Richard Torres leads for the nickleback position

HA Note: "Torres is a participant in the speed-and-quickness program crafted by strength coach Mel deLaura and associate head coach Rich Miano. Borrowing concepts first introduced by the late Terry Albritton, who served as UH strength coach in the 1970s, the program emphasizes plyometrics and resistance training. The belief is that running is, really, a series of jumps."

About how he benefited from the speed-and-quickness clinics, Torres said:
"They worked on my vertical jumps and my broad jumps." (HA)

HA Note: "One of the drills was the squat jump. Torres would go into a squat position, jump and then land in a squat. He would do 100 reps. Torres, who is 5 feet 7, has a vertical jump of 30 inches and broad jump of 9 feet. As a Kahuku High senior, Torres wrestled at 145 pounds. He weighed 160 when he enrolled at UH as a part-time student in August 2007. He joined the football program, as a grayshirt, in January 2008. Torres, who now weighs 171, managed to improve his quickness."

About how Torres has gradually added weight while improving his quickness, Rich Miano said:
"That's what happens when you gain good weight. In three years, he'll be 190, and as fast as anybody out here." (HA)

About Richard Torres used to be known mainly for being Kahuku coach Reggie Torres' son, Miano said:
"He went from being a guy you went, 'Oh, my gosh,' and 'he's Reggie's son,' to being the only freshman who played and contributed last year. Of all of the guys who were on scholarship, he was the guy out there playing, being on kickoff coverage, making tackles, making plays. It wasn't because he was Reggie's son. It was because he was that much better." (HA)

About how he plans to move from where he lives now (a block from the Lower Campus) to back to the North Shore this summer, making the daily commute to Manoa with Paipai Falemalu, Torres said:
"We're going to save money staying at home. The main thing is we'll eat mom's dinners. Just like (former UH safety) Leonard Peters said, 'nothing's better than a home-cooked meal.' " (HA)