Purcell gets WAC honor

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Maybe Melila Purcell III's father should visit more often.

Purcell, a sophomore defensive end, yesterday was named the Western Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Week.

Purcell amassed 12 tackles, including two sacks for 14 yards, and three quarterback hurries in a 31-15 football victory over Texas-El Paso Saturday night. It was the first collegiate football game attended by the elder Purcell, who lives in American Samoa.

Purcell's mother works for Hawaiian Airlines, and she travels to Honolulu every Friday and returns to American Samoan on Mondays.

"This time she brought my dad," Purcell said. "This was the first time he saw me play. It was nice to see another familiar face in the stands."

Purcell said his mother brings fish and lava-lava each visit. He shares the gifts with teammates. "I never get homesick," he said.

Purcell is beginning to feel at home on the defensive line, despite playing most of the season with a torn ligament in his left elbow. He wears a mummified wrap during games.

UH defensive coordinator George Lumpkin said Purcell "plays through discomfort. If you want to be a great athlete, that's what you have to do. Everybody has bumps and bruises. As long as it's something that's not disabling or something that will put you out for the season, you have to play with a little discomfort. Mel is able to do that. He's a good player. I'm not surprised he made player of the week."

UH coach June Jones said Purcell has improved dramatically since enrolling in August 2002. Because a high school English class was not recognized as a core subject, Purcell was not eligible to play as an NCAA freshman last year. After this season, he has two more years of eligibility — three, if he earns a bachelor's degree by August 2005.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Purcell is 33 pounds heavier than he was last year, but 15 pounds lighter than the 260 he weighed in training camp.

"I keep losing weight because of all of the running we do," Purcell said.

Vantz Singletary, who coaches the defensive linemen, suggested that Purcell "needs to come over to my house and let my wife cook some soul food for him."

Still, Purcell has maintained his strength with daily weight training.

"He's a pretty strong guy," Singletary said. "He lives in the weight room. Sometimes I think we should send his mail there."

Before the position meetings every afternoon, Purcell spends at least 30 minutes in Singletary's office watching football videotapes. Purcell said he also receives tutoring from defensive ends Travis LaBoy, Houston Ala and Kevin Jackson.

Lumpkin said Purcell "is a good player who's going to become a great player. He can run. He can change directions. He's smart."

Singletary acknowledged that Purcell, who did not receive extensive football training in American Samoa, "makes some mental errors. The thing is, he's making mistakes while giving 100 percent. He plays with a big motor. He never stops playing hard."

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