ATLANTA — Third-year sophomores C.J. Allen-Jones and Tyson Kafentzis have been told they will be the starting outside linebackers for the University of Hawai'i football team's season opener against Alabama on Saturday.

Allen-Jones and Kafentzis were on the first-team defense during last night's two-hour workout at Georgia Tech's practice field. The Warriors are staying in Atlanta through tomorrow morning, when they will make the 2 1/2-hour bus ride to Birmingham.

"They've had good practices, they're working hard and they're doing well," said George Lumpkin, who coaches the outside linebackers.

Brashton Satele, a second-year freshman, and Amani Purcell, who transferred from Penn State last year, made strong pushes for starting jobs.

But Satele has been slowed by a shoulder stinger and deeply bruised right quadriceps, and Purcell is suffering from a sore left in-step.

Even without injuries to Satele and Purcell, Allen-Jones and Kafentzis had played well enough in spring practice and training camp to earn spots in the opening lineup.

Defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said Allen-Jones "runs fast and hits hard. That's a good combination, don't you think?"

Allen-Jones played as a freshman, but redshirted last season because of a severely sprained ankle. He said the ankle is fine, and so, too, is the "tight" left hamstring that kept him from practicing twice in the past week.

"It wasn't pulled, so I'm OK," said Allen-Jones, who plays on the right side. "I'm not going to let anything hold me back. It's a big game. I want to be on the field, and be part of that success."

Kafentzis is the eighth member of his family to play for UH, and the seventh to start. He will be making his first start since his senior year at Richland High School in Washington.

He has rebounded since missing a practice last week because of flu-like symptoms.

"I busted my butt, and I had to get back into the swing of things after being out that one day," Kafentzis said. "I worked my way back up."

Despite the illness, Kafentzis has maintained his strength. He weighs 230 pounds after gaining nearly 20 pounds during the summer.

"What I like about Kafentzis is he's full blast every step," Glanville said. "He's an all-out, full-speed player, even when he's sick, and I think he's still a little bit sick."

Lumpkin said the plan still is to rotate four players at those two positions, particularly in Alabama's humidity.

FORMER WARRIORS VISIT

Former UH players Vince Manuwai and Chad Owens of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kynan Forney of the Atlanta Falcons made surprise visits yesterday.

The Jaguars are playing the Falcons tonight in the Georgia Dome. Manuwai and Owens are staying at a nearby hotel in downtown Atlanta.

"We wanted to show our support," Owens said. "Once a Warrior, always a Warrior."

Manuwai was a senior when most of this year's UH seniors were freshmen. "They're all grown up," Manuwai said. "It's nice to see how much they've grown."

The Jaguars return to Jacksonville after tonight's game. Manuwai and Owens said they have booked reservations for a flight to Birmingham on Saturday. They will travel with the team to Tuscaloosa, and be on the sideline for the Alabama game.

"I'm pumped up and happy for them," Manuwai said. "They represent me now. I'll be on the sideline, checking it out, staying out of the way, and letting them do their own thing."

Both are expected to deliver pre-game pep talks.

"That's a big game," Owens said. "It's an opportunity to show what Hawai'i is all about. Every time we play a big team, we tend to raise our level of play. I'm just as excited as they are. No matter where I go, I represent Hawai'i. These guys represent Hawai'i, too."

UH free safety Leonard Peters said the visits made an immediate impact.

"People put NFL guys up on a pedestal," Peters said. "For them to take time out of their day to visit us, that means a lot to our team. It shows that they're still local guys, the kind we grew up with."

During the practice at Georgia Tech, Forney, who owns a house in the area, greeted his former teammates.

Dennis McKnight, who coaches the offensive linemen, offered Forney some blocking tips. McKnight is a former NFL player and coach.

"It's always good to come out and see the team," Forney said. "I hardly see them during the football season."

Forney had to rearrange his schedule to make practice. "I don't mind," he said. "I've got time to sleep in the morning."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.