Na Koa Lunch Report, O-Line, Idaho, Breakup, etc.

Michael Lum has this week's Na Koa Lunch Report up at NaKoa.org. Gordy Shaw was the featured speaker. Here's an excerpt about how the UH offensive line is shaping up in years to come:

Coach Shaw said we would be graduating four linemen this year. The young freshmen offensive linemen are an outstanding group. The defensive coaches have been telling the offensive coaches what a good job the young offensive linemen are doing against the defense. Coach Shaw feels very good about the offensive line situation. He’s looking for 4 or 5 more high school recruits which should get us out of the JC recruiting cycle. It’s much better having linemen in the program for 4 or 5 years.

Stephen Tsai writes about the current offensive line, featuring Laupepa Letuli, Adrian Thomas and Brysen "Bula" Ginlack.

One spoke with a heavy Australian accent. The other hardly spoke.

According to Hawaii offensive lineman Laupepa Letuli, the first conversation between Sydney-raised Adrian Thomas and Kahuku High graduate Brysen "Bula" Ginlack went like this: "It was 'hmmm' and 'haaaaa,' and a lot of eyebrows moving."

"I remember Bula used to sit around with his headphones on and not talk to anyone," Thomas said.

"Now," Letuli added, "you can't shut him up."

Ginlack said: "Shut up!"

The three then roared with laughter.

SportsHawaii.com has a lot of awesome pictures from the Utah State game.

HawaiiAthletics.com and GoVandals.com have game notes for this weekend's matchup.

Steve Murray of MidWeek takes a look at the UH defense.

Before filling any gap, a defender may have two or three reads before the ball is snapped. Is the running back slightly offset to one side? Are they setting up for a “horn play” (a leading fullback) or a “load block” (running back shifts sides)? Then there are the post snap reads, which can involve another two or three decisions. With all that going on, one could be excused if the brain gets in the way on occasion.

“That happens plenty of times during a game,” says Paredes. “There is no game I have played perfect and I don’t think there will ever be. Luckily the D-line has been swarming to the ball, so we cover up each other’s mistakes.”

Tsai has news and notes about Corey Paredes' chiropractor father, the candidates to replace Ryan Henry as punt returner (Rodney Bradley and Richard Torres among them), and some relatively good news regarding Brett Leonard's knee injury:

Left guard Brett Leonard's availability still is being evaluated.

Leonard suffered a sore knee against Utah State. An MRI showed no damage. He did not practice yesterday.

Billy Hull profiles Idaho running back and Damien grad Kama Bailey.

"We're trying to take the steps necessary to go to another bowl," Bailey said. "We're going to have to come in and play our best to beat Hawaii."

To do that, the Vandals will need to rely on Bailey to help control the ball and keep the Hawaii offense off the field.

"We're going to have to establish a running game to have a chance," Bailey said. "We'll need to do that, keep throwing the ball, and maybe make a play or two on special teams to make it a good game."

Ferd Lewis writes about the money UH could lose now that ESPNU is broadcasting the UH-Boise game.

Santos estimated that, with the rebates, the amount of the loss from ESPN picking up the game could be as much as $250,000. UH receives a $2.3 million annual guarantee for its rights and shares in additional revenue with its partners, Oceanic and KFVE.

Oceanic is asking ESPN to be able to simulcast the game on PPV, where it was originally scheduled to broadcast.

By the time you read this, there may already be a WAC breakup agreement.

It appears Fresno State and Nevada have not seen the end of the University of Hawaii in football, after all.

As part of an impending settlement between the Western Athletic Conference and the two breakaway members, Fresno State and Nevada would make the 2011 football season their WAC finale before leaving for the Mountain West, not the current one as the two schools had vowed.

And Dave Reardon goes into some of the possible breakup details.