Transcript of live chat with UH coaches Mike Cavanaugh and Rich Miano

Aloha! Welcome to HonoluluAdvertiser.com's live chat.

Stephen Tsai: Cavanaugh will answer questions for the first half hour; Miano will follow.
Stephen Tsai: Please "whisper" your questions to me, and I'll forward them to the coaches. We will begin shortly.
Stephen Tsai: Welcome to The Advertiser chat. Assistant coach Mike Cavanaugh
will make an opening statement.
Mike Cavanaugh: Thanks to the Honolulu Advertiser for having me online.
Mike Cavanaugh: I'm looking forward to the questions asked by the audience.
Stephen Tsai: Reader Kevin Jackson asks: How is Shawn Withy-Allen doing?
Mike Cavanaugh: I thought he had a pretty good spring. But I'm the offensive line coach and I don't coach the quarterbacks.
Mike Cavanaugh: He works real hard, always in the weight room and on the field. Personally, he's a great kid.
Stephen Tsai: Reader David Breese wants to know about the walk-ons. Can you tell us about offensive lineman Charlie Dutra?
Mike Cavanaugh: I'm not sure I can talk about the walkons right now until they are on campus.
Mike Cavanaugh: But we're excited about the walkons we have coming in and we're looking forward to what they can do and how they can contribute to
Stephen Tsai: Kai70 notes UH had problems scoring from within the 10? What will be done to solve those problems?
Mike Cavanaugh: (Hold on Cav's cell phone is rining).
Mike Cavanaugh: Everything (as far as field position) is constricted down there. We have to do a better job of executing and be more precise. (more)
Mike Cavanaugh: Obviously, mixing the run with the pass.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm asks about a player named Toledo. Who is he? Is he a long-snapper?
Mike Cavanaugh: Never heard of him (Toledo).
Stephen Tsai: Will you use a big backfield, say, moving a lineman to running back in short-yardage situations?
Mike Cavanaugh: Absolutely not. We will use four-wide receiver set with our one back. (more)
Stephen Tsai: Just a reminder, Coach Cavanaugh will be our guest for the first half hour; Miano will follow.
Mike Cavanaugh: I've read on the internet that everyone has a lot of answers and solutions, adding a tight end, going to two-back, etc. But what we do is the run-and-shoot, and we will do that all olver the field.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm asks: Is new assistant coach Tyson Helton a permanent replacement for departing coach Dennis McKnight?
Mike Cavanaugh: It's not in coach Jones' philosophy.
Mike Cavanaugh: As far as I know yes (Helton is permanent replacement).
Mike Cavanaugh: Vincent Manuwai is the best and (Uriah) Moenoa, as far as him starting, nothing is locked; nothing (more)
Mike Cavanaugh: is guaranteed; but he got most of the snaps in the spring.
Stephen Tsai: Bow-in-exile asks: How does our OL stack up against Montana's DL?
Mike Cavanaugh: I'm very impressed with Montana's defensive line. A bunch of hard-working guys; relentless to the ball (more)
Mike Cavanaugh: We will stack up very nicely against them. We're looking forward to the challenge.
Stephen Tsai: Kai70 asks: Any recent contract with former players Adrian Klemm, Kaulana Noa, Kynan Forney?
Mike Cavanaugh: Yes, (I've contacted) all three of them. (more)
Mike Cavanaugh: Obviously, they are all working hard and are excited about their opportunities (more).
Mike Cavanaugh: Klemm will start at either left tackle or left guard; Kaulana Noa is second-team left tackle behind Orlando Pace; (more)
Mike Cavanaugh:: I thought he (Noa) played really well in their first game; Kynan Forney, I've recently spoke to (more)
Mike Cavanaugh:: Bob Harrison (scouts for Falcons) feels that he will make the team and possibly has a chance to sttart for them at right guard.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm notes: College Football News rated UH's OL behind San Jose State's. Will it matter in the game between the schools?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Re: Ayat; he's going well; obviously, he's worked very hard this summer. We're looking forward to seeing what he can do when the bullets fly.
Stephen Tsai: kkv2002 asks: Who are the o-line's leaders?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Re: Off. line vs. San Jose State; No, I don't believe in prognosticators.
Mike Cavanaugh:: The o-line leaders: I thought Manly Kanoa has had a great off-season; Brian Smith, Vince Manuwai, Lui Fuata.
Stephen Tsai: CT wondered about new kicker Aaron Bennet. What are his strengths/weaknesses?
Mike Cavanaugh:: I don't know if I can answer a question about a walkon until we start.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm notes that this newspaper said the o-line is three deep. Is this true?
