UH may get one injured star back
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Although University of Hawai'i wide receiver Jeremiah Cockheran vows to play, defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga is likely to miss Saturday's football game against Fresno State at Aloha Stadium.
"I have to go," said Cockheran, who has a badly sprained right ankle. "I have to step it up."
Cockheran, a co-captain and the offense's best deep threat, said he is being treated with ice packs, whirlpool sessions and electrical stimulation. He originally suffered the injury in a moped accident in July, and has aggravated it three times since then. He did not play in last week's 27-16 loss at Tulsa.
COCKHERAN
Cockheran, who wore knickers-length sweat pants yesterday, tested his right ankle on several pass routes. "It was sore, especially when I made cuts," he said. "I still have a long way to go, but I'll be ready."
The prognosis is not as optimistic for Sopoaga, who has a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Sopoaga has not been able to compete in practices.
"My whole body feels good, except for my right knee," he said. "It's kind of sad. I don't like to sit out practice. I'm trying to force myself to practice for this big game, but the coaches, doctor and the trainers say I cannot."
Similar to Cockheran, Sopoaga said he only feels discomfort when he tries to move laterally. "When I go forward, there's no problem with that," he said.
Sopoaga said he is treated with fofo — a Samoan massage technique performed by family elders — and ice packs.
• Deep concerns: Of the Warriors' 35 passes against Tulsa, only one deep one — a 31-yarder to freshman Jason Rivers — was completed. UH coach June Jones said the figure was distressing, considering his claim the Warriors missed five chances to complete scoring passes.
Quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison said the problem is twofold: the Warriors were without three of the four starting receivers and Tulsa, like many opponents, played a deep coverage to force short throws.
Morrison said Tulsa aligned in a two deep zone, and, at the snap, the safeties moved up into man-to-man coverage. Still, the safeties, who started 15 to 20 yards back, had at least a 10-yard cushion, giving them a head start and making it difficult for the UH receivers to break free.
"Teams are doing a great job of staying deep," UH quarterback Tim Chang said. "At the start of the snap, at the free safety position, you see them 15 to 20 yards off of us. They're doing a good job of keeping things under them."
Second-year freshman Sean Stennis, who replaced Cockheran at right wideout, said, Tulsa's coverage "messes up your timing."
Cockheran, who made two over-the-shoulder catches against Rice two weeks ago, and slotback Nate Ilaoa, who is out for the season because of a torn knee ligament, were able to stretch defenses with their quickness and agility. Cockheran and Ilaoa, according to Morrison, "have a certain expressed quickness you can't find in everybody. The other guys are quick, they're good, they're learning, but it'll be nice to get (Cockheran) back on the field."
Most offenses set the acceptable completion rate for deep passes at 33 percent. Because the Warriors practice deep passes every practice, their goal is 40 percent.
"The throws (Chang) made to Jeremiah (against Rice) are where we want to be," Morrison said. "They were right on the money, right on the dead run. (Against Tulsa) I know there were a few throws (Chang) wished he could have back. Sometimes they slipped, sometimes his feet weren't (set) quite right."
Of his problems on vertical plays, Chang said: "I didn't do a good job of taking shots when I needed to take shots. I think I forced them in or when the guy was open, I missed him. I've got to do a better job of putting the ball in receivers' hands."
• Dog tale: Cockheran, a long-time fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, named his new pit bull after their star player, Kobe Bryant. Cockheran has been trying, without success, to land Bryant's autograph. Although the Lakers are practicing at the Stan Sheriff Center, where the Warriors usually are served their breakfast, their practices are off limits to the public.
• Back in the swing: Placekicker Nolan Miranda, a second-year freshman from Castle High, was medically cleared after it was feared he had an enlarged heart.
An angiogram did not show any abnormalities.
"They said everything is fine," Miranda said. "It was a little scary."
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
