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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, March 20, 2002

Replacing Lelie another challenge for Gossett

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i football player Neal Gossett notes the irony in the praise he receives for running precise pass routes, especially because of the circuitous route he took on his way from Waipahu High to Manoa.

June Jones says UH will be in good hands with Neal Gossett. "I think he has a chance to step up and make a name for himself," Jones says.

Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

The pressure of succeeding record-breaking wide receiver Ashley Lelie, he said, pales to the effort it took to fulfill a goal of playing for an NCAA Division I program.

"It's been an uphill battle," Gossett said.

As a Waipahu High senior in 1997, Gossett faced an uncertain future.

"I had bad grades out of high school and bad SATs," he said. "I didn't hit the books like I was supposed to. I had a bad injury during my junior year of high school, and some colleges thought I was a liability. After that, I didn't really go to class all of the time."

After his graduation, he enlisted in the Air National Guard. "It taught me about hard work," Gossett recalled, "and getting up early. It made me grow up quickly."

The following year, he took the SAT several times, finally earning a qualifying score. Soon after June Jones was hired as UH's head coach in December 1998, Gossett called the UH coaches and begged for a chance to join the team as a non-scholarship player. Gossett was invited to the spring practice in 1999.

"It was a long route to get here, but it was my fault," he said. "The whole experience taught me a lot, like how to take care of business. I can't stress enough how important school is. And I learned how much of a privilege it is to play football."

Gossett redshirted in 1999, and played sparingly in 2000. "When I first got out there, I had a hard time reading the defense," he recalled. "The speed of the game is a lot faster. I had a rough time."

In Jones' run-and-shoot offense, the receivers are required to read the pass coverages on the fly. During last year's spring practice, Gossett said, "I really started to understand the offense."

The trouble was, Gossett was listed on the depth chart behind Lelie, one of the nation's best wideouts. UH rarely substitutes receivers during games, leaving Gossett with few opportunities. Last season, he managed two catches for 56 yards.

"I had to know my role," he said. "I had to back up Ashley and get ready for my time."

His time came earlier than scheduled, when Lelie decided to forgo his senior season and apply for the National Football League draft. Suddenly, the understudy had the lead role.

"I've thought about it, but I don't let it bother me," said Gossett, a junior in eligibility. "I just go out there and do what I do."

Lelie, who is five inches taller than the 5-foot-10 Gossett, can run 40 yards in 4.27 seconds. Gossett runs the same distance in just under 4.5 seconds. But in studying his technique in the 40, the coaches noticed that Gossett was slow in firing out of the blocks. In preparing for spring practice, Gossett worked on sprints and endurance runs, as well as his first-step moves.

"The burst out of the three-point stance is the hardest part for me," he said. "It feels uncomfortable. I didn't run track in high school, so I'm not used to getting down there."

Gossett said he has improved his technique, and believes he is quicker. While he cannot run fade patterns as well as Lelie, he is better on slants and quick cuts.

"I think he has a chance to step up and make a name for himself this year," Jones said. "He has the speed and the work ethic. When you have those two things, good things happen. He's going to have his moments, I'm sure, and he's going to have big shoes to fill. But I think he can fill them."