Now that playing football is no longer, literally, a pain in the neck, Hawai'i defensive end Elliott Purcell is poised to contribute as a starter in tomorrow's game against Navy.

For most of the season, Purcell has endured a stinger, which resulted in sharp jolts to his shoulders and neck.

"Every time I would get hit, there would be pain in my neck," Purcell said.

Ice packs and rest were the only treatments to alleviate the condition.

Purcell, who was limited in practices, eventually ceded the left end's job to sophomore Liko Satele.

But now Purcell is relatively healthy, and his run-stopping ability is needed against Navy's triple-option attack. The Midshipmen are third nationally in rushing (282.55 yards per game), and they run 89 percent of the time.

"Elliott has shown himself to be a real effective run defender," defensive line coach Dave Aranda said of the 6-foot-3, 255-pound junior. "The weeks we've asked him to play the run, he's done well for us. I think this will be a big week for him."

Against a run-option team, the key is to not crash the backfield — the offense will then run into the vacated gap — but to control the line of scrimmage.

"He plays with low pad level in the run game," Aranda said. "I think the best attribute is how he strikes with his hands, and is physical."

Purcell said: "With run-stopping, there's more contact, there's more hitting. It's more physical. I'm a more physical person. Off the field, I'm calm and relaxed. When I go on the field, I turn the switch on."

Even with a multiple responsibilities — he and his longtime girlfriend have a son — Purcell manages to find time to perform community service.

Purcell and several members of his church clean school campuses in Waipahu.

"You feel better when you clean everything up," Purcell said. "There's a sense of accomplishment, like, 'I did something good for someone else.' It's humbling."

Then again, it is a way for Purcell to channel his inner "Monk."

"I like to clean," he said. "When I see something dirty, I clean it. ... My son is messy with his toys. I'm always picking up after him."

His commitment is infectious. He shares a row of lockers with Cory Daniel, Clint Daniel, Miah Ostrowski, Kainoa LaCount, Adrian Thomas and Austin Hansen.

"Our aisle is the cleanest," Purcell said. "We take pride in that. I challenge any of the other guys to see who has the cleanest aisle."

JASPER'S COME FAR

It was a memorable time when Bob Wagner, then UH's head coach, visited Ivin Jasper's house during the recruiting period in 1989.

"I still remember the look on his face when he got out of the car," said Jasper, Navy's offensive coordinator. "He looked petrified."

Jasper grew up in Watts, a Los Angeles area ruled by gangs.

"It was definitely a rough neighborhood, but I was lucky," Jasper said. "People told me I was blessed. I had a chance to get out of there, and I made the most out of it."

Jasper, who played quarterback at UH, helped the Midshipmen qualify for their sixth consecutive bowl. They are among the top rushing teams in the country.

"I'm proud of him," Wagner said.

Jasper, who joined former UH offensive coordinator Paul Johnson at Navy in 1995, also had stints at Indiana State and Georgia Southern, before returning to Navy in 2002. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2008, when another former UH quarterback, Ken Niumatalolo was promoted to head coach.

For Jasper, his drive stems from his youth.

"It was the support from a lot of people in my neighborhood," Jasper said. "I was trying to do something positive, so the gangs left me alone. ... They said, 'Hey, do your thing.' ... I had a lot of support from my family, friends, teachers."

Jasper said he embraces the pressure that accompanies his position.

"We are in a straight-line profession," Jasper said. "You win or you get fired. We understand there is no gray line. I like it that way. You have to go out there and produce."