Two UH linemen to get Senior Bowl call

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i defensive linemen Travis LaBoy and Isaac Sopoaga will be invited to play in the 2004 Senior Bowl, The Advertiser has learned.

Defensive linemen Travis LaBoy, top, and Isaac Sopoaga will be invited to play in the 2004 Senior Bowl. Advertiser library photos

The Senior Bowl, which will be played Jan. 24 in Mobile, Ala., is the most prestigious of the postseason all-star football games. The entire staffs of two National Football League teams will coach the North and South teams.

Last year, more than 630 NFL general managers, head coaches, assistants and scouts attended the game and the preceding practices. Former UH players Vince Manuwai, Wayne Hunter and Pisa Tinoisamoa participated in the 2003 Senior Bowl. All three were selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in April.

The 6-foot-4, 255-pound LaBoy, a pass-rushing end, and 6-3, 330-pound Sopoaga, a defensive tackle, are considered to be the Warriors' best pro prospects this year.

LaBoy's father, Cliff, was a standout defensive lineman for UH in the early 1970s. LaBoy played at Utah State as a freshman in 1999 before transferring to UH.

"When you think about him, he's certainly a play-maker," said Vantz Singletary, who coaches the UH defensive linemen. "He has the ability to change a game. He can make teams alter their protection (schemes)."

Singletary, the nephew of Hall of Fame linebacker Mike Singletary, has worked as an intern for six NFL teams. Through his experience, Singletary compares LaBoy to All-Pro Simeon Rice of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"They have so many similarities, it's scary," Singletary said, noting both use first-step quickness in eluding blockers.

Sopoaga, who was raised in American Samoa, transferred from College of the Canyons (Calif.) in 2001. He did not compete that season while trying to earn enough college credits to be eligible to compete in NCAA Division I-A.

Singletary said Sopoaga is "what every NFL team is looking for. He's a big physical guy. He might not make sack after sack, but he beats up guards and centers. He doesn't hold the point, he moves people."

Sopoaga can bench press 500 pounds, as well as bench 225 pounds a team-high 36 times.

LaBoy and Sopoaga also have been invited to play in the 2004 Hula Bowl on Maui.

Sopoaga and cornerback Kelvin Millhouse have accepted invitations to play in the 2004 East West Shrine Game in San Francisco.

• Hold the line: The Warriors, who made five lineup changes to the starting offensive line in the first six games, will open with the same unit for the third consecutive game.

"We've been up and down, but we're going to stick with (the lineup)," line coach Mike Cavanaugh said.

The past two games UH has started left tackle Tala Esera, left guard Samson Satele, center Derek Faavi, right guard Uriah Moenoa and right tackle Jeremy Inferrera. In the second half of the 31-15 victory over Texas-El Paso on Saturday night, Inferrera moved to left tackle and Brandon Eaton played right tackle.

"I wasn't happy with what was going on," Cavanaugh said. "We weren't mentally ready to go."

Cavanaugh traced part of the problem to inexperience. Inferrera is a freshman and Esera and Satele are second-year freshmen. Faavi is a third-year sophomore.

"To me, even though they're young, they have to respect the game and be mentally ready to come out," Cavanaugh said. "We're not quite there yet. A lot of it is youth and immaturity. We have to grow up."

The Warriors did not allow a sack against UTEP, although UH coach June Jones noted flu-stricken quarterback Tim Chang "saved us a bunch" with his quick release and scrambling.

But Jones said the blockers "are doing a good job." And with a deep freshman class of offensive linemen, Jones added, UH has enough talent "there to move ahead for the next five years."

Cavanaugh said the offensive line earned a collective grade of C-plus under his rating system in which every play is graded on technique and effort. Faavi's score of 80 — a B-minus — was the highest grade. In Cavanaugh's five seasons as UH's line coach, only a handful have earned A grades, most notably Manuwai, Hunter and Kynan Forney.

"Everyone says Manuwai is my son," Cavanaugh said. "Since Samson Satele is doing so well, they're calling him my grandson."

• Health report: Wideout Jeremiah Cockheran aggravated his sprained right ankle against UTEP, but is expected to play in Saturday's game at San Jose State.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.

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