Pro Day, Spring Day 2 Wrap-Ups

Stephen Tsai will be posting updates on the Warrior Beat throughout the morning as he covers the UH Pro Day in Carson, CA. This breaking news article may be updated as well. The main Advertiser sports page has a Pro Day central banner. Leila Wai will have vids later.

UPDATE: Tsai writes that Ryan Mouton and Josh Leonard wowed the scouts.

Mouton had a broad jump of 11 feet — a foot longer than second-place finisher Erik Robinson. Leonard bench pressed 225 pounds 41 times.

However, Tsai writes that Mouton tweaked his hamstring again:

Mouton later pulled his hamstring while running the 40-yard dash, slowing down in the last 10 yards. However, he managed to be timed in 4.42 seconds. Mouton said he felt the pain at 20 yards.

UPDATE 2: Jason Kaneshiro has some pro day notes (woops, link fixed).

Ryan Mouton was again hampered by a tight hamstring and pulled up in his 40, but was still timed at 4.42. Mouton said he’ll take time to let the hamstring heal and he has a meeting with Jacksonville later this month.

Solomon Elimimian weighed in at 225 pounds, but also aggravated a hamstring injury in the 40. Still, he delivered “a gritty performance,” agent Wynn Silberman said. He said Jake Ingram ran a 4.86 and spent 35 minutes working with a Bengals scout on various drills along with long snapping.

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Jason Kaneshiro profiles receiver Jovonte Taylor, who is back and fully-recoverd from an illness that forced him to withdraw from school last year.

Taylor said he dropped about 25 pounds while spending most of a three-week stretch in bed. He withdrew from his classes and returned to Los Angeles in October and eventually began to regain his appetite and his strength.

"The following week, I started working out, running again. That's when it started coming back," he said.

Taylor, who is in sound academic standing, said the speed that propelled him to a state championship in the 100 meters while at Los Angeles Southwest College has returned. He said his best time in the event was 10.4 seconds ... and he didn't even care much for track.

"I did it because I knew it would help me on the football field," he said. "I knew it would help me get faster.

Stephen Tsai interviews long snapper Chad Preacher, cornerback/safety Lametrius Davis and right tackle Laupepa Letuli:

Letuli, who is the Hawai'i football team's No. 1 offensive right tackle, credits his ascent to maturity, a renewed commitment to training and "prehab." His preventative rehabilitation program includes taking rest breaks each day.

One of his uncles, a former pro football player, recommended proper rest to complement weight training and conditioning drills.

"I have little naps during the day," Letuli said. "It helps a lot."

After playing several positions and enduring numerous injuries, Letuli appears to have found a place.

Kaneshiro and Billy Hull write about Pro Day and talk to Jake Heun about his move from running back to defensive end.

Jake Heun's reaction to the Hawaii coaches' decision to move him from running back to defensive end for the 2009 season was succinct.

"Hell, yeah," Heun said.

And Dave Reardon addresses those who are complaining about the schedule. Ahem.

And, whether you believe it or not, the WAC schedule is not specially designed to screw Hawaii. Still, it seems to have become an annual rite, this endless whining about the Warriors' appointment book.

It's too easy ... it's too hard ... Only one home game in September ... How dare they expect us to play on a WEDNESDAY! Where did Karl Benson go to college? Boise State? (He did, but so what? Boise State would play a doubleheader on Wednesday if ESPN asked.)

The thing is, scheduling has always been problematic for UH, and always will be. Blame the WAC and ESPN all you want, but think about what it would be like trying to book eight games without them.