Overview of the Warriors

HA Note: "Sometime before the dawn's early light tomorrow, a young man will sign a contract that will make him officially the University of Hawai'i football team's video coordinator. By 7 a.m., he will be 25 feet above ground, on a portable tower, shooting video of the first practice of the Warriors' spring training. That is how swiftly times are a-changin' in the spinning UH football world."

HA Note: "Under Jones, the quarterback usually was aligned in the shotgun, 4 yards from the line of scrimmage. Now the quarterback will be asked to take more snaps from under center. That change will open the running attack, which, in turn, should create more opportunities for the receivers. In the shotgun, the lone running back is aligned to the side of the quarterback. That limits the running options. It also gives the defense a chance to overload the weak side. When the quarterback takes snaps from under center, the running back can be aligned behind."

About having the QB under center and the RB behind him, Daniel Libre said:
"I like it better that way. You can see more things." (HA)

About having the QB more under center, Ron Lee said:
"There are a lot of advantages. The quarterback can keep an eye on the coverages. We can go on different (snap) counts. The running back can go right or left." (HA)

About how teams will have to respect the run more and not just drop up to 8 players into pass coverage, Inoke Funaki said:
"The play-action is better when (the quarterback is) under center. Hopefully, you can freeze the linebackers. It'll help the receivers get behind them." (HA)

About being the #1 QB right now, Inoke said:
"Who doesn't want to be the No. 1 guy? I put a lot of pressure on myself, too, knowing the coaches have me as the No. 1 guy. I want to be as best prepared as I can be. It's good pressure. Sometimes I'll be sitting around the house, and I'll get up and go running." (HA)

About learning the footwork to retreat quickly into the pocket after taking snaps from center, Inoke said:
"It might be tough in the beginning, but it will be worth it." (HA)

HA Note: "Funaki has proved he can cut it. When he was in middle school, the neighborhood barber died. One day his mother brought home a pair of clippers. And that was when Funaki first began to cut his own hair. There were some rough cuts early, forcing him to wear a hat."

About how learning to cut his hair is similar to how learning the offense, Inoke said:
"There were a lot of interesting haircuts. Like a lot of things, if you do it over and over, eventually you get muscle memory. You learn through trial and error, but eventually you'll get better." (HA)


HA Note: "Who could have envisioned that Libre, who was cut once from the team, would emerge as one of the top backs? Certainly not Libre, whose natural vision had deteriorated. At the urging of trainer Eric Okasaki, Libre underwent LASIK surgery last year. Libre's grandparents founded Aloha Laser Vision, previously known as Faulkner Eye Care. The treatment helped Libre find the running lanes. Last year, he averaged 8.3 yards per carry, as well as 1.3 broken tackles per rush."

About studying film of Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden, other tall RBs, 6'1" LWJ said:
"I like to watch and learn. There's no harm in learning." (HA)

About how participating in training this spring and in Spring Ball (which he couldn't do last year) should help him, LWJ said:
"Last spring, I wasn't here, I was at my (junior college), trying to get my AA (degree). I feel comfortable now. I'm constantly in the weight room. I've been hanging out with my teammates as much as possible. I know what the team team expects of me. I'm going to leave it in God's hands, then see what happens." (HA)

About how Greg Salas spent spring break at his family's home in California but his father was on the road at the time, Greg's father Mark Salas said:
"Bad timin." (HA)

About how JJ told him to work harder midway through last season, Salas said:
"Coach (Jones) got to me a couple of times in practice, telling me to pick up my play." (HA)

About how he put in extra workouts after practices after JJ's talk, Salas said that during practices now:
"I gave it 100 percent." (HA)

About working hard during offseason workouts, even working out with a trainer during spring break in California, Salas said:
"It's a new year, a different year." (HA)

HA Note: "A few experiments will be conducted in spring training. AhSoon, who started 13 games at left tackle last season, moves to left guard. Hisatake, who redshirted last season, and Letuli, a fourth-year junior, were expected to compete at left tackle. But Letuli and center Estes suffered pulled hamstrings during the 40-yard sprints last week. Letuli hopes to resume practicing Thursday, although he most likely will have to wait at least a week. During his UH career, Letuli has played tackle, guard, running back, tight end and defensive end. Tuioti-Mariner, who was the top center last spring, opens as the first-team right guard."

