Record-setting Rivers receives WAC honor
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Lately, roosters can time their days to University of Hawai'i wide receiver Jason Rivers.
At 5:15 every morning, Rivers is on the UH-Manoa campus, watching videotapes of opponents.
By 5:45, he often is on the practice field after maneuvering past the locked gates.
Although UH does not begin practicing until 7, "I want to make sure I'm the first one on the field," he said. "I want to be out there getting myself mentally prepared for practice. It's those little things that will make me a better player."
The improved play was acknowledged yesterday when Rivers was named the Western Athletic Conference's Offensive Player of the Week.
In Saturday's 52-21 victory over Idaho, Rivers had nine catches for 167 yards and a school-record four touchdown receptions.
"It's my first time," he said of the award, "so I have to feel good."
In the past four games, Rivers, a sophomore from Saint Louis School, caught 34 passes for 366 yards and six touchdowns. In UH's first five games, he had 25 catches for 345 yards and no touchdowns.
"He's more conscientious in his work," UH coach June Jones said.
Rivers acknowledged he had difficulty focusing on football during the summer, when he needed to complete work to meet the academic requirements to play this season.
"That played a big part in me not being mentally prepared for the start of the season," he said. "It was pretty obvious in my performance. I was playing all right, but I wasn't doing what I'm doing now. I wasn't mentally prepared. I didn't feel as fast as I do now. When you're confident, when you know what you're doing, you play faster on the field. I feel much better than I did at the start of the season."
Ron Lee, who coaches the UH receivers, said he was pleased Rivers has made an in-season adjustment.
"Some guys wait for the season to end to realize they could have done a better job," Lee said. "He realized early what he needed to do to get better. He's a lot more focused. We're really happy about that."
Lee said he sees that commitment every morning.
"When I get to school," Lee said, "he's usually up there already. All I can say is, 'Keep it up,' whatever it is."
Moe's return could shuffle linebackers
If Tanuvasa Moe is available to play Saturday against Northwestern, the Warriors might shuffle their linebackers. Moe missed the past four games because of a strained hamstring. In his absence, freshman Brad Kalilimoku has emerged as an effective weakside linebacker.
Jones said he is exploring the possibility of moving Moe to strongside linebacker, allowing Kalilimoku to remain in the lineup.
Middle linebacker Ikaika Curnan, who has not started in the past six games because of a sprained right ankle, participated in conditioning drills yesterday. Yesterday afternoon, he told a reporter he is ready to play this week. "I'm back," he said.
In Curnan's absence, Watson Ho'ohuli has started five games and Timo Paepule started one.
Northwestern's bowl hopes on the line
For the second consecutive week, Northwestern is in a must-win situation. The Wildcats (6-5) need to beat UH to finish with a winning regular season and earn a berth in the Music City Bowl in Nashville.
UH needs to win its final two games to qualify for the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.
"It's a playoff for us," said Northwestern defensive tackle Luis Castillo. "We expect them to play their hardest and they expect us to play our hardest."
The Wildcats have played in four bowls in the past 50 years and have had three winning seasons since 1972.
"We know there's a lot riding on this game," running back Noah Herron said. "It's a one-game season right now. It's do or die."
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