Mike Cavanaugh:: We're close to that, being three-deep at every offensive line position.
Mike Cavanaugh:: Depends on who goes down, we can put the next best offensive lineman in and if that means moving people around up front, so be it.
Stephen Tsai: Bow-in-exile asks: Do you have any goalsfor the OL this coming season?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Yes. To be a dominant force in the country.
Stephen Tsai: kkv2002 asks: Is it posssible that any offensive lineman will move to defense to help the depth shortage?
Mike Cavanaugh:: No.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm: Re: Korey Stringer's death. Has heat-related illnesses always been a problem in the NFL, especially among offensive linemen?
Mike Cavanaugh:: I'm not sure if it's been a problem with offensive linemen. Not that I'm aware of. It's the first death that I can remember.
Stephen Tsai: Kai70 asks: With the recent success of your Olinemen going to the NFL, are you receiving more recruiting tapes from JC and high school prospects?
Mike Cavanaugh:: We're receiving our fair share. Still important for us to keep the top local offensive linemen home. (more)
Mike Cavanaugh:: Obviously, there are some talented guys here at home that I'd love to coach. It's vital that they stay home.
Stephen Tsai: kkv2002 asks: What do you see in the future for offensive lineman Mike Holt?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Great size (6-5, 305); runs well; good athlete; just needs to fine tune his offensive line technique.
Mike Cavanaugh:: And understand the concepts of offensive line play.
Stephen Tsai: Kainoa asks: How's the chemistry on offense? How much of the offense has been installed?
Mike Cavanaugh:: I think the offensive chemistry should be very good. (more)
Mike Cavanaugh:: Obviously with all the returners, most of the offense is already installed. (more)
Mike Cavanaugh:: I think June has a plan to add few more routes.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm wonders about Kenyota Marshall. Is he still on the team? If not, where did he go?
Mike Cavanaugh:: No (not on the team). Not sure (where he went).
Stephen Tsai: Kainoa wonders: Do you pitch a career in the NFL to recruits?
Mike Cavanaugh:: We think we could prepare guys for the NFL. But it takes a special guy. He has to have the tools and he has to have the passion.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm says: There is talk on message boards about how good a TE Travis Laboy was in high school. Is there any chance he will move to offense?
Mike Cavanaugh:: I don't know about that (moving Laboy to tight end). We don't have a tight end in our offense.
Stephen Tsai: How tall are you?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Almost 5-7. How tall are you?
Stephen Tsai: kkv2002 asks: My lightlight last year was seeing Lui Fuata start his first game at LT. What are your thoughts on him?
Mike Cavanaugh:: I thought he played extremely well for us. Shut out Aaron Schobel (TCU), second-round draft choice from Buffalo, athat Wendell Bryant from Wisconsin.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm wonders: Will you take the ice-water dousing in place of June Jones?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Sure, anything for the team.
Stephen Tsai: What's a dousing like?
Mike Cavanaugh:: It's like cold needles going through your body. Shock!
Stephen Tsai: Are any of the senior linemen pro prospects?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Manly Kanoa III could be. It's going to depend on how he plays the game in 2001 and what message is he going to send all over the country on every single game tape that will be sent around the country.
Stephen Tsai: We'll take a couple of more questions for Coach Cavanaugh, then bring in Rich Miano:.
Stephen Tsai: Kainoa asks: How far away are we from being a nationally ranked program?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Depends on the success of this year. I think we're real close. To me, this year is going to come down to the chemistry of the team and how we'll fight for each other.
Stephen Tsai: If I were a prospect, why should I play for you? What will you teach me?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Obviously, I have a proven track record with what we've accomplished the last two years with the offensive line. (more)
Mike Cavanaugh:: I'm a firm believer in repetition of technique and I think the pro scouts and teams are obviously seen that in the players that were drafted.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm asks: Do you describe your teaching technique as more militaristic or educative and player relative?
Mike Cavanaugh:: Educative.
Stephen Tsai: Coach Cav will make a final comment, then Rich Miano: will take over
Mike Cavanaugh:: Thanks, Stephen Tsai: and the Honolulu Advertiser. I've enjoyed the chat, even though I can't type.
Stephen Tsai: Coach Miano will make an opening statement.

Rich Miano: Thanks for joining in on the chat room.
Stephen Tsai: How do you see the defensive secondary alignment?
Rich Miano: I see the safetys solid with Nate Jackson and Jacob Espiau.
Rich Miano: And also the quarterback position Hiram Peters is one we can count on.
Rich Miano: The other position is up for grabs.