About his amazing 610 pound squat (110 pounds more than any other Warrior), Lafu Tuioti-Mariner said:
"Squatting is my main thing. Look at my legs. They're the biggest legs on the team." (HA)

HA Note: "His lower-body strength can be found in the genes. His father, who competed in volleyball at the South Pacific Games, had a 45-inch vertical jump. Tuioti-Mariner, who is under 6 feet, uses his leg strength to gain leverage against taller defensive linemen. After a year redshirting and three as a backup, Tuioti-Mariner enters the spring as the top right guard. (HA)

About being the top RG right now, Lafu said:
"I'm not going to take it for granted. I'm still going to work hard. I'm a senior. I want to make it the best for my last year." (HA)

About how he added nutritional supplements to his diet and cut out fatty food and candy, David Veikune said:
"I always liked candy. I used to eat it a lot." (HA)

"For the 3-4 (defense), I would go to 7-Eleven and grab a lot of fast food. It was just fast food and candy. I loved Twix and Reese's. John (Fonoti) and Brashton (Satele) used to see me grab a lot of candy, and they'd make fun of me. That's not my diet anymore." (HA)

HA Note: "Two years ago, Veikune needed to gain weight to play end in Jerry Glanville's 3-4 scheme. Last year, Greg McMackin implemented a 4-3 defense that required more agile ends."

HA Note: "Veikune, who is 6 feet 2, lost 25 pounds and now weighs 255. Yet he bench pressed a team-high 455 pounds, and ran 6.98 seconds in the L-test."

About wearing Spandex pants during his sprint workouts, Veikune said:
"Any little piece of friction I wanted to get off my body." (HA)

HA Note: "In recent years, it would not have been a surprise to see "Brashton Satele" appear in a medical dictionary. A variety of injuries kept Satele from fulfilling the promise expected of the offspring of one of UH's top linebackers (Alvis Satele) and volleyball players (the former Lee Ann Pestana). Several times last season, there were discussions to move Satele to running back. But his play on special teams near the end of last season and his commitment to the offseason conditioning program boosted his stock. In team testing, he squat-lifted 455 pounds, a 140-pound improvement from a year ago."

About how Brashton Satele has been hurt a lot during his Warrior career, Cal Lee said:
"He's been unfortunate. This year people will see the Satele we recruited." (HA)

About how he wants to be able to play again, Brashton said:
"I want to get on the field. I miss it." (HA)

About Mouton, Rich Miano said:
"He's the best corner we've had in the last nine years. He's athletic. He has legit 4.3 speed (in the 40-yard dash)." (HA)

HA Note: "In team testing, Mouton had a vertical jump of 39 inches and a broad jump of 10 feet, 5 inches. He played nickelback with a sore knee, and against Washington, he was used as free safety without having practiced at that position."

HA Note: "The coaches consider Monteilh, Robinson and Thomas as No. 1 safeties, even though there are only two positions. Monteilh, who can play both spots, has recovered from a torn left scapula, evidenced by his 315-pound bench press. Thomas, who was limited because of a hip flexor last season, had a 35 1/2-inch vertical jump in team testing. Robinson won't practice this spring while recovering from shoulder surgery, but Gibson, who had knee surgery in October, expects to be cleared for non-contact drills. Keep an eye on Silva, a transfer from Oregon State and former all-star quarterback from Kamehameha-Hawai'i."

About how he reported last to last year's training camp while waiting for academic clearance, which took all season for him to try to catch up, Calvin Roberts said:
"It was frustrating at times. I knew I would get my opportunity if I worked extra hard, kept working out and prayed to the man upstairs." (HA)

About running up to Koko Head Crater during offseason training, Roberts said:
"It was really nice up there. We saw Moloka'i. I liked the view." (HA)