Top junior college back signs with UH Warriors
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
One of the top running backs in junior college football has signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Hawai'i.
John West, a 1998 Leilehua High graduate who played for Yuba City College in Marysville, Calif., the past two seasons, will begin attending classes at UH Thursday and participate in spring football practice in March. He will have two years to play two seasons at UH.
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound West is a two-time California All-America player. After attending (but not playing for an NAIA school in 1999), he transferred to Yuba City, where he was named to the all-state team as a specialist in 2000 and a running back last season.
There are two junior college football organizations — one in California and the other governing the rest of the country. Seventy-one Community College League of California teams field football teams. The California Community College Football Coaches Association chooses the all-star team.
In 2000, West led the Community College League of California in kickoff returns. In 10 games last season, he rushed for 1,468 yards and 19 touchdowns and scored on two kick returns.
West turned down scholarship offers from Indiana, Utah, Marshall and New Mexico. It appeared West would sign with Indiana, but he changed his mind after the Hoosier coaches were fired.
"Hawai'i was at the right place at the right time," Yuba City coach Ted Hoal said.
"There's a reason why some of this stuff happens," said West, who added, "in my heart, I wanted to be a Warrior."
He said he is friends with former UH players Ashley Lelie and Craig Stutzmann, as well as UH return specialist Chad Owens.
West can run 40 yards in 4.4 seconds, vertically jump 36 inches and bench press 350 pounds. He is projected to play either running back or slotback.
Grant to Hula Bowl: University of Hawai'i safety Robert Grant has been invited to play in the 2002 Hula Bowl Maui Feb. 2 at War Memorial Stadium.
Grant joins five UH teammates — quarterback Nick Rolovich, safeties Jacob Espiau and Nate Jackson, defensive end Joe Correia and slotback Craig Stutzmann — on the West team.
