Gilbride decides to focus on baseball

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kevin Gilbride yesterday announced that he is "retiring" from the University of Hawai'i football team to play full-time for the school's baseball team.

Last year, the left-handed Gilbride was a backup quarterback in football; in baseball, he was used as a first baseman, left fielder and right fielder. He said he also would like to pitch.

"I love both sports equally," said Gilbride, a junior. "That's why the decision throughout my whole life was so difficult. Basically, what it came to is, I felt I should put all of my effort into baseball. I feel in order to become a good (baseball) player, you need to put the work into it. I've never had the opportunity to do that. This will be my first opportunity to concentrate fully on baseball and try to become a good player."

A month ago, Gilbride decided he needed to choose one sport. UH football coach June Jones excused Gilbride from participating in the 10 days of training camp, which ends this afternoon.

"It was a hard decision," Gilbride said. "I didn't want to rush it. I made sure I involved everybody, like my family and (football) teammates before I made a decision. ... It was coming to the point in my college career where I'm at the crossroads, and a decision had to be made. This is the decision I made."

Gilbride, who will remain on football scholarship, said it has been emotionally difficult to train on campus. Rainbow Stadium is across the street from the grass field where the football team practices.

"I've caught myself trying to see what was going on over there," he said.

• Keep an eye on Manuwai: Right guard Vince Manuwai has been added to the "watch list" for the Lombardi Award as the nation's top collegiate lineman. There are 80 linemen on the list.

A decade ago, as a youngster growing up in Kalihi, "I never thought I would play for UH," said Manuwai, a 6-foot-2, 284-pound junior. "I thought that was out of my reach. Now that I'm here, everything else is a bonus. If an award comes, it comes."

He credited offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh, strength coaches Mel deLaura and Tommy Heffernan, and media relations director Lois Manin, who lobbied members of the Lombardi board.

"Lois helped me get recognition," he said. "She pumped me up. I want to make sure I work hard so I don't make her look like a liar."

• Nick's knack: Backup quarterback Nick Rolovich has been named the team's holder on field-goal and extra-point kicks. Gilbride and linebacker Bronson Liana shared that job last year.

Jones said he usually wants a punter to serve as holder, because the kickers and punters train separately from the other position players during contact drills. But punter Mat McBriar, who was raised in Australia and didn't play football until last year, was considered to be too raw.

Jones turned to Rolovich, noting quarterbacks "usually have good hands."

"I feel really comfortable working with Rolo," placekicker Justin Ayat said.

Rolovich said he is adapting to the job. But don't expect Rolovich to be used on fakes.

"The coaches said, 'If we want to score touchdowns, we'll leave the offense on the field,'" Rolovich said, smiling. "I don't think any fakes will be coming, at least on purpose."