The 6-foot-3 Moenoa, considered to be the leader of the offensive line, appears to weigh more than his listed weight of 327 pounds in the Warriors' position chart.

"My shape is very shapely," said Moenoa, a fourth-year junior who started 26 consecutive games at right tackle before switching positions in spring practice.

In radio and newspaper interviews, Mike Cavanaugh, who coaches the offensive line, admitted to being disappointed in Moenoa's physical condition.

"I had to take care of some things, some family things," Moenoa said. "It was stuff that happened within my family. A lot of things affected me this summer. Those things affected my training. But I have no problems now. My only problems are my body and what I have to do to prepare myself and not let my teammates down. I'm going to be ready (for the Aug. 30 opener). I'm not going to let them down against Appalachian State."

Moenoa said he was not discouraged by Cavanaugh's critical comments.

"If anything, that drives me harder," he said. "I know, deep down, he really cares, and I care, too."

Moenoa returned to being his jovial self yesterday, blaming his weight gain on his longer hair and questioning Cavanaugh's claim of a 20-pound weight loss through the Atkins Diet.

"They say I gained and he lost, but he looks the same," Moenoa said. "It's how you look at it, I guess. Perspective is everything."

• Mini-Me: Four years ago, four Roosevelt High football players — Chad Kalilimoku, Chad Kapanui, Chad Owens and Blake Harano — pledged to one day play college football together.

Owens and Kapanui joined the Warriors in 2000, Kalilimoku transferred from Santa Ana (Calif.) College last year and this week Harano became the final piece.

"It's about time," said Owens, the starting right slot back. "I've been trying to get (Harano) here for three years. We always talked about how great it would be to go to college and play football together, and now we're all here. A couple of them had to go another route, but we finally made it."

Harano, a 2000 Roosevelt graduate, played at Santa Ana for two years before moving back to the Islands.

"I came here for school, but I decided to walk on because I love football so much," Harano said. "Since I was small, I wanted to play for UH. I used to go to games every year with my dad. We had season tickets."

Harano is listed as one of Owens' backups at right slotback. While the 5-foot-9, 177-pound Owens goes by the nickname "Mighty Mouse," Harano is actually smaller.

"I'm 5-5 and maybe three-quarters," he said. "Put my weight down as 150. Nah, better make that high 140s."

"He's smaller than me," Owens said, "but his heart is very big. He's really tough. He can play."

• Patton pending: While recovering from a sprained posterior capsule in his left knee, defensive back Kenny Patton is using crutches.

Patton said he suffered the injury six weeks ago, but exploratory surgery Wednesday did not show any significant damage.

"I've got about a week and I'll be back out there," Patton said. "It's not that serious."

Patton is competing for a significant role when the Warriors use five or six defensive backs.

• New direction: Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan, who played two seasons for the UH basketball team before joining the football team in April, said he believes "of the two sports, football is my future."

Akpan has been working out at rush end on the defensive line. The 6-foot-8 Akpan has gained 21 pounds since the spring and now weighs 254.

Although he plans to rejoin the basketball team as a nonscholarship player in December or January, Akpan said he believes he has a better chance for a professional career in football.