Receivers seek many happy returns

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Two 5-foot-7 receivers will return punts and kickoffs for the University of Hawai'i football team.

Clifton Herbert, who played quarterback in high school and joined the Warriors as a nonscholarship player 21 months ago, has been named the top punt returner, UH coach June Jones said yesterday.

Jones said Justin Colbert, the starting left wideout, will be the featured kick returner.

Herbert, Colbert, Omar Bennett and Nate Ilaoa auditioned for the jobs vacated when Jamal Garland completed his eligibility in December.

While Garland was a daring and elusive runner, he did not have breakaway speed. Jones said Herbert and Colbert are quick enough "to make us better in that area than we were last year."

Herbert has been timed at running 40 yards in 4.4 seconds. Colbert was clocked at 4.3 in the 40, the fastest time for a UH player until wideout Ashley Lelie's 4.27 in March.

As a high school senior in Palmdale, Calif., Herbert was recruited by Jones. Herbert enrolled at UH in January 2000. Last season, Herbert averaged 12.1 yards on seven punt returns and 15.8 on five kick returns.

"He's fearless," UH assistant coach Ron Lee said. "He's elusive and has some really great quick moves. He can take it all the way."

Colbert averaged 22.0 yards on four kickoff returns last season. "He's having a great summer camp," Lee said. "This is his third year (in the program), and he's confident in what we're doing."

• No stopping him: Ilaoa, who was named as the Washington Post's Metro High School Player of the Year in 2000, has decided not to redshirt this season.

Jones offered Ilaoa, who is listed as a backup slotback, the option of redshirting this season. Starting slotbacks Craig Stutzmann and Channon Harris are seniors.

Instead, Ilaoa said he will play this season.

A decision was needed because Ilaoa plans on going on a two-year church mission beginning next summer. If he redshirts, he will have four years of eligibility remaining after he returns from his mission. If he plays this season, he will have four years to play three seasons.

• In the wings: Two UH players are serving church missions. Linebacker Anipati Mailo will enroll at UH in January, and quarterback Orlando Wong will return to Hawai'i next summer. Wong also will be considered at wide receiver and defensive back.

Mailo will have four years to play three seasons; Wong will have five years to play four seasons.