By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

To watch the way Kenny Patton is going about playing cornerback for the University of Hawai'i this spring is to want to hurriedly count down the days until the football season opens.

The Sept. 4 season opener almost can't start soon enough to see if, under game conditions, Patton can be everything his considerable promise says he might be.

For if Patton isn't exactly the surprise of the spring, he is definitely one of its brightest prospects to date. Four practices into a 15-session spring practice where many of the starting positions on defense are up for grabs, they might as well put up the "no vacancy" sign on right cornerback.

In athletic terms, "He's an Ashley (Lelie) waiting to happen," said Rich Miano, assistant coach in charge of the defensive backs.

"Physically, where (Patton) has come from and where he is now is just ... well, incredible," Miano said. "He's made incredible gains — more than anybody since I've been here. Mentally, too, he's all you could ask for. He's smart, he's focused and he's dedicated."

From when he first set foot on campus 20 months ago a skinny freshman from Punahou School via La Canada, Calif., Patton has put on 25 pounds and, at a molded 6 feet, 180 pounds, become a poster player for strength coach Mel deLaura's program.

"He's gone from a 30-inch vertical jump to 40 inches; he went from bench pressing 225 pounds three times to doing it 21 times; he's gone from running a 4.55 (40-yard dash) to 4.4-something," Miano said.

The question now is: What will he do with it all?

Being a physical specimen is one thing. Being somebody who can step in and fill the void left by all-Western Athletic Conference cornerback Kelvin Millhouse, a three-year starter and big play-maker, is quite an assignment. And Patton is the first to tell you it is both early in the spring and he hasn't gone against UH's best receivers.

Yet, he's shown glimpses that he might be up for the task. As a freshman in 2002, he started three games, returned a blocked field goal 74 yards for a touchdown, and earned a place on a freshman all-WAC team.

Now, after a redshirt season because of injury, "I'm excited to see how he'll play when the bright lights go on," Miano said, "because that's the only thing we don't know. How will he play under pressure? How will he respond after he gets beat? Those are things you can't tell until the season starts."

And, given Patton's promise, that almost can't come soon enough.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.