UH Sports
UH back hoping patience pays off

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i football player Thero Mitchell hopes that good things indeed come to those who wait.

This summer he waited tables at Duke's Canoe Club Waikiki. He also has waited three years for an opportunity to start at running back for the Warriors.

This is his best opportunity. Last year's top three running backs completed their eligibility in December, and Mitchell entered training camp last week as the leading contender for the lone running back position in the run-and-shoot offense.

Still, Mitchell (whose first name rhymes with "hero") is one of 10 candidates.

"I'm up for the challenge," Mitchell said. "There are a lot of guys out here for only one spot. It's tough, but I feel I'm ready."

Mitchell, who was raised in Bothell, Wash., has the disadvantage of being a non-scholarship player. While five challengers on scholarship focused on training this summer, Mitchell balanced work with workouts.

He trained in the morning, ran sprints in the afternoon and then waited tables at Duke's at night. His salary and tips, as well as money from his parents, covered his rent, tuition and living expenses.

"If you want to play, you have to make sacrifices," the 5-foot-10, 215-pound Mitchell said.

Since enrolling at UH in September 1998, Mitchell has struggled to make a name for himself here. His first collegiate carry, a 10-yard scoring run against San Jose State last October, left the television announcers silent. Mitchell was not listed on the game roster distributed to the media.

Then again, Mitchell has always had an identity crisis. "I don't know what 'Thero' means," said Mitchell, who was named after his father. "I looked on the Internet, and couldn't find anyone named 'Thero.'"

Uso's back: In this melting pot, receiver Tafiti Uso is a unique blend of Canadian, Jewish and Samoan.

"It's a pretty rare combination," he said.

In yesterday's morning practice, Uso proved to have the combined skill of speed and dependability, twice sprinting past the defensive secondary to secure long passes.

"He's very smart and he catches the ball," UH coach June Jones said. "He's done a lot of good things."

Uso did not practice last week while fulfilling NCAA orientation procedures. "It's good to be back," he said.

Last year, Uso transferred from Stanford, where he was projected to start, and spent the 2000 season as a redshirt. "I wanted to play in front of my family," said Uso, a Punahou School graduate who lives in 'Aina Haina.

He said he will return to Stanford in January to complete work on a degree in economics.

Multi-media star: On high school bulletin boards across the state, quarterback Tim Chang is pictured on a poster warning of the hazards of smoking.

Pop in the PlayStation-2 game "NCAA Football 2002," and announcer Lee Corso will gush about Chang's ability.

Interviews with Chang appear on ESPN and ESPN.com.

"It's exciting, but a little weird," Chang said of the attention. "I want to take it in stride. As long as you work hard and progress, these things come with the job."

Chang said he avoids watching himself on television.

"It's like, 'Do I sound that bad?'" Chang said. "My sisters kind of laugh at me. They try to keep me humble."

Full force: Yesterday's first practice in full pads — helmets and shoulder pads were the only protective equipment for the first five two-hour practices of training camp — offered little change. The Warriors still restricted tackling.

There have been only minor injuries reported from training. Defensive end Travis Laboy's hamstring injury was suffered during an off-season workout.