Rich Miano: The two leading being Kelbin Millhouse and Gary Wright.
Stephen Tsai: Reader David Breese asks: Is former 49er coach Bill Walsh still coming to training camp?
Rich Miano: As far as I know, he is. We haven't talked about it recently, but that was the plan.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm notes that this paper's description of the DBs lacked respect. Comment?
Rich Miano: Well, I think the two safeties are as fine a pair of safeties as anywhere in football. And the quarterbacks
Rich Miano: they have to prove themselves before they earn their respect.
Stephen Tsai: Reader David Breese wants to know who else will walk on.
Rich Miano: We can't talk about walkons until the first day of practice
Rich Miano: but we do have some good walkons. We expect another great year for walkons.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm asks: Is Nate Ilaoa going to play on offense or defense?
Rich Miano: He is going to start at wide receiver and we will see how he does.
Stephen Tsai: obake asks: How do you prepare the DBs physically and mentally?
Rich Miano: I think physically we do a lot of footwork and technique drills
Rich Miano: as well as ball drills and mentally that's a whole different -- we have to treat
Rich Miano: each and everyone of them differently because they are all motivated differently.
Rich Miano: But to be a defensive back, you have to have a high level of confidence almost
Rich Miano: bordering on cockiness or arrogance.
Stephen Tsai: Buckweat asks: How is Matt Manuma doing since he moved to safety?
Rich Miano: I think the transition has gone rather smoothly. He just needs to continue to work
Rich Miano: and he'll develop into a pretty good safety.
Stephen Tsai: Kainoa asks: Where will Chad Kapanui play?
Rich Miano: Right now he is listed as a running back. And I think
Rich Miano: he could end up as a linebacker and he is in the best shape of his life and
Rich Miano: he has worked extremely hard.
Stephen Tsai: kkv2002 asks: What kind of speed do Ilaoa and Bass have?
Rich Miano: I would say both of those guys are in the 4 or 5 range
Rich Miano: both exceptionally quick laterally as well and they are in the 4.5 range.
Stephen Tsai: Kainoa asks: What can you say about Watson Hoohuli?
Rich Miano: The first thing about him is that he is very tought. He seems to have lost
Rich Miano: 10 to 15 pounds this off season which I think will help
Rich Miano: with his quickness and he should challenge for the middle linebacker job.
Stephen Tsai: Kai70 asks: HOw do you sell UH to a potential DB recruit?
Rich Miano: I think the type of defense we play is zone dogging, attacking style of defense
Rich Miano: which we create a lot of turnovers
Rich Miano: we make a lot of interceptions
Rich Miano: and we look for the big hits. So I think it is the same style they play in the NFL.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm asks: Will Omar Bennett be used at wide receiver or defensive back?
Rich Miano: He will be challenging as a starting job as a wide receiver.
Stephen Tsai: EBtm asks: Will Dick Tomey help out with the defense?
Rich Miano: I think more as a kind of a mentor or consultant
Rich Miano: and he is very knowledgeable and that's his forte.
Stephen Tsai: Kai70 asks: Any frustrations being a defensive coach on a team that runs the run-and-shoot offense?
Rich Miano: We have to look at it optimistically that we are o the field longer than
Stephen Tsai: Kainoa asks: What are the strengths and weaknessese of the 2001 defense?
Rich Miano: our opponent's defense and it gives us more of a chance
Rich Miano: to make interceptions and cause turnovers to get the ball back to our offense.
Rich Miano: I think the strengths are we have more depth than we've had in the last two years,
Rich Miano: I think the players are stronger than they have ever been
Rich Miano: I think Coach Delaura did a wonderful job in improving the strength, speed
Rich Miano: and conditioning of our players.
Rich Miano: I think we are also a lot bigger in terms of size than we've been in the past.
Rich Miano: The weaknesses being we are not as fast at linebackers
Rich Miano: and we are very inexperienced at the corner back position.
Stephen Tsai: SCBOW asks: of the incoming defensive backs, who do you think will have the biggest impact?
Rich Miano: It is very tought to say right now, but if I had to pick one, I would say Leonard Peters.
Rich Miano: Because he was a great safety coming our of Kahuku HIgh School and he is a natural
Rich Miano: at that position and he's probably of all the young guys most ready to step in
Rich Miano: and play if we need him right away.
Stephen Tsai: Kai70 wonders: Do any of the coaches occasionally check out Internet message boards related to football?
Rich Miano: We have a few coaches. Dan MOrrison , Tyson Helton and June Jones also seems to be
Rich Miano: looking at his computer. The rest of us are either computer illiterate
Rich Miano: or waiting for new computers to come in. We are expecting new computers
Rich Miano: to coming in very soon. We're kinda outdated out there.
