Since the first stage of his football career, David Veikune has learned to carry his own weight.

"My dad has been training me since I was little," said Veiku- ne, now a University of Ha- wai'i defensive lineman.

Oma Veiku- ne would place weights on the back of his then 9-year-old son, who would then do push-ups.

"He put on little plates, not too heavy for a kid," David Veikune recalled. "He wanted to make sure I would be strong. He did it to prevent injuries. He felt if I got strong, I wouldn't be injury prone. He was right."

Veikune is now one of the strongest Warriors. In testing last month, Veikune, who is 6 feet 3 and 260 pounds, bench pressed a team-high 455 pounds.

He also benched 225 pounds 35 times, second to linebacker R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane's 37 reps, and was one of six Warriors to squat-lift 500 pounds.

Veikune said he began to weight train "seriously" in the eighth grade. He benched 400 pounds for the first time as a Campbell High junior, earning a coveted reward.

"If you bench 400, you get a '400 Bench' T-shirt," he said. "I really wanted one."

Last month, UH conditioning coach Mel deLaura timed Veikune sprinting 40 yards in 4.75 seconds. Veikune had a faster 40 time than two quarterbacks, three wide receivers, nine running backs, six defensive backs and 11 linebackers.

Veikune traces his quickness to his "small legs."

"I don't have the Poly-huge legs," added Veikune, who is Tongan and Irish.

Veikune's blend of strength and quickness fits defensive coordinator Greg McMackin's high-pressure schemes. Veikune can play end or tackle in the 4-3 alignment. He is the No. 1 nose tackle in the 3-3-5 Okie package. McMackin said he considers Veikune to be a "No. 1 guy" at the three positions.

It is a significant upgrade from his freshman year, when he was a redshirt at Colorado. "I wanted to try something different," Veikune said of first college choice. "That's why I tried the Mainland. It was freezing. I really missed home."

He left Colorado, taking a detour at Fresno City College, where he was a starting defensive end. He had enough credits to transfer to a Division I-A program after one year at Fresno City.

"My junior college coach had a lot of other schools he could have led me to," Veikune said. "I told him the only place I wanted to go to was Hawai'i. I got in touch with (UH assistant coach) Rich Miano. I talked to him one day, and the next day he offered me a scholarship. It was like a dream. I'm really happy to be here."

Veikune, who will be a junior in the fall, has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

TACKLE SLOTS STILL OPEN

With five practices remaining in spring training, the Warriors have not decided on the successors to left tackle Tala Esera and right tackle Dane Uperesa. Clarence Tuioti-Mariner is the leading candidate to replace center Samson Satele, a pro prospect who also completed his eligibility in December.

"I would have to say, right now, at this instant, it's too close to call," offensive line coach Dennis McKnight said. "How's that for politics?"

McKnight said Keoni Steinhoff, Laupepa Letuli and Ray Hisatake are probably the top candidates at left tackle. Mc-Knight said Steinhoff and Keith Ah Soon are ahead at right tackle. Adrian Thomas yesterday practiced extensively at right tackle against the first-team defense.

"Right now they're just getting to know who to block," McKnight said. "Now that they've got that down, we have to get them into the techniques of how to block.

"There's no way we're going to replace Dane, Tala and Sam, and just go 'business as usual,' " McKnight added. "We're going to have three guys replace them who are going to be scrappers, fighters. They're not going to be as pretty or clean all of the time, but they realize the importance of taking care of No. 15 (quarterback Colt Brennan) and taking care of our running backs. They'll get the job done somehow."

SPEED CLINIC SET

There are no age limits for the Hawai'i Speed and Quickness clinics tomorrow and Sunday at the UH athletic complex.

Top local athletes will serve as guest instructors for the sessions, which run from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Each session is $10, and includes coupons.

For details, call 739-5444 or log on to: www.hawaiispeedandquickness.com.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.