UH's Kauka out for season
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
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UH football 2002 RECORD: 1-1 NEXT GAME: Sept. 21 at Texas-El Paso NEXT HOME GAME: Sept. 28 vs. Southern Methodist, 6:05 p.m. |
A magnetic resonance imaging Saturday showed Kauka, a senior from Hilo, suffered tears to his right anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and meniscus cartilage. The injury occurred when a Brigham Young player was blocked into Kauka's knee in the Warriors' 35-32 loss Friday in Provo, Utah.
Marumoto said the usual recovery period is 4-to-6 months, although rehabilitation can last up to a year. Marumoto said this is "a very common football injury" suffered by such pro players as Jerry Rice and Jamal Anderson.
Marumoto said there is a waiting period of 2-to-4 weeks to allow the swelling to decrease.
"If you operate too soon, you can get abnormal scarring and permanent stiffness," Marumoto said.
Kauka, who plays on six special teams, was awarded a football scho-larship last month. On punt teams, Kauka plays upback, which is considered to be the quarterback of the unit.
As a fifth-year senior, Kauka is not eligible to receive a medical hardship, which would allow him to play next season.
No go: A.J. Martinez, a heralded defensive back from Edison High in Huntington Beach, Calif., will not play for the Warriors this season
The NCAA Clearinghouse apparently has rejected Martinez's eligibility appeal.
Edison coach Dave White had said Martinez earned good grades and a qualifying SAT score, but the problem was caused by a misinterpretation of his high school transcripts.
A UH spokeswoman declined to comment, saying she had not seen a copy of the ruling.
Martinez is expected to join the Warriors next year.
Endorsement for Chang: UH coach June Jones said Tim Chang "has what it takes to play" quarterback despite being intercepted four times in the Warriors' loss to BYU.
"Everybody is zeroing in on the bad things that happened, where I'm thinking he saved my job on fourth-and-8," Jones said, referring to a situation in the fourth quarter when the Warriors opted not to punt. Chang completed a 41-yard pass to Justin Colbert to set up UH's final touchdown.
"He made plays that winners make," Jones said. "He has to improve on a couple of the other things. He has what it takes to play."
Jones said quarterbacks and cornerbacks usually receive the most critical scrutiny.
"The stuff he has to deal with is the stuff you have to deal with playing that position," Jones said. "No matter who you are, you have to learn to deal with that or you can't play."
Dr. Andrew Nichols, the team's physician, said Chang this week is scheduled to undergo an X-ray of the broken right pinkie on his throwing hand. The examination will "assess the healing, to be sure there hasn't been any change in the alignment of the bone," Nichols said. "We should see good evidence of healing this time."
Chang has had no problems receiving snaps from the shotgun formation. But because of Chang's broken finger, Jason Whieldon has been used in short-yardage situations when a snap from under center is required.
Nichols said "the bone will achieve most of its healing strength in four weeks." Thursday will be exactly four weeks since Chang suffered the Aug. 15 injury.
If Chang can take a short snap, he will be used in all situations, Jones said.
The Warriors' next game is Sept. 21 at Texas-El Paso.
