Posted on: Sunday, April 25, 2004
Akina moves up QB chart
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist
After just his freshman year of college football, some had begun to wonder if Kainoa Akina had already taken too many hard hits.
After all, if he was going to give up a golden opportunity to spend four years as a Division I-A starting quarterback, something must be wrong.
"Some people did think I was crazy," Akina said. "They asked me, 'How can you walk away from a situation like that?' ''
It wasn't only his teammates at Eastern Michigan, where Akina had started seven games as a freshman. Even some members of his own family wondered about the wisdom of transferring to the University of Hawai'i. "A lot of people tried to talk me out of leaving," Akina said.
Entering the final week of spring football practice at UH, suddenly it doesn't seem to be all that crazy of a move anymore.
That could all change by the time spring ends Saturday night at Aloha Stadium. Or, before two-a-day practices conclude in August. But for now, Akina has been growing into the position day by day. He's had a presence about him, more confident than cocky, and been able to make plays even when protection breaks down.
"I've still got a lot to work on," Akina said. "I've got to work on my reads and making better decisions, but I'm getting more comfortable."
It was comfort that helped bring him back to Hawai'i, where he was born but had not resided since age 3. A son of Duane Akina, a former Punahou School quarterback and UH assistant coach, and an heir to the long line of Akina family athletic tradition, Kainoa lived in Canada and Tucson, Ariz., following his father's coaching career.
"But we visited Hawai'i in the summer, and it seemed like home. I had a lot of family here and wanted to see what I could do here," Kainoa said.
Skip Akina, an uncle, recalls, "I asked him if he knew what he was doing coming here. I told him he might be eighth string and never play a down. He told me, 'Uncle, have you been in Michigan in the winter?' "
"I had to tell him, 'you have a point.' "
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.
While coaches are reluctant to talk about how the four-man depth chart stands, based upon his performance so far, you'd have to figure if the season started today, Akina would be the backup to senior Tim Chang.
