named the top backup, behind returning starter Jason Maas.

Before the start of the Ticats' first regular practice of the season, Cat bench boss Charlie Taaffe offered a little clarity to his backfield situation.

While Taaffe had previously named Jason Maas as his starting QB in Calgary Saturday night, he said yesterday the University of Hawaii standout starts the season as the backup.

"Timmy Chang will be the number two. I think he has certainly had a good camp, an outstanding game in Winnipeg so he'll start the season as the backup," Taaffe said.

Looks like Timmy's hard work during the offseason is paying off. Great news.

Rolo Wrap-Up / Nate In Camp

Zuri Berry of the Marin Independent Journal has a short article on Nick Rolovich and his just completed season with the Las Vegas Gladiators. Here's an excerpt of Rolo talking about coaching at City College of San Francisco:

"It's one of the greatest things I've ever done, as far as football," Rolovich said of coaching. "It's helped me appreciate playing more and dealing with the coaches I have and having greater respect for the coaches I've had."

Rolovich will be looking to re-sign with the Gladiators but will keep an eye open for other offers in free agency. He's working on his master's degree in human performance in sport at New Mexico Highlands University.

The article also has Rolo's final season stats: 99 of 176 for 1253 yards with 23 touchdowns against only four interceptions. Not bad! Good luck to Rolo next season.

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And the Eagles website has an article about the rookie running backs learning Philly's complex offense, with several quotes from Nate Ilaoa. Excerpts:

The learning curve for the running backs likely has something to do with the offense itself. The immense amount of information any rookie running back in the league has to memorize is extensive. Yet in Reid"s offense, the responsibilities are even greater.

"I just feel like running backs here have a lot to learn," Ilaoa said. "They have to be able to line up out wide, run receiver routes. They have a lot to do with the passing package, as far as routes go. All that gets mixed in and then you get a chance to run the ball and remember 'Oh yeah, I"m a running back."

Yet Ilaoa's place with the Eagles is far more tenuous. The former Hawaii standout will likely have to contribute in some form on special teams to win a spot over Ryan Moats, who is entering his third season.

"That's kind of a first for me in a long time," Ilaoa said. "In college, I didn't play too much special teams, but it"s good. It's another way to get on the field and you have to help the team in any way possible."

The article also has a picture of Nate, who is looking really fit. All the best as he tries to make the team.

Kynan Forney / Lots of Stuff

On the Warriors' Haka site, former UH offensive lineman and current Atlanta Falcon Kynan Forney has a great essay up, with praise for the UH coaching staff and words of wisdom for the Warriors offensive line. An excerpt:

The guys there better use Dennis McKnight for as long as he’s there. He set the foundation for me. Man, he’s a real fiery guy. Dennis was always in the meetings teaching us to buy into the technique. Some coaches will tell you to just go block the guy. They don’t prepare you for Saturday like Dennis. There have been times since I’ve been in Atlanta that I call Dennis and ask him a question. I’m still not afraid to ask Dennis what it takes to be successful.

It's definitely worth reading the whole thing.

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Dave Reardon packs a bunch of news into one article once again. He writes about QB Kiran Kepo‘o, who may redshirt, news about a safety recruit named Will Fleming, walk-on Daniel Libre moving from running back to slot, safety Kenny Estes trying out at kicker, and lots of other news. Reardon also has an article about the state possibly auditing the UH athletic department budget.

Highlight Video

Another amazing video put together by kapoleicoug.

Colt on the List

Colt Brennan has been named to the Maxwell Award Watch List. Excerpt from UH Athletic Dept. article:

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the outstanding collegiate football player in America since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell. Brady Quinn of the University of Notre Dame was the recipient of the 70th Maxwell Award.

Brennan is one of 17 quarterbacks and one of two players from the Western Athletic Conference on the list.

Congratulations to Colt, who was also on last year's watch list.

Leon Wright-Jackson Update / Japan

Stephen Tsai talks to incoming running back Leon Wright-Jackson, who has been training hard in anticipation of the upcoming season. A small excerpt:

"It's kind of hard when you don't have your teammates to push you," he said. "But this way I'm getting tougher mentally. I'm out there giving it my best. This is my second chance, coming out of Nebraska. I'm ready for the oppotunity. It's been a long year without football. I'm ready to come back."

Read the whole post. And this is a great excuse to reprise Leon's high school highlight reel:


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And Allen Cordrey of Warriors' Haka writes about possible future recruitment of student-athletes (as well as fans) in Japan.

Rolo Plays (w/Updates)

The Las Vegas Gladiators take on the San Jose Sabercats in Arena Football action today. I'm not sure if Nick Rolovich will be starting or not. He was pulled in the second half of the last game and his backup did well. In any case, it looks like you can watch the game if you have FSN Bay Area. I'll update this post later on with any news or stats.

UPDATE: Here's a link to Flash live stats of the game.

UPDATE 2: Rolo did not start, but came into the game in the second half and promptly lit it up. He finished the game 10 of 19 for 192 yards and 4 touchdown passes with no interceptions. Even though his team lost big, at least he got to show his stuff in the last game of the season. Hopefully this will be positive momentum leading into next year.

TC the TC

Here's an article from the Hamilton Spectator about the roster cuts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had to make. Congratulations to Timmy Chang for making the team!

The Cats opted to keep passers Jason Maas, Rocky Butler, Timmy Chang and Richie Williams.

"We just feel for the early part of the season we want to make sure we have proper depth," said Desjardins, adding the Cats might consider trading one down the road.

Sounds like the evaluation process is not over, but more so for Butler and Williams. It seems like Timmy is pretty much a lock. His former St. Louis teammate Anthony Arceneaux also made the team. Right on.

Lafaele / Ask Coach & Dan / S&Q / Paul Durham

Dave Reardon profiles Warrior senior defensive lineman Mike Lafaele. Reardon talks to Mike and his wife Teri about family and football, and to coach Jeff Reinebold, who has endless praise for "Turtle." Some excerpts:

"He's low-key. People see my name and they say, 'You have the last name of a famous person.' I'm, 'What?' It happened the other day at the hairdresser. She saw my last name and said, 'There's a real good football player with that name.' I had a big smile on my face after that," Teri Lafaele said. "A lot of people, when they find out who he is, it's weird, they're so surprised. He's not out there where people would recognize him. It's funny, they tell him, 'You're the heart of the defense.' "

Reinebold said Lafaele "was born to play defensive tackle."

"He did some things last year you don't see very often, and he showed he can play against anyone," Reinebold said. "He clubbed a center to the ground, brought him to his knees. It's sheer violence, to be honest with you."

Ouch! Great article on the "heart of the defense".

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The Warriors Haka website now has a submission form so you can Ask Coach June Jones any question you'd like.

And former UH QB Dan Robinson responds to fans questions, and praises Colt Brennan in this article:

As for Colt, in my opinion, there’s not a better quarterback out there. I went to Louisville for my dental degree, and I’ve had the chance to watch a lot of Brian Brohm. He’s pretty good, but he’s not Colt. Colt brings all the intangibles. He thinks on his feet, he makes things happen, and he’s got a great understanding of the offense. He’s running a pro offense, and man, is he accurate. I’ll be interested if June puts him under center a little more this year, rather than all shotgun, to better prepare him for the NFL. That will be something for all of us to keep your eye on. Either way, he’s got a better command of his offense than anybody else, I believe.

I believe too.

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Lanaly Cabalo of The Garden Island talks to UH coaches and players about their experience helping the kids at the Hawai‘i Speed and Quickness Football Clinic in Kauai yesterday. Here's an excerpt:

The statewide Speed and Quickness Program started seven years ago when former NFL football player and current Hawai‘i defensive line coach Rich Miano and football and volleyball head strength coach Mel DeLaura had a vision to help young athletes reach their full potential.

