Jeramy Bryant / D-Line

Leila Wai profiles cornerback Jeramy Bryant.

Miano, who is also in charge of the secondary, called Bryant a "leader" of the defensive backs.

"He's a leader. He's first in line, he's first out to practice, he's going to spend the most time watching videos, he's going to take videos home with him. He's a consummate professional. He's married (to Keshauna) , he has children (daughters Keyana and Kennedy), he's just mature," Miano said.

"He's made that commitment to being a good football player, a family man, a good student, and a good leader for the defensive backs. You rarely come across a guy that you don't have to worry about in the classroom, off the field, on the field. He's going to work, work, work."

And Jason Kaneshiro takes a look at the defensive linemen who took a circuitous route to UH. My word-of-the-day calendar is paying off.

"I'm just happy to be out here with the boys, people I know, people I grew up playing against," said tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu, who returned to Hawaii after two years at Arizona. "Just love the feeling of competing with them at this level."

Tuipulotu, Josh Manupuna (Portland State) and Kamalu Umu (Charleston Southern) enrolled at UH last year and sat out the season due to transfer rules. Kapono Rawlins-Crivello (Boise State) moved back following the 2007 season to be closer to his family as his mother battled cancer, and had to wait until this spring to join the Warriors.

"Everybody comes in with a different story, everybody has different experiences, and those experiences are what we'll draw on," UH defensive line coach Tony Tuioti said.

UPDATE: Here's last night's Chawan-pilation, which includes a profile of Bryant Moniz and a quick look at Dave Aranda's defense.