UH Practice Reports

[tatsumi82]

anyone going to the practices? Please post some observations for those of us that can't make it. Tanks in advance.

[H20]

Yeah, but please don't post any secret stuff.

[lava]

One practice does not a season make, but here are my thoughts on the first practice:

I saw a lot of good coaching out there today from many of the coaches.

Greg Alexander looks much more comfortable as qb, and is ready to resume where he left off last year. He's clearly #1. I think the #2 job is wide open. Shane Austin got a lot of reps (and he threw a pick for a TD, fumbled a snap that I think led to another mock TD, and overthrew a guy or two). If Alexander gets injured, the team is going to struggle finding ways to win. Of the three newcomers, I think only Nielsen got reps, but all threw in the regular rotation. Cayman was limping noticeably. Graves appeared to have the strongest arm and threw well down the field. I see a bright future for Graves.

In his preseasons at UH, Leon has always shown glimpses of having a good burst and being a real threat to shred the defense and bolt down the field. Now add Alex Green to the mix. One of these guys must emerge as a real north-south burner. I'd love for them to support each other so they both become better. This offense is most dangerous when it has this threat. I think Rego looked good, and I suspect will be the favorite choice for a north-south power back. Chizzy looked elusive as a runner, but suspect as a return man. Inoke -- we'll see with time. I trust he'll be a dangerous threat somehow.

I was impressed by the athleticism and speed of the receivers. I didn't see guys making any great leaps, but I think they are instructed to run through their routes whenever possible. Pilares is the class of the group. Salas, Mederios, Taylor, Bradley, Jasper, Paclebar, Tinoco and Henry all looked good. I didn't see Malcolm Lane, but I trust he was there. Bryant look good at receiver, but suspect as a return man. Bell and Miah had some drops and were frustrated, and I shared their frustration, particularly Bell. It's crazy early and tomorrow is another day, and I trust these guys will come out to impress tomorrow. I watched a fair amount of Pollard and Avery, but I needed to see more to form some opinion.

I thinking the starting 0-line will be noticeably better. I liked what I saw out there today. Hopefully the camp gives the guys time to gel as a unit. The talent is there. I saw some good things from some of the back-ups too. I appreciated Hisatake giving support and instruction to Chauncey. Not sure who will emerge as the top back-ups, but I think the line will be well coached. Tiwanak as the #2 center (me thinks) seems much bigger than Estes, but maybe it is the pads. Then again maybe it is the kalbi. After college Adrian Thomas, another 2nd stronger, may have a career as a tree, a tall, big okole tree. The media guide lists him at 6-6, which is not an exaggeration.

I saw some earlier practices of the kickers and punters. The punter from down under is capable of big booms, and my only question before today was consistency. When he connects he draws ahhhs like fireworks, and the "Oy, Oy, Oy" cheer may be here to stay. Not sure who the top kicker is, but he can hit. He won't be mistaken for Jason Elam, but then Jason is one of the greatest kickers in the history of football. All we need is consistency -- impossible to determine from the few days I've seen these guys.

When camp is finished, I expect the defense to be athletic and physical, with good depth everywhere. There are a lot of guys playing new positions, so it is going to take time for guys to feel comfortable, and when they do, they need to feel comfortable with the guys around them. It is a lot to ask in 30 days, but I know the coaches will get guys feeling comfortable at certain positions. The only question is how quickly they gel as a unit. Luckily we don't have the likes of Florida out of the gates. There is a ton of great talent on defense. If the coaches rotate as expected, these guys could be making plays all the time, from every single position. I honestly don't see a weak link.