...

“I’ve always wanted to give back to Hawai‘i,” Miano said. “When (the kids) see players like Kanoe Kamana‘o, Colt Brennan and Chad Owens, they’re more likely to listen to that message. We’re serving the Neighbor Islands with clinics they wouldn’t get otherwise.”

The article also has quotes from Colt Brennan, Ryan Grice-Mull(en)ins, and coordinator Roy Nishida.

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Cindy Luis writes about the accomplishments of former UH AD Paul Durham, who passed away Friday. From Luis' article:

Durham accomplished much in his tenure at UH, helping position the school for the eventual move from independent to Western Athletic Conference membership. He hired legendary baseball coach Les Murakami in 1971 and oversaw the "Fab Five" men's basketball team's rise to national prominence (1970-72).

And from the Advertiser staff:

In 1978 when the WAC voted to add UH, giving the school its first conference affiliation, Durham said the painstaking groundwork he had laid had paid off. "His legacy at UH was that he positioned the school for (the) major college (level) and the WAC," Yoshida said.

And finally, Kalani Simpson eulogizes Durham, with a great, heartfelt column. An excerpt:

But I remember Mr. Durham as a man who would tell you that you were his friend, who would shake your hand and pull you close. As a man who loved to make others laugh, who could make a whole room collapse, everyone in it shaking with cackles at his jokes. He made people around him feel happy and warm.

Great to read about all the good things he did for UH. Sounds like he was a great guy.

Dan Robinson Feature

The Warriors Haka website just keeps getting better and better. Former UH QB Dan Robinson will be taking your questions.

In another Warriors’ Haka exclusive, Robinson will begin “Passing Time” with Hawaii and its fans as he takes you behind-the-scenes of the Run ‘n’ Shoot with inside information as Colt Brennan makes his run for the Heisman Trophy.

“These are exciting times for Hawaii,” Robinson says. “There are no greater people than the people of Hawaii, and it will be fun to reconnect with the fans who supported me like they did in 1999.”

Be there!

The WAC / Warrior Spirit

Kalani Simpson writes about the bottom rung of the WAC, and the hopes that they'll soon PLAY UP!

You just hope they get better. Nevada got better. San Jose State is getting better. You would hope that Fresno State is already bouncing back. Louisiana Tech has been fairly good in the past (but when the Bulldogs are bad, they are very, very bad).

Utah State is in a tough spot. Idaho's best chance, Dennis Erickson, bailed out on the Vandals after just one year, setting them back even more.

Of course, maybe that's the beauty of it, in this Cinderella's conference, that the bottom of the WAC is so bad, that all you have to do is be better, and you can pick up a few wins. And from there any team can dare to dream -- of Hawaii in 1999, and Dick Tomey getting doused after a bowl game, and Tulsa and UTEP coming out of nowhere.

Let's hope.

And grad assistant and true Warrior Brian Kajiyama has written a great post up at Warriors Haka. Here's an excerpt:

I became friends with coaches and more players, as they would see me regularly and took the time to get to know this guy in a chair who was always at practice. At this time, I had no communication device so I relied on paper and pen, which meant the people I communicated with had to be very patient. Coaches were amazingly kind and caring, as they took time to know me for who I was, Coach Dennis McKnight really opened his heart to me and we quickly became great pals. Coach Cavanaugh, Coach Miano, and the rest of the staff began to see me as part of UH football. I suppose if you're seen regularly, you become to be expected there. Coach Jones also was very generous with his time, regularly asking me, "Hey how are you doing with school?"

"I'm doing good, Coach," I would reply.

A must-read.

CFL Update

Some quick updates:

Chad Mock has been signed to the BC Lions practice squad.

UPDATE 6/23/07: Stephen Tsai talks to Chad about it.

While waiting for a promotion to the active roster, Mock said, "I'm taking it as my redshirt year. It's a good learning experience."
It wasn't easy to earn a spot, even on the practice squad. The CFL limits the number of Americans on each team.
"There were other American receivers," Mock said. "There were only a few spots open. I'm glad I got one. It's very big for me. You've got to start somewhere. I'm starting from the bottom. I have to work my way up. I've done it before. I can do it again. Eventually I'll get there. It's a long season. Anything can happen.

And Timmy Chang got some playing time late in the 4th quarter of the final Hamilton Tiger-Cats preseason game. Looks like Chang will start the season as a top backup, which is great news. I think by the middle of the season, he'll be getting a lot of playing time.

Ask the Coach

The Warriors Haka website will be starting a weekly "Ask the Coach" feature, beginning this Sunday. WH's Allen Cordrey writes:

In an effort to get the University of Hawai'i Football fan even closer to the game, Warriors' Haka and Head Coach June Jones have teamed up for "Ask The Coach".

Starting on Sunday, June 24th, fans will be able to submit their questions to Coach Jones. Each week, the best 5 questions will be answered by Coach Jones and posted on-line in the "Ask The Coach" section. Visitors can get exclusive information direct from the source.

When asked about doing "Ask The Coach", Coach Jones said "We have some very knowledgeable fans, I know that they will ask some great questions."

Excellent news. So start thinking of questions!

UPDATE: Here's the form to ask June Jones a question.

Aloha Stadium / Ikaika Interview, Blog

Kalani Simpson writes about new Aloha Stadium manager Scott Chan, who talks about the need to repair and renovate the stadium, as opposed to building a new one.

"To be exactly correct I will tell you it would take $130 million," Chan said. "And that price again, you multiply it by 14 percent every year that goes by that we don't do anything about it. That's about right for anything that you do. I mean, if you compare that with $500 million; about $300 million (for a new stadium) is what they're saying, but if you add in and throw in infrastructure, it's hard to understand why we can't sit down and entertain the thought, why is it not feasible to renovate the stadium."

What we need is a rich billionaire to become a UH football fan. Or vice versa.

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And I found this in the comments of Stephen Tsai's new blog post. It's an interview with Ikaika Alama-Francis, from the Pride of Detroit blog. Here's an excerpt:

POD: Out here in the east I've had the chance to watch Hawaii play many times thanks to the midnight time slot. I've always noticed that you guys play an "in your face" style of defense and then obviously light up opposing defenses with your offense. What was it like to watch guys like Timmy Chang and Colt Brennan just completely shatter passing records, and overall, what was your favorite memory as a member of the Warrior football team?

IAF: It was amazing all the national attention on those quarterbacks but that also put national attention on the whole team. It gave everyone a chance to be looked at. June Jones' offense and philosophy works. Colt Brennan is returning and he's going to be scary. I can't wait to watch. The entire year last year was my most memorable moment. It was amazing just how we came together as a team. Being the team captain of the defense I just wanted to do things for everyone else. It was always a team effort. I am here because of all of them.

Lots more where that came from. Speaking of Ikaika, he also updated his blog with his first new entry since being drafted.

Chad Mock / Top Ten Showdowns

Earlier today, this article stated that former UH receiver Chad Mock was competing with two other guys for a spot on the BC Lions roster.

That performance, a game-high six-catch 61-yard night with a TD last Friday, was enough to keep (Cory) Rodgers around for another preseason game. Tonight's outing will determine whether he, Chad Mock or incumbent Kendrick Jones will stick as the team's final import wide receiver.

Well, tonight's game is over and according to the box score, Chad Mock didn't catch a pass. But then again neither did Rodgers, while Jones had one catch for 11 yards. Rodgers had a few short punt and kick returns. And I don't know how, but Mock had a tackle. Maybe that'll show off his versatility. In any case, guess we'll wait and see what transpires.

