By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
For yesterday’s first scrimmage of the University of Hawai‘i football team’s spring practice, there were these no-nos: No parking on the gravel lot, no spectators on the makai sideline, no wimps.
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| Wide receiver Dan Berryman lunges for an extra yard in the grasp of defensive back David Gilmore. Berryman caught two passes for 17 yards in yesterday’s scrimmage.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
"This," linebacker Chris Brown said of the 52-play scrimmage, "was legal violence."
Right tackle Uriah Moenoa admitted that "the reason I play this sport is to hit. This was our chance to hit."
In the first six workouts, the Warriors wore no other protective gear except helmets and shoulder pads. But yesterday morning, before more than 200 fans at the grass practice field, the Warriors were dressed to thrill.
Also for the first time this spring, the Warriors received permission to slam into anybody not wearing the quarterback’s orange jersey. Other than that, the rule was this: No autopsy, no foul.
"We were so anxious to hit," Brown said. "It was like a big party. It was so intense and fun. You can’t hit somebody on the street, so it’s great that you can come on the field and hit somebody and not get busted for it."
It was why wideout Mark Tate, after hauling in a 15-yard scoring pass, kept running before stopping on the hill leading to the dormitories.
"They will hit you late," Tate said, smiling.
It was why receivers looked twice before crossing the middle, and linebackers treated each running back like a pinata.
"It was a great day for the defense," said Ron Lee, who coaches the UH wide receivers.
Backup linebacker Preston Faraimo had the biggest hit, flooring running back Steven Mahelona for a 7-yard loss. "I think this year I’m putting more attention into reading plays," said Faraimo, a redshirt sophomore.
Walk-on cornerback Saffrey Silva knocked down wideout Ryan Richards on consecutive plays.
In all, the defense missed only three tackles.
"I’ll tell you what, it was a good first scrimmage," associate head coach George Lumpkin said. "I think we tackled better."
Still, the offense had its moments. Quarterback Tim Chang solidified his starting job by completing 6 of 10 passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. He was never hurried.
The M&M duo of Moenoa and right guard Vincent Manuwai were mm-mm good, sealing the right side of the pass pocket and then racing downfield to block defenders.
"We call it, ‘Going on a hunt,’ " Manuwai said. "We want people to know we’re not just going to stay on the line. We’re going to hunt down the field."
Line coach Mike Cavanaugh said Moenoa, a redshirt freshman who is the leading candidate to start at right tackle, needs to improve his technique and not try to reach out and block pass-rushers. But, Cavanaugh said, that’s an easily correctable flaw, and "Moenoa is going to be a heck of a great football player. Even for a freshman, you can tell he’s a leader. You have to love the guy. It’s a lot of fun to watch Manuwai and Moenoa."
Cavanaugh said both blockers set the new attitude. "We want to physically get after opponents," Cavanaugh said. "We want to intimidate them. We want to knock them all over the field. Those are habits they can develop in practice."
Another heated battle is developing among the receivers, where all four starters return. But Lee said Britton Komine, Clifton Herbert and George Welch are closing in on right slotback Craig Stutzmann and "really pushing" left slotback Channon Harris, who dropped a pass yesterday.
Tate and Neal Gossett also are challenging left wideout Justin Colbert, who has been slowed by a pulled left hamstring.
Lee is imploring his receivers to not only hold onto the football — they had double-digit drops in three games last season — but to try and advance more after catches.
"Last year, we caught the ball and fell to the ground," Lee said. "We want to fall to the ground in the end zone. That’s the mentality we want. We want the second effort."
Tate, a redshirt freshman, is a fast learner. He was late to practice when the dormitory elevator he was riding was stuck between floors. He arrived during warmups (with an excuse note from his dormitory monitor), changed in five minutes and then hauled in the longest pass — 21 yards — of the scrimmage.
"I’m starting to feel it," Tate said.
Scrimmage stats
RUSHING: Chad Kapanui 3-15, Tui Ala 4-12, Jonathan Kauka 3-9, Thero Mitchell 3-8, Steven Mahelona 4-6, Colin O'Reilly 3-6, Shawn Withy-Allen 1-6, Nick Rolovich 1-(minus) 7.
PASSING: Shawn Withy-Allen 5-11-1-60, Tim Chang 6-10-0-43, Nick Rolovich 3-9-0-25.
RECEIVING: Mark Tate 2-36, Britton Komine 3-26, Dan Berryman 2-17, Gerald Welch 2-15, Channon Harris 1-13, Ashley Lelie 1-10, Clifton Herbert 1-6, Neal Gossett 1-5, Ryan Richards 1-0.
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