I assume we all know what we have in the returning guys. I don't have much to add -- they were running around looking good. I like the drill where they essentially have to throw a blocking sled out of their way (as if a fullback) and dart to the outside as if to stuff a Reggie Bush type making for the sidelines. These guys are strong and quick. Of the new guys, Huen was looking the part of a Butkis. Daily-Lyles seems like he'd be around the ball a lot too. Rink has speed for a lineman. Paipai was with the linemen, so may be an experiment brewing. With my apologies, I was so taken by a lot of the guys I didn't force myself to track down some other newby-type players of interest (Monster Masch, Tonga, Alo, Leatigaga. Paredes, Tachibana, Geordan, Haku, Liko). My bad, but it is difficult when you got so many great players making plays. Fonoti, Rocky, Meatoga, Clore, Tufaga, Lolotai, Brashton, Blaze, Toilolo, etc. Overall just a ton of talent. I suspect a lot of the other spectators noticed the guys I missed, so maybe their reports will fill in my pukas.

Miano looked like he has some players in the secondary. Davis and Hopkins and Black and Brown. I also noticed the speed of Wadsworth.

Thanks to Greg Alexander, I would say the offense is ahead of the defense. If guys stay healthy, I think both the offense and defense could be very effective.

If I had to point to a weak link, I would say it is the special teams, particularly the return guys. It is early, but too many errors in judgment leading to way too many drops. They need to open that competition up to everyone.

It looks like it will be an entertaining season. The athleticism is impressive on both sides of the ball.

Good luck in the days ahead.

[Garret]

I didn't see Malcolm Lane, but I trust he was there.

lava,

Thank you for the awesome practice report!

By the way, it appears that Malcolm Lane is not in training camp.

Right wideout Malcolm Lane is not in camp because of personal reasons.

http://warriorbeat.honadvblogs.com/2009 ... ity-hilton

[uhwarrior23]

One practice does not a season make, but here are my thoughts on the first practice:

I saw a lot of good coaching out there today from many of the coaches.

Greg Alexander looks much more comfortable as qb, and is ready to resume where he left off last year. He's clearly #1. I think the #2 job is wide open. Shane Austin got a lot of reps (and he threw a pick for a TD, fumbled a snap that I think led to another mock TD, and overthrew a guy or two). If Alexander gets injured, the team is going to struggle finding ways to win. Of the three newcomers, I think only Nielsen got reps, but all threw in the regular rotation. Cayman was limping noticeably. Graves appeared to have the strongest arm and threw well down the field. I see a bright future for Graves.

In his preseasons at UH, Leon has always shown glimpses of having a good burst and being a real threat to shred the defense and bolt down the field. Now add Alex Green to the mix. One of these guys must emerge as a real north-south burner. I'd love for them to support each other so they both become better. This offense is most dangerous when it has this threat. I think Rego looked good, and I suspect will be the favorite choice for a north-south power back. Chizzy looked elusive as a runner, but suspect as a return man. Inoke -- we'll see with time. I trust he'll be a dangerous threat somehow.

I was impressed by the athleticism and speed of the receivers. I didn't see guys making any great leaps, but I think they are instructed to run through their routes whenever possible. Pilares is the class of the group. Salas, Mederios, Taylor, Bradley, Jasper, Paclebar, Tinoco and Henry all looked good. I didn't see Malcolm Lane, but I trust he was there. Bryant look good at receiver, but suspect as a return man. Bell and Miah had some drops and were frustrated, and I shared their frustration, particularly Bell. It's crazy early and tomorrow is another day, and I trust these guys will come out to impress tomorrow. I watched a fair amount of Pollard and Avery, but I needed to see more to form some opinion.

I thinking the starting 0-line will be noticeably better. I liked what I saw out there today. Hopefully the camp gives the guys time to gel as a unit. The talent is there. I saw some good things from some of the back-ups too. I appreciated Hisatake giving support and instruction to Chauncey. Not sure who will emerge as the top back-ups, but I think the line will be well coached. Tiwanak as the #2 center (me thinks) seems much bigger than Estes, but maybe it is the pads. Then again maybe it is the kalbi. After college Adrian Thomas, another 2nd stronger, may have a career as a tree, a tall, big okole tree. The media guide lists him at 6-6, which is not an exaggeration.