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And Stewart Mandel of SI.com looks ahead to the ten most important matchups in college football this season, as he sees it. Here's #9:

9. Boise State at Hawaii, Nov. 23
Could a BCS berth and/or Heisman Trophy be on the line in a WAC regular-season contest? Quite possibly. Both teams finished last season ranked in the coaches poll, and the fact that this game is in Honolulu could put Colt Brennan and the Warriors in position to end the Broncos' run of five straight conference titles.

Oh, it's like a shiny diamond glistening in the distance.

Warriors in Japanese / Bucs Camp Update

The Warriors' Haka website will soon have a sister-site in Japanese.

“Our number of website visitors from Japan is growing exponentially every day.” said Allen Cordrey, website developer, “This is a bold move for us, but it is only logical that we offer our website to such devoted Warriors Football fans”.

...

“This is huge,” Coach June Jones said last night, in an exclusive interview with Warriors’ Haka. “There is a great love of football in Japan. We have a lot of fans in Japan. I am glad to see that this is the first Hawaii site dedicated to reach out to them in this manner. I think the football world will be stunned when they realize how much love that people of all nations have for the Warrior program.”

Building blocks to an eventual game in Japan? June has brought it up before. That would be cool.

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On Tuesday, Chad Owens practiced fielding punts with the Tampa Bay Bucs. On Wednesday, he went bowling with the team. And then, quite dramatically, Thursday's practice was cancelled! Click the video below to see Dramatic Chipmunk's reaction to the news. (Warning: It's loud.)


Actually, Thursday's practice was cancelled as a reward for the players. So once again, Dramatic Chipmunk was just being over-dramatic. Don't worry DC, Chad will get his chances.

Thanks to Garret of UH Warrior Quotes for finding these stories.

Hard Work / Boise / 60 Per

Dave Reardon writes about the hard work Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins are putting in during offseason workouts.

They say character is defined by what you do when no one is watching. So it means even more that Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins are early for practices now -- in the summer, when the coaches aren't around to note who are the early birds.

The work ethic of the Warriors' junior slotbacks doesn't cool off as the temperature rises. They were more than a half-hour ahead of the other 15 players who participated in yesterday's informal pass-and-catch session at UH.

...

"If you want to succeed, be the top in your sport, you have to go beyond what the average do. We come out early, make sure we get our running in," Grice-Mullins said. "We run pretty much every day of the week. We do different things, but it's every day. A lot of times it's just me and him out here until everybody else comes. To me, every year's our biggest year."

Awesome. Kids, that's how you do it! Reardon also writes about Jazen Anderson petitioning for another year, and transfer Nate Nasca participating in informal workouts.

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Columnist Ferd Lewis devotes a column to another column written by Idaho Statesman columnist Brian Murphy, who doesn't like Hawaii being referred to as "this year's Boise State." Ferd is looking forward to November 23, when this year's Boise State meets last year's Boise State to determine if UH will be this year's Hawaii. Hope that made sense. Ferd wraps it up:

If the Warriors can get through the first 10 games on the schedule unscathed, then there will be a lot to look forward to. Beat the Broncos, something few have done over the past five years of Boise domination of the WAC, then there will be plenty to talk about.

As Boise State has shown, Cinderellas might be presumed in summer but they aren't crowned until January.

Gonna be a great season.

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And SI.com's Stewart Mandel, in his College Football Mailbag, has a forecast for Hawaii's season:

4. Hawaii will become the first team in history to average 60 points per game. Have you looked at the schedule Colt Brennan will be facing this season? Let's just say the first six opponents are Northern Colorado, Louisiana Tech, UNLV, Charleston Southern, Idaho and Utah State. Boise State and Washington loom at the end, but in the meantime, I shudder to think what kind of numbers the Warriors are going to put up.

Well, that's looking on the bright side of things. I think Colt's gonna sit out of so many 3rd and 4th quarters that Tyler Graunke's gonna throw for 10 touchdowns this year. The SI article also has a big picture of Colt giving you a shaka.

Lojo / Warriors Haka

It's not a UH football story, but here's a great write-up of former UH basketball player Matt Lojeski, who has been impressing NBA observers and fellow players in pre-draft workouts.

While he is generally regarded as the best perimeter defender in this draft, (Corey) Brewer had his hands full guarding Lojeski. The 6-foot-6, 192-pound Lojeski kept Brewer off balance by either hitting a jumper from the outside or taking the ball aggressively to the hole.
On two occasions, Lojeski exhibited surprising quickness and beat the ultra-quick Brewer on the baseline for baskets.
“He can really shoot the ball, and he’s got a great first step,’’ Brewer said. “He’s a good player. He can play.’’

Good luck to Lojo in the draft, and beyond.

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And I've already linked to it on the right, but here's another link to the Warriors' Haka website, which is a site set up not just to promote the upcoming Hawaii Warriors Football book, by J. David Miller, but it also has interviews, articles, links to videos, and will eventually have blogs by Miller, as well as Colt Brennan's dad, grad assistant Brian Kajiyama and perhaps others. They also had something about striving to be the best community site for the serious UH football fan, or something similar, but I can't find it now. The content is constantly changing. Check it out.

Bucs Mini-Camp

The Tampa Bay Bucs are holding a mandatory mini-camp this week. Chad Owens is getting in some work at receiver and punt returner. Here are mentions of Chad from the Pewter Report's coverage of Tuesday morning's opening practice:

Allen made a great read on the ball in 7-on-7 drills and got in the way of wide receiver Chad Owens. That allowed Buchanon to step in front of Owens and pick off a pass. An impressed Morris yelled, “Oh, yes! I like that, P-Buc!”

Bucs WR Chad Owens, Hilliard and running back Cadillac Williams each fielded several punts.

Okay, so no highlights or outstanding news for Chad just yet, but it's still early. Hope to hear good things later this week. Here's the schedule:

The Bucs will hold another two-hour mandatory mini-camp practice at One Buc Place on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday morning’s workout will be held at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs will conclude their mandatory mini-camp with a two-hour workout at One Buc Place on Thursday morning.

Reagan in SI / Timmy Chang

The Lodi News-Sentinel, which has done a couple of great profiles of Reagan Mauia, writes about his appearance in the June 18th issue of Sports Illustrated. Stephen Tsai also wrote about it last Friday.

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And it looks like Timmy Chang might not see playing time in this week's Hamilton Ticats preseason game. But that looks like good news because the team wants to look at players they're still unsure of.

UPDATE: Stephen Tsai has a post on Chad Mock, who is trying to make the BC Lions of the CFL.

Former UH wideout Chad Mock is expected to stick with the B.C. Lions, according to Jon Nielsen, a Canadian Football League consultant.
The Lions' last exhibition game is Thursday. Nielsen said Mock and Carlos Rogers, who had played with the Green Bay Packers, are battling for a spot on the active roster. Nielsen said his "insider" told him Mock will either qualify for the active roster or remain with the Lions on the practice squad.

WAC Profile

Cory McCartney of Sports Illustrated's Inside College Football writes an article entitled Welcome to the big time. The sub-heading for the article is WAC has become America's top mid-major conference. It's a great article about how the WAC, and two teams in particular, Boise and Hawaii, has risen in prominence. Some excerpts:

To appreciate the current state of the WAC one has to look at the conference's revolving door over the last eight years. In all, 24 different schools have been part of the conference and only three remain from that '99 breakup (Fresno State, Hawaii and San Jose State). The conference had to deal with losing its only real history in BYU, which delivered a national title in '84 and a Heisman winner, and TCU, which bolted for C-USA after nearly crashing the BCS party in '00. But the current nine-team lineup has a 32-24-2 bowl record, the highest winning percentage of the 11 Division I-A conferences based on their current membership.

