Starting linebacker Blaze Soares aggravated a strained left hamstring yesterday and will miss the next two University of Hawai'i football games.

The Warriors depart this afternoon on a 12-day road trip for games against Louisiana Tech Saturday and Nevada-Las Vegas Sept. 15.

Soares did not play in Saturday's season-opening 63-6 rout of Division I-AA Northern Colorado because of a pulled left hamstring and a stinger in his left shoulder.

Yesterday, Soares was in shoulder pads. But he aggravated the hamstring during defensive drills. He left practice early, choking back emotion.

"I'm sorry, I just can't talk now," Soares said en route to the training room.

Soares was on the initial 60-player travel roster before aggravating his hamstring.

"It's a shame," defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said. "I feel so bad for Blaze. He worked so hard. It means so much to him and, I think, he's a great player. I feel really bad for him. He's a special guy and a special person. I feel bad he's not going to be with us and a part of this whole thing until we get back."

McMackin said he was disappointed because all signs had pointed to Soares being healthy enough to play.

"This will heal up," McMackin said. "We thought it was. He was feeling good. He has to get stronger.

"We need to get him well the next two weeks, and let him help us down the stretch," McMackin added. "He's a great athlete, a great person, and he's one of our better players, and one of our starters."

McMackin said Brad Kalilimoku will start at left linebacker.

"I'm getting prepared," said Kalilimoku, who had a team-high nine tackles against Northern Colorado. "I'm ready to play football."

POLL VAULTING

The Warriors yesterday celebrated their three-spot ascension, to No. 20, in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

They learned of the results during a team breakfast.

"That's big," left slotback Davone Bess said. "We have to keep it up and crack that top 15, then crack the top 10, and get to the BCS."

Right slotback Ryan Grice-Mullins added: "Rankings are nice, but we have to keep winning. Rankings are good because they give our program more props."

HEART OF A LION

Each year, offensive line coach Dennis McKnight shows his players a highlight video of the late Eric Andolsek, who was an offensive guard for the Detroit Lions. In future years, McKnight might be showing highlights of UH left tackle Keith AhSoon.

"Keith reminds me of Eric Andolsek, who we used to call 'Table' with the Lions," McKnight said. "Eric Andolsek was a great lineman. Keith looked just like him playing in the game. He stays with the play longer than the opponent. He's tough. He has good technique. Even if he gets bad technique, he recovers good. Keith is really tough. He's a pitbull."

From Andulsek's videos, AhSoon learned that the best techniques are strength and power.

At 6 feet 1, AhSoon is not the prototypical offensive tackle.

"Height is the most over-rated thing in football," McKnight said. "What do they always tell a lineman? 'Get down. Stay low. You're too high.' Most guys who are 6-5 play too high. I'd rather have a guy 6-2 play leverage."

AhSoon said: "Coach McKnight told me I have a low center of gravity, and that's an advantage for me. It doesn't matter how tall you are. The person who plays lower wins the game."

While praising AhSoon's blocking, head coach June Jones was more impressed with AhSoon's 3.0 cumulative grade-point average.

"They didn't think he could get into school," Jones recalled. "They didn't want to let him into school when he came. I'm so proud of what he's done in the classroom."

AhSoon, who was raised in American Samoa, had met the NCAA's academic requirements as a freshman, but not UH's standards. He took — and passed — a proficiency test to gain admission.

"I wanted to take advantage of the scholarship," said AhSoon, a fourth-year junior. "I'm getting a good and free education. If I don't take advantage of it now, I might not get the chance ever again. For me, education is the No. 1 priority."

HEALTH REPORT