Gilmore to start at safety for UH
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i football team is expected to shake up its defensive lineup for Saturday night's game at Texas-El Paso.
UH coaches have remained evasive — "we're evaluating things," defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa said yesterday — but free safety David Gilmore is prepared to make his first collegiate start and Houston Ala is expected to open at right end in place of Travis Laboy.
The moves are triggered by Gilmore's development and UTEP's run-option offense. Laboy, the team's best pass-rusher, is better suited for passing teams.
"I think I'm ready," said Gilmore, a 6-foot, 188-pound junior from Albuquerque. "I watched a lot of film and stuff. I'm excited."
After recovering from back surgery two years ago, Gilmore has developed into an effective free safety. The UH coaches have been impressed with his range and tackling.
"He's a smart football player," UH coach June Jones said.
Gilmore said he turned down a chance to play at New Mexico to walk-on at UH.
"I wanted to go far away and experience something new," he said. "Hawai'i sounded like a cool place. I wanted to come here."
Free safety Sean Butts started UH's first two games, but has been limited in recent practices because of an ankle injury. Butts is also expected to play Saturday.
Ala, who can play the four positions on the defensive line, has emerged as an aggressive run-defender. He has the strength to fight off double-teams — he can bench press 450 pounds — and is quick enough to slip past interior blockers.
• Roster update: Linebackers Marco Chavez and Isaiah Alameda are no longer with the team.
Chavez left because of family reasons, Jones confirmed yesterday.
Because Chavez was a junior-college transfer who was enrolled at UH since January, his scholarship cannot be immediately transferred to a nonscholarship player.
Division I-A teams are restricted to offering 25 new scholarships a year with an overall scholarship limit of 85. A nonscholarship player must be in the program two years to receive a scholarship that does not count toward the 25-scholarship limit.
Jones said he defers scholarship calculations to compliance officer Daniel Arakaki and academic chief Leon Schumaker.
"I don't even know how they work that thing," Jones said. "I'm glad I don't have to mess with it."
• Easy riders: Using charter flights to travel to road games has been a success so far.
In the economy section, there are rows of three seats on each side of the aisle. Players sit in the window and aisle seats, with the middle seats left vacant.
"It makes it easier for 300-pound players," Jones said.
Although the team still must go through federal security checks, the searches are conducted on the bus instead of the airport terminal.
The Warriors are using charter flights for four of their five road trips this season.