Wow. And here's a quote from June Jones followed by a wrap-up.

"I think the last four or five years we have not been given the credit that was due," Jones said. "You can go back four or five years ago, just after the breakup, and look at the bowl wins versus the BCS teams, we've held our own. Because of Boise State's win over Oklahoma and Colt's presence in the national media, we're finally starting to get credit for what has happened."

Thanks to the hook-and-ladder, the QB-in-motion play, the Statue of Liberty and Brennan's onslaught on the record books, the WAC has our attention. But it's what the conference does with its newfound status that will decide whether it's ready to truly cement its place as the nation's premier mid-major conference.

Definitely read the whole article.

Former UH QBs Update

Nick Rolovich had a pretty good first half, throwing for three touchdowns, but was pulled in the second half as his team lost to the Los Angeles Avengers 60-42. Rolo was 11 of 26 with 3 TDs and 1 INT and was pressured all game.

And Timmy Chang has one less competitor at the pivot spot as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats released Shaun King.

Respect

Robert Collias of The Maui News talks to several Warriors about the schedule and their hopes for the upcoming season. There are a lot of great quotes in this article. Here are a few excerpts:

“Oh man, I think this team is so hungry right now for the opportunity that we have,’’ wide receiver Ryan Grice-Mullen said. “Coming into the spring, people were way more excited than the year before. You know, that 11-3 (record last season) – guys really know that we passed that test and now it is time to get to the real test and finish strong.’’

Do the Warriors dare to say

“Unbeaten?’’

“Definitely, we can’t say that it doesn’t cross our minds,’’ Grice-Mullen said.

“It is definitely possible,’’ echoed fellow All-WAC receiver Davone Bess.

Grice-Mullen said the team anticipates plenty of national criticism for the schedule, which could have been 13 games.

“Definitely, because we are getting criticism now and the season hasn’t even started yet,’’ he said. “We don’t let the media determine our success. Look at Colt with the Heisman – he could throw 70 touchdown passes and not win. The media turns it their own way. The only thing we can control is our destiny and that is to go out there and win games.’’

Bess said that the critics should be ready for a breakout season for the Warriors.

“Coming from Hawaii you are always going to get some type of criticism – ’The schedule is not tough,’ or ’They are in the WAC,’ or ’They are a system team,’ ’’ Bess said. “It is always something, but that is what drives us.’’

Well said. And that's not even half of it. There are more quotes from Bess, GM and Solomon Elimimian that make you even more pumped than you already were about the upcoming season. Check it out.

And Ferd Lewis measures the respect UH has gotten, using homecoming games as the metric.

Want to know how the Warriors are really regarded? Check the schedules to see how many times they are listed as somebody's homecoming game. That's been a traditional yardstick for measuring UH's respect index. The more the Warriors are feared, the less likely they are to turn up as designated victims for homecoming festivities where cheesy plastic lei are handed out.

And this year, unlike last season and, indeed, most years, nobody wants to take a chance on the Warriors raining plenty of points on their homecoming parade.

From two homecoming bookings in 2006 to none in 2007 is hardly a coincidence. It might be the first time UH has played four or more road games in a season and nobody has booked them for the straight man.

Coincidence? Hardly. Marketing folks aim to please the alumni. Alums give money and buy season tickets and do more of both when they're happy.

With their habitual struggles on the road, it is a rare season in which the Warriors aren't projected as somebody's idea of a good time.

Ferd writes that last year UH was the homecoming opponent of both Fresno State and New Mexico State, which UH beat 68-37 and 49-30, respectively. Well, that certainly explains it.

Keenan / Na Koa / All America / Rolo

Dave Reardon talks to cornerback Keenan Jones, who sheds some light on his situation.

KEENAN JONES was eager last week to explain his arrest in March for alleged misdemeanor kidnapping and abuse of a household member.

The arrest stemmed from an argument with his girlfriend, Maxarine Harvest, he said. Jones and Harvest said the incident was blown out of proportion. The Honolulu city and county prosecutor's office backs up this claim, as Jones was released without charges.

The prosecutor's office also said Jones has no prior arrests in Hawaii, and Jones said it is the first time he's ever been in trouble with the law.

"Never been put in jail, never arrested," Jones said. "It's very embarrassing, especially because I'm new and first impressions are everything.

"It was more an argument than anything else," Jones said of the incident that led to the arrest. "The next door neighbors saw me pulling her back inside the dorm so there wouldn't be a big argument outside. I didn't want campus security coming and being involved. I grabbed her by her arm to get her back inside. Police took it as I was kidnapping her. That's in the past, that's behind us."

Harvest said she and Jones have known each other since they were 7, and they have been a couple for more than two years.

"It was a loud argument going about 10 or 15 minutes," said Harvest, in a phone interview from her home in California. "Someone called the police and we had to go with procedure. I wasn't really upset, I was more embarrassed."

Harvest said Jones did not strike her and collaborated his statement about pulling her back into the residence. She said she was not injured, and that Jones has never assaulted her.

"He did not hit me," Harvest said. "He never has."

Thank goodness. I'm really glad that got cleared up. Good luck to Keenan as he gets back in gear.

And because I excerpted so much of Reardon's Keenan Jones article, here's a link to his next article about the Na Koa fundraiser, the upcoming "Hawaii Warriors Football" book and corresponding Warriors Haka website (link on right sidebar), Ian Sample's upcoming book, and receiver Jett Jasper, with absolutely no excerpts. So go read it!

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Stephen Tsai writes that five Warriors -- Colt Brennan, Davone Bess, Jason Rivers, Ryan Grice-Mullins and Dan Kelly -- are on the Football Writers Association of America's 2007 All America Check List.

"This is nice," Bess said, "but I won't be happy until the season starts. I'm ready to play."
Grice-Mullins received recognition despite missing four games with a sprained ankle and platooning with Ross Dickerson after that.
"It's a good deal to know that people are paying attention," Grice-Mullins said. "It's all good. As long as I can help the team."

Congratulations to the Warriors. I'm hoping that's not all the players the FWAA will be monitoring because I have a feeling the Warrior defense gonna be a monster this year, scaring the citizens and destroying unsuspecting fools. And thanks to ST for the shout-out.

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And finally, just a reminder that Nick Rolovich and his Las Vegas Gladiators play today. Be there! Or watch it on FSN.

Magic Temple Review

Stephen Tsai has a short review of last night's June Jones and the Magic Temple. Here's an excerpt.

The Warriors' 20-minute parody of the Indiana Jones' series drew raves at its debut during last night's fund-raiser at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel.
Offensive line coach Dennis McKnight's comedic turn was the video's highlight.
Jones said the DVD will go on sale soon, with all proceeds benefitting the football program's booster club.

DVD! Can't wait. Tsai also mentions that Antwan "Tua" Mahaley is moving from receiver to defensive end.

More Praise for TC

Here's a great article from the Hamilton Spectator about Timmy Chang's performance in his first-ever CFL preseason game yesterday. Read the whole thing, but here are some excerpts in no particular order:

It was arguably the finest Ticat debut since another rookie Cat quarterback by the name of Chuck Ealey lit it up 35 years ago.

Chang admitted the Canadian game takes some adjusting. While there are more gaps to throw in thanks to the wider field, he has one less down to work with.

With the performance, Chang, who has been arguably the best of the Cats' five passers in camp, has likely sewn up one of the expected three quarterback jobs.

