Posted on: Thursday, November 4, 2004
Kafentzis to start at safety, Kalilimoku to play at linebacker
| • | Warriors call on family ties |
| • | LaTech's Moats always on the run |
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
In the aftermath of last week's 69-3 loss to Boise State, the University of Hawai'i football team is expected to shuffle its defensive lineup.
Brad Kalilimoku — the younger brother of former Warrior linebacker Chad Kalilimoku — is expected to either start or platoon at weakside linebacker.
Kafentzis, a 6-foot, 194-pound junior, will fill the vacancy originally created when Lono Manners suffered a season-ending ankle injury three weeks ago. Matt Manuma and Lamar Broadway had taken turns starting at right safety.
"He did a nice job (last week)," UH coach June Jones said. "Doing the right thing is a lot of the battle there."
Rich Miano, who coordinates UH's pass defense, said Kafentzis inherited the family's ability "to really hit."
Miano and Mark Kafentzis were UH teammates. "I idolized him," Miano said. "That was the guy I emulated in terms of going to the pros. I redshirted (in 1981) because Mark was a senior. He trained me."
Mark Kafentzis, the Cleveland Browns' eighth-round draft choice in 1982, played several seasons in the National Football League.
"He always came back and helped me out," Miano said. "We really got to like one another and respect one another. I thought he was a hard-hitting, blue-collar guy who made the most of his ability. That's what I wanted to be."
After his NFL career ended, Mark Kafentzis lived in Hawai'i. Landon and his brother, Tyson, a UH freshman linebacker, attended Kahala Elementary. "When I grew up here, Coach Miano was like an uncle to me," Landon said. "He's a great guy. It's almost like he's family."
Mark and his family eventually moved to Richland, Wash., but Landon remained a UH fan.
"When I was growing up, Hawai'i football was everything," he said. "We talked about Hawai'i football a lot."
In high school, Landon often wore his father's UH apparel.
Landon committed to Arizona to play for Dick Tomey, who was his father's coach at UH. But Tomey resigned before Landon enrolled. He stayed at Arizona for two years before transferring to a community college. This past spring, Landon welcomed the opportunity to join the Warriors as a non-scholarship player.
"It's crazy to be out here knowing that all of my family used to play here and now I'm playing here," Landon said. "It's just a good feeling. It's nice representing Hawai'i."
"All they talk about is if I made a big play or big hit," he said. "If I wasn't a hitter, it definitely would be a shock to them."
Brad Kalilimoku also said he receives advice and encouragement from family members. His father, Fred, was a standout linebacker/defensive back at Roosevelt High. Fred was the linebackers coach when his sons attended Roosevelt.
"Even when I'm on the field, he coaches me," Brad said. "And my brother comes down from the stands to tell me what to do. It's cool to have family to talk to me."
Brad spent the 2003-'04 academic year at Hawai'i Pacific University, earning enough credits to play as a UH freshman. Because UH accepts only full-time students from HPU, he needed to take a full course load last year, a schedule that cost him a year of his NCAA eligibility clock. The NCAA allows players five years to play four seasons.
"It sucks because I wasted my redshirt year because (HPU does not) have football," he said. "I could have at least been studying the plays, working out."
He said he received tips from his brother, who was UH's starting middle linebacker in 2003. Both were born a month premature, although Chad grew to 5 feet 11 and 245 pounds. Brad, also 5-11, weighs 198.
"He took all of my weight," Brad said. "But I got the speed, and he knows it."
Despite his slender build, Brad can bench press 225 pounds 26 times.
"He makes a lot of plays," Jones said. "He has great speed and he seems to find the football."
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
Landon Kafentzis — whose father, Mark, and four uncles were UH defensive backs in the 1980s — has been told he will start at right safety in Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech.
After every game, Landon receives a telephone call from his family.
Elimimian invited to Shrine Game
UH cornerback Abraham Elimimian has been invited to compete in the East West Shrine Game.
The all-star football game will be played Jan. 15 at SBC Park in San Francisco.
UH quarterback Tim Chang already has accepted an invitation to play in that game.
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