honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, October 5, 2007

Warriors will play thirteen in '08

Photo galleryPhoto gallery: UH football practice

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawai'i junior Solomon Elimimian is a quiet, Bible-obeying middle linebacker who likes to light up opposing ball-carriers. He ranks 20th nationally with 10.6 tackles per game.

RICHARD AMBO | The Honolulu Advertiser

spacer spacer

UTAH STATE AT HAWAI'I

WHO: Utah State (0-5, 0-1 WAC) at Hawai'i (5-0, 2-0)

WHEN: 6:05 p.m. tomorrow

WHERE: Aloha Stadium

ON THE AIR: 1420 AM radio. Live on pay-per-view (Oceanic digital Channel 255). Free replay at 10 a.m. Sunday on K5. Streaming video at http://htsportsnet.com

spacer spacer
Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Herman Frazier

spacer spacer

The University of Hawai'i football team yesterday completed its 2008 schedule, finalizing games against Weber State Sept. 6 and nationally ranked Cincinnati Dec. 6.

The Warriors will play the maximum 13 regular-season games. In addition to eight Western Athletic Conference games, the Warriors have road games against Florida Aug. 30 and Oregon State Sept. 13, and host Washington State Nov. 29.

Athletic director Herman Frazier was widely criticized for a weak 2007 schedule that totaled 12 regular-season games.

"A lot of people put a lot of stock in that," Frazier said. "But that's not indicative of how we operate. I said, 'We'll get it fixed,' and we did."

Frazier said he targeted the Big East Conference for the regular-season finale. The Big East does not have a league title game, increasing the availability of its members for a non-conference game in December, and it is an attractive matchup for national television.

"There's appeal from the East Coast to the West, and it will be the last game (of the NCAA's regular season)," Frazier said.

Frazier said he negotiated with Big East members Syracuse and Cincinnati.

"Syracuse probably was my first choice, to be honest with you," Frazier said. "We were talking to Cincinnati at the same time. I like what I see (with Cincinnati). I think we match up very well."

The Bearcats are ranked 20th in The Associated Press poll.

Frazier said Cincinnati is a one-game deal.

He said the Bearcats will be paid "competitive to what we play the Pac-10 schools."

According to contracts made public by UH, Washington will receive $350,000 for playing Dec. 1 at Aloha Stadium, and Washington State will earn $300,000 for next year's game.

In 2002, the last time UH and Cincinnati met, there was a post-game fight. Bearcat officials vowed never to play again in Hawai'i.

"There's new management in Cincinnati," Frazier said. "That's all I'll say."

Frazier said he wanted UH to play a Division I-AA opponent in the week between the Florida and Oregon State road games. He expressed concern that if there were a bye Sept. 6, that would leave open the possibility the WAC would fill it with a league game.

"I insisted on having a game in there so that couldn't happen," Frazier said.

He said Weber State, UC Davis, Montana and Montana State were among the I-AA teams expressing an interest. He said it came down to Weber State and Montana. Weber State accepted first.

Weber State's head coach is Ron McBride, who previously coached at Utah and was a finalist for the UH head coaching job that went to June Jones in December 1998.

"Coach McBride is a great guy," said UH defensive coordinator Greg McMackin, who was McBride's coordinator at Utah.

Tyler Graunke, who is expected to succeed Colt Brennan as UH's starting quarterback next season, said a 13-game schedule is "sweet. The more we play, the better. Cincinnati's a good team. I'm excited."

LB SEEKS AND DESTROYS

Offensive line coach Dennis McKnight, who sports a fight-club persona, knows toughness. And McKnight insists the fiercest Warrior is Solomon Elimimian, a quiet, Bible-obeying middle linebacker.

"I think he has the mindset, when he plays football, that he doesn't like offensive people," McKnight said. "He has the mentality, like all of the great ones have had, that he doesn't want to just tackle you, he wants to make a statement. He wants you to know (number) 17 hit you."

Elimimian said: "I always try to help up a running back."

He also is most responsible for knocking down opponents. The junior from Los Angeles is 20th nationally in tackles, averaging 10.6 per game.

"He has that extra that separates a really solid linebacker from a guy who stands out on film," McKnight said. "Solly stands out on film."

Before games, Elimimian will sit quietly in the locker room, listening to R&B or gospel music — Kirk Franklin is a favorite — or praying.

"I'm really mellow before a game," he said. "I'm not the person who goes 'hoo-rah' or 'let's go' and is all fired up. That's not me."

McKnight noticed that when Elimimian steps "between the lines on game day, he turns on the switch, and he's a different person."

Elimimian conceded: "I think I have a little mean side when I get into the zone. Once I'm in that zone playing football, it comes down to me and an opponent. It starts to get personal."

In particular, he is annoyed with offensive linemen.

"They're just mean and nasty, and they try and stop you from making plays," Elimimian said.

Elimimian is at his best when he runs laterally. Once he locks on a ball-carrier, the play's rating is set to "violence."

"The game of football is contact," linebackers coach Cal Lee said. "We're not playing basketball. We're not playing soccer, where contact is not allowed. This game is about making contact, and if you want to play you have to make contact. He loves to make contact."

Elimimian's approach has earned respect from teammates.

"He's one of my favorite players to watch on defense," Brennan said. "There's something about him. He plays with such a tenacious demeanor. I love to watch him play defense."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.

• • •