Laboy reclaims starting job at defensive end

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i football player Travis Laboy, who had missed more than half of the training camp practices because of a variety of injuries, has regained his starting job at right defensive end.

"He's the starter," UH defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa said at the end of yesterday's morning practice. "He's had a good week of practice."

Laboy is regarded as both the Warriors' best pass rusher and most star-crossed player. Two years ago, he survived a serious mo-ped accident, and last spring, he underwent shoulder and wrist surgery. He entered training camp with his left wrist heavily wrapped. Soon after, he suffered injuries to his right big toe and hamstring.

Kevin Jackson, also a fourth-year junior, was listed as the No. 1 right end when Laboy was a nonparticipant for 14 practice sessions last week. But since returning Monday, Laboy has worked exclusively with the first team.

• Tale of the tape: Season-opening games between nonconference opponents usually are regarded as blind dates because of the lack of available scouting information.

Although UH and Eastern Illinois do not have a tape-exchange program, the Warriors have managed to secure an extensive video collection of the Panthers' 2001 season.

"We get all of the game tapes," UH coach June Jones said. "We get them from other schools. I'm sure, (Eastern Illinois) looked at every game we played last year."

Opponents receive a bonus because all of UH's games are televised. The Panthers, for instance, can use their hotel's digital archive system to order a replay of any UH game from last year.

But Jones said, "I don't think you can get much off the TV replay. You have to see the whole thing, the formations and everything. TV only shows you a couple of things."

Jones said the Warriors, like most NCAA schools, have developed a network of contacts. "We can get any tape we want to get," he said. "We can call somebody. We can get tapes from every college in America. There are dub centers all over the country."

The UH coaches pare the information, then put together a scouting report. The first draft of the Eastern Illinois report was ready in June.

Jones said UH began working on Eastern Illinois' schemes two weeks ago. UH also has devoted some time to preparing for its next opponent, Brigham Young.

• Scout's honor: Rinda Brooks, who played three seasons for the Warriors, has been praised for his work with the scout team.

"He's doing a good job," said Jones, who hired Brooks as a graduate assistant this summer.

Jones put Brooks in charge of the scout team, which simulates an opposing team's offense in practice.

"You always worry about a graduate assistant who's a former player getting the respect of the players, being too easy and not making sure the guys are disciplined in what they're supposed to do," UH assistant coach Rich Miano said. "But Rinda is ready. He's stepping up. He's doing a nice job in giving our defense a nice look."

Since Jones was hired as UH's head coach four years ago, all but one of his graduate assistants were former Warriors. The exception was Tyson Helton, now a full-time UH assistant, whose father, Kim Helton, is Jones' long-time associate.

"June Jones is loyal," Miano said. "If you do the right thing by him, when the opportunity arises, he'll either get you a job or he'll call a bunch of his friends and get you started in your coaching career. Hiring former players is a wonderful rule. It's a sign of loyalty. In this business, it's important to be loyal."

• On the air: Dick Tomey will serve as the color analyst for the UH-Boise State game, which will be produced by an Idaho station and televised live on K5.

Tomey, a former UH head coach, is the regular football analyst for K5, which owns the local television rights to UH sporting events. Because of a loophole, K5 lost the right to produce the game at Boise.

K5 general manager John Fink said Tomey's commentary should improve the telecast.

"For the local fan, there will at least be a guy in the booth who has a clue about Hawai'i and Hawai'i pronunciations," Fink said.