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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, August 30, 2006

UH senior defensive end
Melila Purcell

Video Inteview: Mel Purcell

With a stronger, more experienced supporting cast, defensive end Melila Purcell won't have the weight of the world on his shoulders.

REBECCA BREYER | The Honolulu Advertiser


A natural athlete, Melila Purcell was named all-Western Athletic Conference honorable mention as a sophomore and second team as a junior. He started eight games last season, playing in 10. He finished with 34 tackles last season and 74 two seasons ago. Last season, the 6-foot-5, 280-pounder was named the recipient of the Ben Yee Most Inspirational Player Award.


You've added some weight to become more effective in the 3-4 defense. How will that help you and how do you see the defense performing this season?


"It helps a lot. It's a big advantage for us to gain weight playing in this 3-4 (formation). It's much easier. I could play with any weight on the outside if we had a 4-3, but now we're going up against guys way bigger than us, three times bigger than us, so gaining weight is a big advantage for us. Especially for me and Ikaika (Alama-Francis), since we both came in as skinny guys. Our coaches told us the average weight for D-ends drafted into the league was about 270, 280. During the offseason that was one of our main goals, to gain weight and maintain our speed."

(On the defensive line)

"We got better from last year. We have a bigger picture of the jobs we have to do, our responsibilities. It was kind of confusing, switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4, so it's kind of hard for D-linemen, because everyone is playing tackles instead of people playing outside. The D-line is moving around. We're just flying all over the place. We just want to do our jobs first before we do anyone else's. Our main goal is to play tough inside and hopefully nothing gets through."

(On the overall defense)

"I think the defense this year is more confident in the job, because as I said before last year, everybody was confused with our running package and our passing. Playing against our own offense, it's all passing, so against other schools they run double tights, two backs, so it was hard to adjust. The coaches have been doing a good job putting in plays where they just line us up and we just play, ready to go. I think we're pretty good in the backfield, the secondary. We have Leonard (Peters) coming back, so it's a big deal. Missing him last season was kind of a struggle for the secondary, because he was the leader of the secondary. Having him back, controlling the backside, now we feel comfortable that they won't be getting any long balls from now on. The whole defense is clicking."


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