I saw some earlier practices of the kickers and punters. The punter from down under is capable of big booms, and my only question before today was consistency. When he connects he draws ahhhs like fireworks, and the "Oy, Oy, Oy" cheer may be here to stay. Not sure who the top kicker is, but he can hit. He won't be mistaken for Jason Elam, but then Jason is one of the greatest kickers in the history of football. All we need is consistency -- impossible to determine from the few days I've seen these guys.

When camp is finished, I expect the defense to be athletic and physical, with good depth everywhere. There are a lot of guys playing new positions, so it is going to take time for guys to feel comfortable, and when they do, they need to feel comfortable with the guys around them. It is a lot to ask in 30 days, but I know the coaches will get guys feeling comfortable at certain positions. The only question is how quickly they gel as a unit. Luckily we don't have the likes of Florida out of the gates. There is a ton of great talent on defense. If the coaches rotate as expected, these guys could be making plays all the time, from every single position. I honestly don't see a weak link.

I assume we all know what we have in the returning guys. I don't have much to add -- they were running around looking good. I like the drill where they essentially have to throw a blocking sled out of their way (as if a fullback) and dart to the outside as if to stuff a Reggie Bush type making for the sidelines. These guys are strong and quick. Of the new guys, Huen was looking the part of a Butkis. Daily-Lyles seems like he'd be around the ball a lot too. Rink has speed for a lineman. Paipai was with the linemen, so may be an experiment brewing. With my apologies, I was so taken by a lot of the guys I didn't force myself to track down some other newby-type players of interest (Monster Masch, Tonga, Alo, Leatigaga. Paredes, Tachibana, Geordan, Haku, Liko). My bad, but it is difficult when you got so many great players making plays. Fonoti, Rocky, Meatoga, Clore, Tufaga, Lolotai, Brashton, Blaze, Toilolo, etc. Overall just a ton of talent. I suspect a lot of the other spectators noticed the guys I missed, so maybe their reports will fill in my pukas.

Miano looked like he has some players in the secondary. Davis and Hopkins and Black and Brown. I also noticed the speed of Wadsworth.

Thanks to Greg Alexander, I would say the offense is ahead of the defense. If guys stay healthy, I think both the offense and defense could be very effective.

If I had to point to a weak link, I would say it is the special teams, particularly the return guys. It is early, but too many errors in judgment leading to way too many drops. They need to open that competition up to everyone.

It looks like it will be an entertaining season. The athleticism is impressive on both sides of the ball.

Good luck in the days ahead.

Thanks for the report. According to Tsai, Lane isn't at camp because of personal problems. Hopefully they can be resolved and he can get in camp as soon as possible. I guess Jovonte will get the best look at RWR. Did Dustin Blount get a look at PR? Intersting that they moved Paipai to DE. Not surprised though considering Mack likes leaner, quicker ends. Overall, sounds like there's a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. Hopefully they'll continue to get better and come together as a team.

[tomboahi]

whoa. great report, lava!

[kepaniamekolea]

Great report! Especially for us outer island guys who can't make it to practice. Keep 'um coming. Much Mahalos!

[Scott]

Thank you Lava!!!

[HawaiianHogster]

Thank you very much.

Hopefully the second string QB's were having an off day. Wait until they put pads on to see the difference.

[bigislandkurt]

Mahalo Lava. Mean report. Keep'om coming!

In as much as I envisioned Paipai to be that huge outside LB just destroying folks, there was a side of me that understood that this boy was going to grow some more.....which he did. A move to DE appears will spell dividends for him.

BIK

[warriordave]

Mahalo Lava!!! You da Man!!!

Please share your reports regularly!

[kapakahi]

Caught the last half-hour or so of this Friday afternoon's practice that ended early at around 5:45 PM. Warriors mostly working on special teams (punt coverage, punter receiving, field goal formation) while I was there.

That true frosh Aussie punter...Alex Dunnachie....looks like a stud...definitely the biggest punter UH has ever had.

