Fall Day 2: Spain out, Cravens to DE, Tiwanak at center, etc. Update: News video

Friday night's news. Sorry so late!


Hawaii News Now has a practice report. It includes interviews with Vaughn Meatoga, Bryant Moniz and Rodney Bradley.

Stephen Tsai writes that freshman quarterback Kevin Spain is out for the rest of the year.

"I tore a little ligament in my (right) shoulder," said Spain, a graduate of Paradise Valley High in Arizona.

He said he would like to have surgery "as soon as possible."

"I'll definitely be back by spring," Spain added. "That's the good side of it. I'm going to miss all of fall. That kind of sucks since I came all the way out here (early)."

Stephen Tsai also notes that Siaki Cravens has moved from linebacker to defensive end.

Cravens said he is 6 feet 3, 235 pounds, and capable of running 40 yards in 4.5 seconds. He can bench press 370 pounds.

The one adjustment to moving to rush end?

"I have to eat like a D-lineman," he said, smiling. "I think I'm doing that, anyway. At least that's what my mom always says."

Brian McInnis profiles center Bronson Tiwanak. Here's a quote from offensive line coach Gordy Shaw:

"He had a good summer; he came in on his own and studied extra," Shaw said. "He seems to be in tune with what the calls are and the fronts, and his snaps are very consistent, that's the most important thing. We can't have a center who can't get the ball to the quarterback in the gun; then everything else breaks down. He's done a very good job of that. I'm pretty pleased where he's at right now. He came back a little lighter, much stronger, and he's ready to go."

Ferd Lewis writes about the importance of depth, especially this season.

Well, consider the fall practices that have opened at the University of Hawaii the first stride in a journey of, oh, about 35,000 miles.

The Warriors' longest regular season—both in terms of miles to be traveled and accumulated days before an open date—has begun in Manoa.

The overall opposition isn't exactly Murderer's Row, but the travel demands that surround it might be. By the time the Warriors come home after Thanksgiving, they will have covered more air miles than any team in the NFL.

And I missed this Dave Reardon column from yesterday. Here's an excerpt:

FOR THEIR FIRST practice, the Warriors seemed efficient and businesslike, and McMackin said he liked what he saw on the initial day of what he expects to be a one-week evaluation period. At the end of it, a No. 1 quarterback will be named. Many will be surprised if it's not Moniz, the starter most of last season after Greg Alexander's injury.

We'll get a better idea once the offense and defense begin to tangle in earnest in the coming days.

The offensive line still needs to be narrowed down to five starters, although McMackin said he thinks there are enough capable players to rotate several during games. This is similar to his plan going into the 2008 season.