Chang, Elimimian battling injuries

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones is concerned about the health of two of the Warriors' captains — quarterback Tim Chang and cornerback Abraham Elimimian.

In Saturday's 51-20 road loss to Texas-El Paso, Chang aggravated a partially dislocated left shoulder on a late hit by defensive end Ibok Ibok in the third quarter. He played the next two snaps before going to the Sun Bowl training room for treatment. He played in the fourth quarter.

Although the injury is to the non-throwing shoulder, Chang risks "reinjury if he gets tackled again," Jones said. "He sucked it up and came back in. At the same time, if you take another hit, that's it."

Asked about Chang's availability for this Saturday's game against San Jose State, Jones said: "He'll play if he can go. But there's a possibility, obviously, he would not be able to, also."

Jones disapproved of Ibok's hit, which came after Chang had released a pass into the left flat.

"That hit, unfortunately, was a cheap shot," Jones said. "It was kind of too bad. It happens in football. ... That one was so far late, something else should be done. In the NFL, he would have been suspended probably for a week and fined big money. But, hey, in college football, it's a 15-yard penalty."

Elimimian intercepted three passes, parlaying one into a 20-yard return for a touchdown, but suffered a pulled right hamstring when he tried to chase down a receiver who eluded a safety in the third quarter. He did not play after that.

Jones said it was too early to determine if Elimimian will play this week. "Hopefully, he can," Jones said. "Obviously, it would be a crisis if he can't."

Elimimian said: "We shall see."

Jones said Elimimian has been the Western Athletic Conference's best cornerback the past two seasons. "As far as I'm concerned, I can't imagine any corner better than him," Jones said. "He's done what he's had to do. He did what he had to do (against UTEP) to help us win a game, and we just didn't do something with it offensively when he gave us those chances."

In the fourth quarter against UTEP, the Warriors were without three of their four starting defensive backs. Right safety Lono Manners, who suffered a fractured ankle in the first half, is expected to miss the rest of the season.

"That really hurts us, because Lono was really playing pretty dang well for us," Jones said. "It's unfortunate for him because he worked so hard to get to that spot where he could be a starter. He just got better and better every game, and he's a hitter. It's just unfortunate."

Lamar Broadway, who started UH's first two games, is the leading candidate to replace Manners. Landon Kafentzis and Matt Manuma also will compete. Jones said it is unlikely Paul Lutu-Carroll, who played well at safety in spring practice before moving to linebacker, would switch back.

Starting left cornerback Kenny Patton did not play Saturday because of a pulled left hamstring.

Jones said Patton's availability is not clear for the coming game.

Jones said backup left wideout Ian Sample will miss the next three to six games because of a shoulder separation. Rene Melson or starting right wideout Britton Komine, who has a strained hamstring, also can serve as backup to left wideout Jason Rivers.

Jones said he does not expect middle linebacker Ikaika Curnan or backup defensive tackle Kahai LaCount to play this week.

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