Excellent news.

New Era Bowl / Reminders

From the UH Athletics Dept., we find out which UH alumni will be playing in Japan for the New Era Bowl on July 8th.

UH assistant coaches Jeff Reinebold (defense) and Wes Suan (offense) head the White staff. The squad features Kila Kamakawiwo`ole (2002-05), Lono Manners (2002-05) and Hyrum Peters (2000-03) on defense, while Derek Faavi (2002-05), Kainoa Akina (2003-05) and Jeremiah Cockheran (2002-03) suit up on offense. All six athletes will be player-coaches. They will serve as coaches during a week of practice leading up to the game and then participate in the contest on game day.

Some great players right there.

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And just a reminder, June Jones and the Magic Temple, a benefit for Na Koa, is being held tonight. Not sure if tickets are still available. Let's hope June slays that dragon.



I believe DVDs of the show will be sold sometime afterwards. Right on.

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And finally, Nick Rolovich will be starting for the Las Vegas Gladiators in a matchup against the Los Angeles Avengers this Sunday. You can watch it on FSN.

Bo / Ferg / Keola / Santos / Takai

Stephen Tsai writes that defensive lineman Bo Montgomery will be transferring to UH.

Bo Montgomery, a 2005 graduate of Kealakehe High School, has finalized arrangements to transfer from Weber State.

"I've always wanted to play for UH," said Montgomery, who was born in Colorado but raised in Kona.

...

"Ever since high school, this is where I wanted to be," Montgomery said. "I feel I have more to offer now that I've got a solid foundation of collegiate football. It should be a lot of fun."

Tsai writes that he'll have to redshirt this season, and then will have two years to play two. Congratulations and welcome to Bo!

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Dave Reardon has a cornucopia of stories packed into one article. He writes that Jason Ferguson, who retired from football due to his multiple knee surgeries, continues to work out with the team.

"Hey you're still going to see a lot of me," the upbeat Ferguson said. "I'm still going to be around."

He spends his free time writing and performing rap and preparing for a future in coaching.

"One door closes, two open," Ferguson said. "I'm making the best of what happened."

Perhaps a future UH receivers coach? Watch out, Ron Lee!

And highly-regarded running back Keola Antolin may still be considering UH despite giving a verbal to Arizona.

...the speedy (4.47 in the 40) senior-to-be took an unofficial visit at UH, and said "Hawaii is looking pretty good right now."

And Reardon talks to incoming walk-on QB Jake Santos

Santos said Hawaii was always his planned destination.

"Our offense was similar, we threw the ball 40 times a game back in high school. This is where I wanted to go coming out of high school," said the 6-foot, 200-pound Santos, who once threw a CIF-record eight touchdowns in a game. "This is the only school I stayed in contact with. I called them up and they said come on out."

Right on.

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Finally, Kalani Simpson writes that K. Mark Takai is still on the case.

Turns out he's still going over the budget. In a meeting with the Star-Bulletin's editorial board he passed out a spreadsheet filled with terms like accruals and assets and payables and nonexpendable. There were asterisks. I couldn't read it.

Yesterday, Takai called a number of his original questions "still unresolved." He's still talking about "red flags."

He said, "We've asked them (UH) to come back and help us understand it a little bit."

He said that he just heard yesterday afternoon that Rep. Jerry Chang had received some information from UH, which was good, because apparently that morning Takai had been on the radio saying he hadn't seen anything yet.

Probably just a coincidence.

Hehe. Keep on em!

Timmy Plays Well

Some wrap-ups of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats preseason game in which Timmy Chang tore it up.

Rookie Hamilton pivot Timmy Chang was impressive in his CFL debut, but Tiger-Cats head coach Charlie Taaffe isn't worried about a quarterback controversy yet.

Chang completed 10 of 17 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns as the Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35-23 in Thursday night's CFL exhibition game. "I thought he made a couple of clutch throws and stuck the ball in there, read the coverage well and distributed the ball," Taaffe said of Chang.

"He's such a gunslinger. I thought he made a lot of strides tonight."

But did Chang do well enough to challenge Jason Maas for the starting job?

"Jason's the starting quarterback and it's his job to lose," Taaffe said. "He knows that. He knows he has to perform.

Sounds like Timmy made a gigantic great first impression. There's another pre-season game next week. I'll post links to the relevant links when it rolls around. I hope there's a way to watch CFL games, either on the internet or some obscure cable channel.

In the meantime, you can watch video of Russell Yamanoha's report on Timmy Chang from yesterday. There are interviews with Chang and his trainer Chad Ikei.

UPDATE: Here's another article, with more quotes and high praise for TC.

Sure it was just an exhibition tilt between the Ticat trainees and the Winnipeg wanabees but several Tabbies shone before 27,078 at Canad Inns Stadium.

None brighter than Cat QB prospect Timmy Chang who was the best player on the field. Chang was sensational tossing two touchdown passes and looking dangerous each time he took a snap.

...

"It went all right," Chang said of his performance. "It's the first pre-season game, it really doesn't mean much."

Chang said he doesn't believe he has won a job with the Tiger-Cats just yet.

Cat GM Marcel Desjardins also praised Chang's work.

"He did a lot of good things and he was the guy who when he stepped on the field made things happen," he said.

Okay, I think it's safe to say that he's made the team. Time will tell if he's gonna be stepping into the starter role, but from this one game, things are looking good.

Dolphins Q&A / Timmy Plays (w/Updates)

Via Garret, here's a transcript of a Q&A Miami Dolphins beat reporter Greg Bedard had with some fans. Here's a small excerpt:

Scott of Cary, N.C.: What do you foresee being the starting offensive line? Any chance Joe Toledo ever gets healthy enough to contribute?

Greg Bedard: Scott, I see Vernon Carey at LT, Samson Satele at C, Rex Hadnot at RG and L.J. Shelton at RT. I see a training camp battle at LG between rookie sixth-rounder Drew Mormino and veteran Chris Liwiesnki. I think Mormino will eventually win out, but he's getting some tough love now: o-line coach Hudson Houck sent Mormino to the bench after a false start in a drill on Saturday.

You can watch Samson talk to reporters about this in the video section of the Dolphins website. The video I'm referring to is under "06/13/07" but there are some previous videos as well.

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And Timmy Chang should get some playing time today when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats take on the Winnipeg Blue Blockers in a pre-season matchup at 7:00pm Winnipeg time, which is Central time (thanks Twocents), soooo.... I think that's 2:00pm HST, 5:00pm PDT, 8:00pm EDT. In any case, you should be able to view the live stats here.

UPDATE: Live stats link updated.

UPDATE 2: Hope it's not too late for this -- a link to a radio station website that is streaming audio of the game. The link is at the top left of the page. So far Timmy is 7 of 14 with 152 yards and a touchdown in the 2nd quarter.

UPDATE 3: Those radio announcers really like Chang. He's 8 of 15 with 2 touchdowns towards the end of the second quarter.

UPDATE 4: At the start of the second half, Chang is out of the game. They're letting the other QBs get some work in. Final stats (if he doesn't come back in): 8 of 15 for 155 yards, with 2 TDs and no interceptions.

UPDATE 5: Chang back in the game and he throws a 78-yard pass!

UPDATE 6: End of game. Tiger-Cats win. Chang finishes 10 of 17 for 239 yards, with 2 TDs and no INTs. And the announcers are talking him up!

UPDATE 7: The announcers just said Timmy was the offensive star of the game!

Even More Uperesa

Stephen Tsai writes that Derek Uperesa, cousin of Dane and Drew, will be transferring to UH.