Stephen Tsai: Kainoa asks: How far away is the team from being nationally ranked?
Rich Miano: I think the schedule is conducive this year to winning a lot of games
Rich Miano: but I think we have to play big time opponents in the next couple of years
Rich Miano: to get the recognition to be a Top 20 team.
Stephen Tsai: What do you think about playing a game on Maui?
Rich Miano: And also we need one or two more good recruiting classes to have the depth and
Rich Miano: quality consistent with a Top 20 team.
Rich Miano: Well, I think it will be great for the fans of Maui and
Rich Miano: we are the state's only Division 1 team that plays football and they have a
Rich Miano: nice venue and I think the kids will be excited about it.
Stephen Tsai: kai70 wonders: Are you excited about any local high school defensive backs?
Rich Miano: Are we talking about this year or next year?
Stephen Tsai: This year
Rich Miano: Very much so. If you look at the potential starting four defensive backs, they are all local products.
Rich Miano: And incoming Leonard Peters is a local recruit who we are very high on.
Stephen Tsai: kai70 asks: Do you miss playing?
Rich Miano: Yeah, I miss playing tremendously and I think the next best thing to playing is coaching.
Stephen Tsai: Reader asks: Are the facilities top notch?
Rich Miano: They are becoming more and more so. I think
Rich Miano: they are good enough to compete at the level we are at,
Rich Miano: but it is a consistent battle trying to keep up with the Joneses so
Rich Miano: to speak.
Stephen Tsai: CT asks: Is Leonard Peters eligible now?
Rich Miano: Yeah, he will be eligible this fall.
Stephen Tsai: kai70 asks: Any thoughts on President Dobelle's proposed stadium?
Rich Miano: I think it is wonderful that he is a
Rich Miano: visionary and seems to be a strong supporter of athletics.
Rich Miano: I also think that the Aloha Stadium's livelihood is probably
Rich Miano: coming to an end in the next 5 to 10 years.
Stephen Tsai: SCBOW asks: What is the status of recruit Jean Elise?
Rich Miano: He is no longer with us.
Stephen Tsai: What facility improvements are needed?
Rich Miano: I think really nothing major . I think
Rich Miano: you can continue to improve weight room equipment,
Rich Miano: I think the track needs to be done over and I think they
Rich Miano: already appropriated money to do the track over
Rich Miano: and to continue to keep putting money to upgrade
Rich Miano: facilities to keep up with the people
Rich Miano: we are competing against and one major thing would be to
Rich Miano: upgrade the athletic training room.
Stephen Tsai: kai70 wonders: playing in theNFL takes a toll. Do you have any lingering aches or injuries from playing?
Rich Miano: I have had knee surgery and I've had foot surgery and my feet
Rich Miano: seem to bother me more than any other joint in my body, which
Rich Miano: is amazing considering I've played 17 years on Astroturf.
Stephen Tsai: Would you like to go back to the nickname, Rainbows?
Rich Miano: No. And I'll leave it at that.
Stephen Tsai: Montana seems to throw the ball a l ot. How will you defend them?
Rich Miano: If you look at the past two years, teams that have
Rich Miano: thrown the ball predominantly , we seem to have played our best games because
Rich Miano: we see that everyday in practice.
Stephen Tsai: kai70 wonders: What is Dee Miller up to these days?
Rich Miano: To be honest with you, that's a good question.
Stephen Tsai: How do you feel about the prospect of being reunited with your high school coach, Cal Lee, who is resigning as St. Louis' coach?
Rich Miano: Right now, my office is right next to Ron Lee
Rich Miano: who was also my high school coach. And I think being with
Rich Miano: Cal would be a wonderful opportunity as I think he is a great coach.
Stephen Tsai: We'll take a couple of more questions, then Rich will give his closing statement.
Stephen Tsai: Is being a coach better than running for political office?
Rich Miano: Yes.
Stephen Tsai: kai70 asks: I know you are a bit of an entrepreneur. Do you have any other business ventures outside of coaching?
Rich Miano: This is pretty much a full time job. So
Rich Miano: I'm pretty much trying to put all my energies into being a successful coach
Rich Miano: and father.
Stephen Tsai: How's tehe cemetary you own?
Rich Miano: People are dying to get in. Thank you guys and any time I can help, let me know. Appreciate all the people logging in.
Stephen Tsai: Coach Miano now will give a closing statement.
Stephen Tsai: Coach Miano has departed. Thank you for joining our chat. A transcript will be available in a few hours.