JMHO but unfortunately the placekickers didn't look to accurate...nor that strong-legged either.

Otherwise, I mostly watched the Oline practice.

As of now, 1st team Oline is as follows...
LT Kia
LG Hisatake
C Estes
RG Ieru
RT Letuli

2nd team Oline is as follows....
LT Laurel
LG Hansen
C Lefiti
RG Uperesa
RT Thomas

As of now Brett Leonard is running with 3rd team Oline at LT, while Kainoa LaCount is 3rd team RT. Both Leonard & LaCount are some definitely some big boyz...with some height too.

Not sure what his situation is but good to see OG Brysen Ginlack at practice...suited up (helmet, jersey & shorts)....but just observing Oline drills...NOT participating.

While listed on Fall Camp roster, former Kahuku Red Raider OG Joseph Napeahi was not present. Neither was true frosh OG Chauncy Winchester-Makainai (Kailua HS)...although I was told that he was suited up and participated in Thursday's practice session.

Also got to watch a little of the running backs practice. JC newcomer Chizzy Dimude looks like a Daniel Libre clone wearing #26...although not as muscled up as Daniel. Meanwhile JC newcomer Alex Green looks like bigger version of Davone Bess...with the highlighted dreadlocks...about same size & buiit as LWJ.

Can't help but notice how tall true frosh (and former Kahuku Red Raider) safeties Aulola Tonga & Kamalani Alo are. They are definitely the tallest safeties on the Warrior team. Other than Aulola & Kamalani, the only other true frosh in Fall Camp are WR Billy Ray Stutzmann, MLB George Daily-Lyles & S Michael Wadsworth....besides QBs Cayman Shutter, Corey Nielson & David Graves (totalling all of 9 true frosh in Fall Camp counting Winchester-Makainai....10 if you count grayshirt OLB Art Laurel). JHMO but kind of disappointing that Warriors have such a small true frosh class this year. Hopefully this doesn't become a regular recruiting trend....i.e., mostly JC transfer recruits.

On the injury front, redshirt DT Haku Correa looked to be favoring a hamstring injury and wasn't able to go full speed during Dline drills.

Meanwhile...don't know what's up with CB Lewis Walker...who sat out but watched practice on the sidelines. While Lewis did not look physically injured, all I know is that alot of Warrior coaches and teammates were constantly coming to sidelines to chat with him throughout practice. Let's hope that all is well with Lewis.

[Garret]

Not sure what his situation is but good to see OG Brysen Ginlack at practice...suited up (helmet, jersey & shorts)....but just observing Oline drills...NOT participating.

Thank you very much for the practice report! Ginlack is sitting out this season due to personal reasons. He already redshirted, so this will count as his Junior season and he will have 1 season left of eligibility.

[kapakahi]

Not sure what his situation is but good to see OG Brysen Ginlack at practice...suited up (helmet, jersey & shorts)....but just observing Oline drills...NOT participating.

Thank you very much for the practice report! Ginlack is sitting out this season due to personal reasons. He already redshirted, so this will count as his Junior season and he will have 1 season left of eligibility.

JMHO but it just doesn't make sense for Brysen to be on the Fall Camp roster if he'll be sitting out this season. I'm guessing that the Warrior coaches are holding out that Brysen's "personal reasons" are resolved soon...in time for him to play this season. Otherwise, why assign a valuable Fall Camp roster spot to a player who is expected to sit out the season???

I'm thinking that Coach Mack is deferring Brysen's "decision" in hopes of a different result. Otherwise, this valuable Fall Camp roster spot could have gone to a number of other potential contributors this season....say DE Alema Tachibana....DE Waylon Lolotai...OLB Vili Nauahi....CB Kawika Ornellas....to name a few.

[Shrek]

If I go to a practice or two, where do I park? Is there going to be alot of people there? Can you get autographs after practice? I have never even bin on the UH Campus so please be specific. If it helps I am coming from 10th Ave. by Tamura's Market.
Thank You in advance.