Uperesa, who is 6 feet 6 and 350 pounds, was an offensive tackle at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania last season. He requested — and received — a release from his Saint Francis scholarship in April.

"There were a lot of reasons, but more than half of my decision was based on football," Uperesa said. "I wanted a change."

...

In accordance with NCAA transfer rules, Uperesa must redshirt this season. But he will be allowed to practice with the team and attend classes. He will be a senior during the 2008 season.

Here's a short biography of Derek from the Saint Francis football website. He has great size for a tackle, and lots of starting experience playing that position. Too bad he only has one year to play for UH, but 2008 is gonna be some year. Welcome to Derek!

And Ferd Lewis is happy that Herman Frazier is being more open and accessible.

Perhaps you have noticed the sudden explosion of news from Frazier's office these last two weeks, complete with direct quotes from the AD himself. None of this "said through a spokeswoman" attribution that had become something of a running joke and symbolized his seclusion.

...

Yes, Frazier is taking questions face to face — and answering most. Sometimes with affability. He's doing it at least one day a week. He's talking about the process of scheduling, coaches' contracts, you name it. Though it is still hard to drag anything out of him on budgets.

And to think some people said nothing came out of the legislative meeting of last month.

Let's hope even more will eventually come from the meeting.

Viliami / Scheduling / MSU / Budget

Dave Reardon profiles safety Viliami Nauahi, who is joining the Warriors after a slight detour.

Safety Viliami Nauahi, the Star-Bulletin's No. 3 Hawaii high school prospect in the class of 2003, said he expects to be on the roster for UH's fall camp in August. The former Kahuku star participated in an informal offseason workout at Manoa yesterday.

"I've just been trying to go to school and get my AA and get back into the action. Coach Rich (Miano) and the counselors here have been helping a lot," Nauahi said. "I'm at KCC right now. I'll have my AA at the end of this summer session."

The Warriors won an intense recruiting battle with BYU to get a commitment from Nauahi in 2003. But he never enrolled at UH.

"It was eligibility," Nauahi said.

But Nauahi never gave up on his dream of playing college football. He worked and went to community college and enrolled at Fresno City College in the spring of 2006.

Congratulations to Viliami and welcome back!

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And depending on what you read, the 2008 football schedule is done or close to being done, and the final team is I-AA or BCS. Well, here's what Cindy Luis writes:

The biggest headache was finalizing the 2007 football schedule. It appears to be less of a problem for next season, where Frazier said there is just one opening to be filled in the 13-game schedule.

"I can't tell you who it is, but it is from a BCS conference," Frazier said.

While here's what Stephen Tsai and Ferd Lewis write:

A week after the 2007 football schedule was announced as final at 12 games, Frazier said the 2008 slate also has been concluded.

The Warriors have one opening, and Frazier said, "I'm waiting for the contract before I announce it."

It is expected to be a Division I-AA opponent and could be placed between the Aug. 30, 2008, opener at Florida and the Sept. 13 game at Oregon State.

"I'm going to play a I-AA every year," Frazier said. "Take that for granted."

Maybe they're all right, since I still see two openings on the 2008 slate. Also, from the Advertiser article, looks like UH will be playing at Washington in 2011.

The contract for UH's regular-season finale against Washington Dec. 1, 2007, at Aloha Stadium has been concluded. It calls for UH to play a Sept. 10, 2011, return game at Seattle, UH said.

Well golly, with Washington, Washington State, UNLV, Colorado and Charleston Southern that means our 2011 schedule is complete! Yee ha!

Well, Cindy Luis' article has UH not playing Colorado in 2011, so hopefully that's clarified.

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And Ferd Lewis reminds us how whiny and childish former Michigan State employee John L Smith acted in this whole fiasco.

It will be remembered that it was ex-MSU coach John L. Smith who all but had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, here for a 2004 game UH rallied to win, 41-38. Or, that after maintaining it would fulfill the contract through the 2007 game, MSU wanted out soon after beating UH, 42-14, in the 2005 East Lansing rematch.

...

What bothered UH as much as the cancellation were some of Smith's comments about the officiating of the 2004 game and the repercussions in the Big Ten. "I would say the comments made by the previous coach at Michigan State also created issues with Purdue, the issues with some other schools even to the point of the officiating and some other things," Frazier said yesterday. "So, the fact is, we decided to hold their feet to the fire on the cancellation of (the) game ... that's just the way it is."

What a mess.

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And finally, Tsai and Lewis talk to Frazier about the budget. The article also has video of Frazier speaking of various things, including future schedules, Bob Nash's contract, etc.

Korey Reynolds Strong w/UPDATE

The Shelby County Reporter has a story about a bench press competition held at Hoover High School in Alabama last Friday. Practically the entire article is about the battle for second place. Granted, it is a great story, but the winner of the competition only gets an offhanded mention at the end.

Former Hoover Buc and University of Hawaii signee Korey Reynolds won the individual challenge with 34 reps of 185 pounds.

Impressive. Actually, I went through all that build up, but I just found another article, this one from the Birmingham News, that focuses on him. Apparently, Korey had an off day.

"I wanted to get around the 45 (reps) range," Reynolds said. "There really aren't any excuses. It wasn't my day. Hopefully, I'll be able to get 45 in the gym in the next week and a half before I go to Hawaii."

Wow. Sounds like a beast! He continues:

Reynolds said preparing for the competition has helped him stay in shape as he transitions from high school to college football.

"I still had a reason to work out really hard," Reynolds said. "Training for this has helped me train for the fall. I've been concentrating on 225 pounds because that is what is used in college and NFL combines. I can lift 225 pounds about 25 times."

You really gotta like his attitude and work ethic. I'm really glad he's gonna be a Warrior! And just to add to the pile, here's his bio as well as a quote from June Jones, who discussed Korey after LOI day earlier this year.

Runs a 4.8 40-yard dash...bench presses 350 lbs., squat 550 lbs., power cleans 315 lbs...recorded 105 tackles and six sacks as a senior...chosen to play in Max Emfinger All-American Bowl in 2006...an All-America selection by Max Emfinger Scouting...Hoover HS won the Alabama State Championship five of the last six seasons...chose Hawai'i over Southern Miss and Houston...rated a two-star player by Rivals.com.

Jones says: "Korey played his high school football at Hoover, one of the top prep programs in America. For a freshman, he is extremely strong and bench press over 450 pounds, but also quick enough that schools like Houston and Southern Miss recruited him as a tight end. I can see him becoming a great pass rusher in our scheme."

Defense gonna be a monster this year. Can't wait for the fall already. Woot woot!

UPDATE: Found video of Korey doing the 34 reps at the competition.

Ilaoa Tidbits

Nevermind how it sounds, here are a couple Nate Ilaoa tidbits, the first found by Garret of UH Warrior Quotes.

Nate Ilaoa is going to be punishing catching a screen pass and turning up the field.

...as written by Dave Spadaro from the Eagles website, after observing him in practice today.

And Nate visited the Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse today, where he was given a tour.

Philadelphia Eagles seventh-round draft pick Nate Ilaoa visited the Phillies' clubhouse, and was shown around by Hawaiian native Shane Victorino. Ilaoa went to the University of Hawaii and moved there after high school.

Representin' in Philly!

Jim Leahey Blogs

Just a quick note to say that Jim Leahey has a blog post up on the Warrior Beat. Be there!

Japan / Samson / Lelie / NFL Warriors Schedule

The Star-Bulletin staff write that Jeff Reinebold and Dennis McKnight will be coaching in Japan this summer.

Hawaii football assistants Dennis McKnight and Jeff Reinebold will coach a team that includes six former UH players at the New Era Bowl in Kensai, Japan, on July 8.

