Posted on: Friday, April 8, 2005

Wong dropped from UH spring roster

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Slotback Orlando Wong is no longer on the University of Hawai'i football team, UH coach June Jones announced yesterday.

Jones said Wong was released from the spring football roster Wednesday afternoon.

Wong was not immediately available for comment. But Ron Lee, who coaches the receivers, said Wong had difficulty balancing personal commitments with football.

"He's a great kid," Lee said, "but there were a lot of things that were time constraints. He missed a lot of meetings. He was missing too many things. He needs some time to straighten out his private life, his personal life."

Wong was named to The Advertiser's All-State first team as a Kahuku High School senior in 1999.

Wong, who is 6 feet and 187 pounds, signed with the Warriors in February 2000, but then went on a church mission.

It is not known if Wong will rejoin the Warriors in the fall.

Jones said there are about 103 players on the spring roster. NCAA rules limit UH to inviting 105 players to training camp in August. With at least 25 scholarship recruits and "another 10 to 12 walk-ons," Jones said, "35 to 40 players will be cut."

The roster may expand on the first day of the fall semester.

Among the non-scholarship players joining the Warriors this summer are quarterback Colt Brennan of Saddleback Community College and two placekickers. Nolan Miranda, a walk-on, is the only placekicker on the spring roster.

"The best one will kick," Jones said. Asked if he was concerned about finding a successor to Justin Ayat, Jones said, "Nope."

Moe snaps back

As a UH freshman in 2001, Tanuvasa Moe took a hands-on approach to learning how to long-snap.

"I held a football every single day just to make sure my hand was used to the football," Moe said. "Once you get used to the football, it's easier to snap."

Moe recalled carrying the football to classes and around campus.

"Everybody wanted to play with it," he said. "I was like, 'No, that's my ball.' "

Last season, Moe relinquished long-snapping duties to focus on playing linebacker. This spring, he is trying to prove he can juggle the dual responsibilities of linebacker and long-snapper. Last year's long-snapper, Bryce Runge, withdrew from school.

"Coach Jones said he never had a long-snapper be as consistent if he played another position," Moe said. "I'm hoping I can prove him wrong."

Moe said he taught himself how to snap. Using his left hand for support, he launches the ball with his right hand. "It's like I'm throwing the ball between my legs," he said.

Moe, who is 5 feet 11, is projected to start at one of the outside linebacker positions. He said he gained 10 pounds, to 225, to adjust to the demands of new defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville's schemes.

Moe said he sometimes will align on the line of scrimmage, similar to the way former UH linebackers Matt Wright and Jeff Ulbrich were used.

"I'm going to have to take on some bigger opponents," Moe said. "I have to control some o-linemen. I had to put on weight to balance it out."

Moe recently bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times.

The fifth-year senior from Saint Louis School spends his free time with his three children. His 2-year-old son, Tanuvasa Jr., refers to him as "Daddy Football."

Each morning, Moe said, "when they see me getting dropped off at school, they say, 'Daddy's going to football.' They don't say, 'Daddy's going to school.' They associate me more with football than with school."

Sample leads way

Senior wide receiver Ian Sample is taking the lead in "Relay for Life" fund-raiser.

Sample is captain of the football team's entry in the 12-hour walk-a-thon that begins at 7 tonight. Proceeds will go to cancer research.

"It helps me feel good about myself," Sample said. "Helping out feels good. It goes beyond anything else when you can give to somebody who's less fortunate. It's a good thing."

Sample said he became involved after learning of an opening on UH's Student Athletic Advisory Committee. Each sport is allowed two representatives. The football team's lone representative, wide receiver Denny Flanagan, recently was granted a medical retirement.

"Football had nobody, so I decided to step up," Sample said. "I was president of my class in high school. This is something that's sort of up my alley."

Backup quarterback Kainoa Akina, who will compete in the relay, is expected to fill the other vacancy.

In addition to fund-raisers and community projects, the committee mediates disagreements and grievances.

"It's like a union for athletes," Sample said. "If you have any problems, you deal with it. It gives the student-athlete some power and control over certain things. It's a good thing."

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