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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, April 6, 2003

Wong on different mission after 2 years in Venezuela

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

On one play, the receiver with the tinted face shield outsprints a tail-gating cornerback into the secondary. On another, he makes a diving catch.

Last week at the University of Hawai'i spring football practice, spectators were left to wonder: Who was that masked man?

"I'm happy to be back," said Orlando Wong, a 2000 Kahuku High graduate who spent the past two years on a church mission in Venezuela.

Wong appears to have lost little of the skills that made him an All-State high school quarterback. The 6-foot Wong weighs 190 pounds, 10 more than his playing weight at Kahuku. He was 210 when he returned from Venezuela in November.

"I'm doing a lot of running," he said. "It's a matter of getting my butt out on the field."

Wong said he did not touch a football during his mission. Instead, Wong said, he "spread the message of God" by helping to build houses and churches in the town of Maracaibo.

"It was very humbling," he said. "There's a lot of poverty out there. It was a learning experience, but a good experience. I grew up a little bit."

Some summer days the mercury soared to 118 degrees. "It was really hot," he said. "I was pretty much out in the jungle."

After returning to Islands, Wong contacted the UH coaches, who offered him a chance to compete at quarterback. But Wong opted to try out at receiver.

"I like to move around on the field," he said. "Throwing the ball is fun, but not as much fun as running with it. I wanted to get the ball and move around."

UH coach June Jones said Wong has picked up the basic schemes of the run-and-shoot offense in the four practices of spring training. "By the middle of the next training camp (in August), he'll have a much better feel of what we're doing."

Ron Lee, who coaches the receivers, added: "Considering he's learning a whole new offense, he's doing fine. He's very competitive and smart. I think he'll turn out fine."

• Another happy return: After suffering a torn ligament in his right knee at the start of last seasons, it was feared linebacker Ikaika Curnan would face a long rehabilitation.

But not only has Curnan regained his quickness, he is atop the depth chart at a new position.

"It's 100 percent now," Curnan said of his right knee.

Curnan had just moved from middle linebacker to the weak side when he suffered the injury.

"It usually takes a whole year to get it going again," Jones said.

But through an extensive stretching and weight-training program, Curnan returned at the end of the 2002 season. He also has answered concerns about whether he would be quick enough to cover the wide open area as an outside linebacker.

"He still has that quickness," said associate head coach George Lumpkin, who coaches the linebackers. "That's what we need out there. He has the ability to run quickly and change directions. He's a hard worker. He wants to be on the field. That type of of work ethic helped him come back quickly."

• Head Warrior: As the father of his version of the run-and-shoot offense, it often appeared as if Jones treated the defense like a stepchild.

But doubling as defensive coordinator this spring — a replacement for Kevin Lempa has not been named — Jones spends as much time now overseeing the defense.

In previous years, Jones spent a lot of time in meetings with the defensive players and coaches. This spring, he is working more with the defenders on the field.

"It's been positive," he said.