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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Tuesday, September 2, 2003

WARRIORS NOTEBOOK
UH's Ilaoa has partially torn right knee ligament

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Nate Ilaoa played three series after partially tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament Saturday against Appalachian State. His status for the Sept. 13 road game against USC is undetermined.

Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

University of Hawai'i football player Nate Ilaoa has been diagnosed with a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, school officials confirmed yesterday.

UH coach June Jones said Ilaoa, the starting right slotback, will be evaluated over the next 10 days to determine his availability for the Sept. 13 road game against Southern California. The Warriors have a bye this weekend.

Ilaoa, a third-year sophomore from Virginia, suffered the injury in the first quarter of the Warriors' 40-17 victory over Appalachian State on Saturday night at Aloha Stadium. Ilaoa played in three series after suffering the injury, including one in which he gained 41 yards on a screen-and-sprint play.

Ilaoa underwent a magnetic resonance imaging Sunday afternoon. The MRI, which used magnetic fields to create a picture of the body's interior, showed a "grade-2" tear of the right anterior cruciate ligament. On the three-point scale, a "2" is regarded as "moderate," UH officials said.

Jones said quarterback Tim Chang and left slotback Chad Owens played with partially torn knee ligaments last season.

"You can do it," Jones said, although emphasizing a wait-and-see approach is necessary with Ilaoa because his juking running style could further stress the injury.

"If you press it, and it risks blowing something else out, you don't want to do that," Jones said.

UH is hopeful the injury will heal without surgery. The post-surgery rehabilitation period is about six months.

Ilaoa attended a one-hour team meeting yesterday morning, but did not participate in the ensuing one-hour workout on the school's grass practice field.

If Ilaoa cannot play against USC, the Warriors will turn to his immediate backups, Clifton Herbert and Gerald Welch. Jones said another possibility is to move starting left wideout Britton Komine. The replacement will be "one of those three guys," Jones said.

Moving up: Se'e Poumele, a fourth-year junior from San Diego, has been promoted to third-string quarterback, behind starter Tim Chang and understudy Jason Whieldon, Jones confirmed yesterday.

With Chang suspended for last Saturday's season opener, Whieldon, who started and threw for 359 yards, Poumele and Jeff Rhode took snaps.

Of the promotion, Poumele said: "Like coach Jones says, 'If there's a role, you have to play it.' If the coach throws me in there, that's fine for me."

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