The Warriors-augmented team of Japanese college players will take on a similar team reinforced with six former University of California players and two Bears coaches.

UH is awaiting approval from organizers in Japan before releasing the names of the Warrior alumni who will play in the game.

Here's an article by Wes Nakama from two years ago about an exhibition game held in Japan with a team of UH alumni playing against Japan all-stars. Maybe some of those same players will be playing on the UH side this year.

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The Advertiser staff have an article about Samson Satele making a big impression on Dolphins coach Cam Cameron due to his toughness, smarts and teeth. A lot of the quotes have been in other articles from the past couple days, if you've read them.

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Ashley Lelie talks about the injury that has kept him out of 49ers workouts and practices so far.

"I don't want to miss these opportunities to jell with the quarterbacks and get on the same page with the offense, because it is complex," Lelie said Monday. "You can't just study it in a class or a book or something. You've got to get in there. You have to get some real training in. That's the frustrating part. But the good thing is I still have plenty of time to heal before training camp."

...

"My game is running by people and catching the ball and trying to score," said Lelie, who led the NFL in yards per catch in 2004 and 2005 while with Denver. "If I can't run, then what use am I to them?

"The main thing is being able to show what I can do when I'm at my best. I'm going to keep my treatments up, and keep rehabbing and getting better. Especially in training camp, with those two-a-days and all the running, I want to be fully recovered when I go through that."

Here's hoping for the best. It's a crucial year for Lelie.

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And finally, on a couple of Warrior Beat posts, brew808 has compiled regular season and pre-season NFL schedules, listing the former UH players who are playing in each game. Here's an example:

WEEK 1
THU, AUG 9 TIME (ET) TV Former UH Players
Cincinnati at Detroit 7:30 PM Dane, Ikaika
Indianapolis at Dallas 8:00 PM McBriar
FRI, AUG 10 TIME (ET) TV
Atlanta at NY Jets 7:00 PM Forney, Peters
New England at Tampa Bay 7:30 PM Chad
Buffalo at New Orleans 8:00 PM
St. Louis at Minnesota 8:00 PM Pisa

This is something I'll be referencing throughout the year. Thanks to brew for compiling the list!

Rolo in Vegas

Nick Rolovich speaks to Stephen Tsai about being QB for the Las Vegas Gladiators of the AFL, and the support he gets from fans.

Rolovich is making the most of a football career he thought had ended last year, when he suffered a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder. This year he was released by Arizona, his third AFL team.
But two months ago, he signed with the Gladiators. He has started the past three games. This season, he has completed 77 of 129 passes (59.7 percent) for 912 yards and 16 touchdowns. He has been intercepted twice.
Rolovich refers to the time between his last UH game and his current stint as the "2,000-day period."
"It's good to still be playing," Rolovich said. "It's nice that people still want me to play."

And you can watch him play in his final two games if you have FSN West, on June 17th and 25th.

Warriors in the Pros

Following up on the videos of Leonard Peters, Timmy Chang and Samson Satele below, here are more updates, including Stephen Tsai's update on Dane Uperesa, Lawrence Wilson, Nate Ilaoa, Samson and LP. Here's an excerpt.

Dane Uperesa is doing well, despite having to learn a new position and pass-blocking technique with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Uperesa, who was UH's right tackle for three years, is competing at left tackle. He said the position switch requires different footwork.
In UH's four-wide passing offense, the offensive linemen align in a stand-up position. In the NFL, the usual technique is a three-point stance.
"It's gotten a lot better for me," he said. "It was a little different for me with pass protection with a three-point stance. I'm trying to get lower in my stance. We've had 15, 17 practices, and I'm finally getting comfortable."

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Terry Foster of The Detroit News has this to write about Ikaika Alama-Francis.

Defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis isn't getting as much attention. But the word is, this guy is going to be fantastic. He has great hands and balance and is quick within space. He's not an instinctive pass rusher yet, but he should be very strong against the run. Coaches are thrilled because they believe, in time, his work ethic will place him ahead of linemen drafted ahead of him.

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Harvey Fialkov of South Florida Sun-Sentinel has more about Samson's root canals and the impression he's made on Dolphins coach Cam Cameron.

However, in the case of second-round rookie center Samson Satele, even Cameron had trouble disguising his admiration for the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Samoan, who started on the first line in the three-day minicamp despite recently undergoing five root canals.

"I'm talking about his toughness," Cameron said. "He never flinched, never said a word. I have never been around a guy yet that really practiced a whole practice with one root canal and he's had five in the last however many days.

"One thing is, we know he's smart and we know he's tough, which goes a long way at that position."

It was Cameron's belief in Satele -- the anchor of the University of Hawaii's nation-leading offense in 2006 -- that enabled him to shift incumbent starting center Rex Hadnot to right guard two weeks ago.

"I've got a lot of pride," Satele said on the team's Web site. "I've just got to work and try not to get pushed back."

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And here's a mention of Reagan Mauia from the "Miami Dolphins Bahamian Website."

The full backs also are being brought into receiving plays from the wide out position. By the way, Reagan Mauia is solid and surprisingly fast. He looks like a great pick up.

CFN Hawaii Preview

CFN's Pete Fiutak, who is writing 119 college football previews over the summer, has released his 2007 Hawaii Warriors Preview. Here's an excerpt:

The season will be a success if ... Hawaii wins the WAC title. Going unbeaten might be tough, considering the concerns on defense and the road dates with San Jose State and Nevada, but the offense is going to hang 50 on just about everyone. With Fresno State and Boise State coming to Honolulu, anything less than the first WAC title since 1999 will be a huge disappointment. The BCS is also a realistic dream if the Warriors can get to late November unbeaten.

Key game: Nov. 23 vs. Boise State. The Warriors gave the Broncos all they could handle in last year’s loss, but the comeback attempt fell just short. Now Boise State has to come to Hawaii in what should be one of the must-see games of the year, if everything goes according to plan. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that these two could be unbeaten when they play each other.

And that's not all, here's Fiutak's look at the Warrior offense, defense and depth chart. Some of it is hit or miss, but overall it's a pretty good assessment of the coming season. Can't wait!

Some Videos

Here are some videos I've seen around the internets in the past couple days.

1. Timmy Chang talks about being in camp with the Hamilton Tiger Cats. His offensive coordinator Mike Working and fellow QB Jason Maas also have some praise for him.

2. Leonard Peters talks about being in Jets camp. The link wasn't working for me last time I checked, but it should come back up.

3. Samson Satele talks about the weather and being first team center for the Miami Dolphins. You'll have to find his video under "6/8/07". There's also some previous videos there of Samson and Reagan Mauia. And elsewhere on the Dolphins site is this quote from head coach Cam Cameron about Samson's toughness.

"How many of you have had a root canal?" Cameron asked "I haven’t. I have no interest in having one, but we’ve all heard right? He had five – and I didn’t know – in the last week or whatever. Please don’t make that a lead story. I’m talking about his toughness. He never flinched, never said a word. I have never been around a guy yet that really practiced a whole practice with one root canal and he’s had five in the last however many days. One thing is; we know he’s smart and we know he’s tough, which goes a long way at that position. We’re very pleased with his progress."

Wow. And ouch. He's doing very well.

Rolo on TV

If you have FSN West or South, turn to it now. UPDATE: Game's over, see updates below.

Nick Rolovich is playing for the Las Vegas Gladiators of the Arena Football League. So far he's 3 of 3 with a touchdown pass. I'll post intermittent updates.

You can also check this page for a link to live stats.

UPDATE 1: With 2:01 left in the first quarter, Rolo is 6 of 7 for 61 yards and a touchdown pass.

