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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, July 24, 2002

Manuwai gets invitation to Senior Bowl

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

BOISE, Idaho — University of Hawai'i offensive lineman Vince Manuwai has been invited to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in January.

2002 WAC Football

Preseason Media Poll

Rank Team Pts.

1. Boise State (14) 214
2. Louisiana Tech (6) 203
3. Fresno State (1) 189
4. Hawai'i (2) 174
5. Rice 114
6. Nevada 100
7. SMU 92
8. San Jose State 79
9. UTEP 57
10. Tulsa 43

(First-place votes in parentheses.)

The Senior Bowl, a postseason all-star game administered by the National Football League, attracts hundreds of pro scouts.

Manuwai, a senior who is 6 feet 2 and 285 pounds, is the fifth Warrior — and fourth offensive lineman — to earn an invitation in June Jones' four years as UH head coach. The other Warriors were linebacker Jeff Ulbrich and blockers Adrian Klemm, Kaulana Noa and Kynan Forney. All are on NFL rosters.

Manuwai was named the top offensive guard in the latest BLESTO ratings, a scouting service commissioned by the NFL.

• All about the Benjamins: In the quest for respect, power-rating points and moolah, many Western Athletic Conference teams are hitting the road.

Six of the San Jose State's first seven games are on the road. Louisiana Tech plays seven road games, including nonconference stops at Clemson, Penn State and Texas A&M. Fresno State plays at Wisconsin, Oregon and Oregon State. Eight of the 10 WAC teams each play at least six road games.

While Fresno State goes on the road to boost its rating in the Bowl Championship Series standings, cash-poor teams such as San Jose State and Louisiana Tech compete in so-called "money games" against traditional powers.

"There's going to be a lot of traveling," said San Jose State offensive tackle Tim Provost, whose team plays at Washington, Stanford, Illinois and Ohio State. "It kind of stinks, but that's the schedule."

Fan interest is hurt by playing only four home games, Provost said. "It's kind of a bummer," he added. "You realize you're playing for the money."

Still, Provost said, "It's cool to play in front of huge crowds on the road. You get such a rush. I've played at Nebraska, LSU, Colorado State, USC. It's amazing. As a player, you can't control (the schedule). You might as well enjoy it."

Louisiana Tech running back Joe Smith said the "money games" are good preparation for conference games. The Bulldogs were 3-1 in WAC road games last season.

"I don't mind the money games," he said. "It just motivates us to do better. It's amazing to go to places where people are screaming and yelling so much you can't hear anything. That's why in our offense, we use hand signals to call plays."

• Pet project: As a teenager in Cleveland, Texas, Louisiana Tech's Smith had two snakes as pets. They were each 5 feet long, "but kind of thick," he said. "I fed them rats. Some of my friends fed their pet snakes rabbits."

Smith said his pets were date lures. "Girls like snakes," he said. "It's a good conversation piece. 'What's in the bag? It's moving.' "

He said he did not name the snakes because "it's not like they're going to come when I call them."

He owned a miniature Doberman until recently, when he moved into an apartment that prohibits animals. He gave "Junior" to a girl battling an illness.

"I hope it cheered her up," he said. "I loved Junior. Girls used to say, 'Junior is so cute.' He was a people magnet."

• It's all relative: Southern Methodist linebacker Vic Viloria believes his family is related to Hawai'i pro boxer Brian Viloria.

"I don't know if we are, but I think we are, and I tell people we are," he said. "We've been following him for a while."

• Adjusting: SMU is adjusting to a new coach, Phil Bennett, and new quarterback. Last year's top two quarterbacks are no longer with the program. David Page, who had a year of eligibility remaining, earned a bachelor's degree in May and now is working for an accounting firm. Kelan Luker has indicated he is quitting to join a rock band.

"We haven't seen him," wide receiver Chris Cunningham said. "We have to go on."

• What about Bob?: Texas-El Paso defensive back D.J. Walker said he was stunned when assistant coach Bob Wagner resigned two weeks ago to become the athletic director at Kamehameha Schools' Big Island campus.

Wagner, who is UH's winningest Division I football coach, is featured in the UTEP media guide distributed this week.

"I guess he did the best thing for him," Walker said. "There's nothing else to say about that."