UPDATE 2: Rolo just threw for his second touchdown after completing a clutch 4th down pass. Nice!

UPDATE 3: Crap, a defensive lineman caused Rolo to fumble in his own territory.

UPDATE 4: Rolo comes back from his fumble and throws a nice bomb for his third touchdown!

UPDATE 5: At the end of the half, Nick Rolovich is 13 of 17 for 147 yards and 3 touchdowns, with a fumble but no interceptions.

UPDATE 6: Doh, Rolo just threw his first interception of the game.

UPDATE 7: At the opponent's 2 yard line, Rolo's hand-off is fumbled by the running back! Man. Anyway, Rolo is 19 of 26 for about 200 yards with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception with 2:00 left in the 3rd quarter.

UPDATE 8: Rolo just threw a bomb from his own end zone for his fourth touchdown pass of the game!

UPDATE 9: End of game. Las Vegas lost, but Nick Rolovich had a pretty good game. 24 of 35 for 319 yards, with 4 TDs and 1 interception.

Saga / E-Rob / Medeiros / Samson

I've updated my Saga of the '07 Schedule post. New stuff starts from 03-12-07 on the timeline. Let me know if I missed anything. Here's a great wrap-up of the whole sordid affair by Stephen Tsai.

The UH players — and coaches — are too polite, too trained against acting entitled, to voice their disappointment.
But someone — some people? — failed them.
The fans also should feel cheated. Season-ticket buyers were told the 13th game — eighth home game — would be a freebie, a reward for their loyalty. Uh, thanks?
It won't be any better in the coming weeks, when UH announces its pay-per-view schedule. With ESPN/ESPN2 taking four prime UH games, the only marquee PPV game is against Fresno State.
UH also will suffer financially...

Sigh.

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Dave Reardon profiles incoming safety Erik Robinson.

"He could be a huge, huge key for us," said defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold, who recruited the Dallas product after Robinson managed 115 tackles at Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, Texas, last year.

Robinson is already in Hawaii, working hard to learn defensive coordinator Greg McMackin's schemes from teammates in informal workouts at the Manoa campus.

...

"He was the best defensive player on our team," Navarro coach Ray Woodard said. "Because he could cover so much ground and he was so good at coming up to the line from deep, I was able to do a lot of different things with our defense. Also a great character guy. We're really going to miss him."

This year's defense gonna be a monster. Other teams not gonna know what hit em! Anyway, great profile on Robinson.

Dave Reardon also has an article of odds and ends, including Coach Duff poised to become a GA, Jacob Patek bulking up, June Jones not commenting on his contract and a short profile on incoming slotback Jon Medieros.

"Ryan (Grice-Mullins), Davone (Bess), Aaron Bain, Mike Washington. They're all great slotbacks. I'm going to have to pay my dues first," Medeiros said. "They're great athletes. Hopefully I can work my way up. I'm going to keep working hard and do what I gotta do."

Offense gonna be a monster too!

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And finally, Samson Satele talks about his sudden ascension to first team center for the Miami Dolphins.

Satele, who went to the University of Hawaii, admitted that his rise has happened "kind of fast."

...

Cameron said he did talk to both rookies before the start of camp and told them not to get down if they suddenly find themselves getting demoted.

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Satele said he could also accept a demotion, but hopes not to.

"It's going to be kind of hard if they put me back on second string," Satele said. "But I'm just trying to stay in that first string."

Right on.

Strategic Byes

Because after all, this was all a part of the strategy.

"It's not the end of the world that we don't have 13 games," Frazier said. "We have some strategic byes that can help the team."

Anyway, Dave Reardon writes that there is good news regarding the schedule.

There was some good news yesterday. Frazier said the contract for the Warriors' home game against Washington on Dec. 1 is signed and was received by UH this week. If the Huskies had balked for some reason, it would've been a real disaster.

That would've been crazy.

Stephen Tsai talks to Herman Frazier about why this was the final final drop dead deadline.

Frazier acknowledged the package to the BCS team was valued at about $700,000, and it included an appearance on an ESPN channel. He said the offers were made at the beginning of May.

"They've had some ample time to come forward," Frazier said. "I'm not into begging. I just had it."

If he felt that way, I hope he had others begging in his stead. For real. Calling, schmoozing, cajoling. Because that's the position we were in. Hello? I hope I'm just misreading these quotes.

But it's all moot now. Tsai talks to Jacob Patek and Solomon Elimimian about what they think.

"It's a little disappointing," safety Jacob Patek said. "Knowing all of the guys are competitive, we wanted that 13th game. We wanted to get a Michigan game to show what we've got. We've got to prepare for the season and the games ahead of us. We can't be wishing for anything else now."

Linebacker Solomon Elimimian said: "We wanted more games. We all did. It's not our fault a lot of teams don't want to play us. I can see why teams don't want to play us. We have a lot of great players, like Colt (Brennan), Davone (Bess) and Ryan (Grice-Mullins). We're all frustrated, but there's nothing we can do. If that's what we've got, that's what we've got. We'll try to win all 12."

It should be a great season.

And Kalani Simpson sums it up.

If this were a game, it was lost in the summer workouts. Any coach will tell you -- by the time you hit the playing field, it's already too late. We saw this coming.

This was a classic case of miscalculation, to use his own word.

No, yesterday wasn't the exclamation point. It was just the merciful end.

Hopefully UH fans see the sun today. Hopefully Frazier does, too. One last sigh and move on.

This is a huge disappointment. But at least it's over.

And that in itself is a relief.

I'll get around to completing my Saga of the '07 Schedule post later on. Not right now though. The ending is too depressing!

Moving On

God grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and some mean ass kung fu to make up the difference.       -- Anonymous

Moving on from the schedule fiasco, not that we really can as it'll follow us all season, but moving on, here's a profile of former Warrior QB Shawn Withy-Allen, who may be playing his final season in the National Indoor Football League before moving on.

A rewarding new job off the field that is demanding more and more time, and an impending wedding have forced the 27-year-old Withy-Allen to contemplate ending his football career after this season.

“Unless the NFL calls, I’ll probably hang it up after this year because I can’t foresee myself holding down the kind of schedule much longer,’’ Withy-Allen said earlier this week. “It would be great to go out on top.’’

Withy-Allen has certainly been playing like a quarterback on a mission this season.

During the Guard’s 68-28 thrashing of the Greensboro Revolution last Saturday, Withy-Allen threw for six touchdowns and ran for two more. He completed 15 of 24 passes for 165 yards.

“We have a championship team here,’’ Withy-Allen said. “We obviously have a lot of talented players, but I think it’s the chemistry that makes us so strong. We know each other so well.

Great to read about the success he's had in football and in life.

And speaking of former UH QBs, just a reminder that Nick Rolovich will be leading his AFL team, the Las Vegas Gladiators, against the Nashville Kats this Sunday. If you have FSN West or South, you can watch it on TV.

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And the intrepid Sportsbow, he of the numerous recruiting threads and who was instrumental in the Mississippi State near-miss (but oh what could've been), has been posting a link to the Warriorsrespond.com video page on The  Big  Three. Below is a video he and others have been pointing out. It's an episode of Under the Lights, which profiles June Jones, Jerry Glanville and the Warriors as they got ready to play Alabama last year in Tuscaloosa. Lots of good interviews, behind-the-scenes, as well as game footage. It's about 20 minutes long.



Please visit Warriors Respond for more videos, cool merchandise as well as MP3s of the music they play during Warriors games. Some songs just sound better and better, while others still sound like Polynesian Cultural Center as envisioned by Yanni. But it's all good.