"I have to lose some." (HA)
About how Letuli found out Tuesday night, about 3 months after he filed his appeal, Gordy Shaw said:
"It's been a long few months for Laupepa from a stress standpoint." (HA)
About how he was about to go to sleep for the night when OL coach Gordy Shaw called him with the good news, Letuli said:
"I was just going to knock out and he called me. I didn't answer at first, so I called him back. He said, 'I've got some news for you. You've got your year back buddy.' " (HSB)
About the importance of getting his 6th season with the Warriors, Letuli said:
"It's a pivotal point in my life, it's a fork in the road right now, so I just wanted an answer. It's great, I'm happy I am (coming back). If I didn't, still I'd have an answer and I'd know what to do. In the waiting period I wasn't sure, couldn't make any moves." (HSB)
About how waiting for the ruling was stressing Letuli, Shaw said:
"I could see he was stressed out. Particularly as we approached the end of this week with no word." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Letuli, who will graduate this semester, was granted the sixth year after providing documentation that injuries kept him out of action as a freshman in 2005 and again last fall, when he started three games at right tackle before suffering a torn tendon in his knee while working out the week following a loss at UNLV."
About his injury last season, Letuli said:
"It was just a freak accident." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Letuli said his knee is back to 90-95 percent and has been participating in spring practice since being granted a waiver allowing him to work with the Warriors while his appeal was under consideration."
About how Letuli will be held out of their 11-on-11 periods, Shaw said:
"He'll take no live snaps the rest of spring because he's not in playing shape right now. I wouldn't risk him getting nicked up in that stuff." (HSB)
In their 1-on-1 drills with the OL, Shaw said that Letuli (despite Letuli's hopes to drop 20 pounds before Fall camp):
"looks really good. It's good to see a big guy like that moving that quick." (HSB)
HSB Note: "Letuli's return figures to add to the depth — and therefore the competition — on the right side of the line in fall camp. Kainoa LaCount opened the spring at right tackle with the top unit, but hasn't practiced since hurting his knee. Adrian Thomas will continue to work with the first line at tackle with Brysen Ginlack at right guard. Thomas began the spring at right guard and could move back there when Letuli and LaCount return to duty. The left side of tackle Austin Hansen and guard Brett Leonard and center Sila Lefiti have maintained their spots through 11 practices this spring."
About how Letuli's return increases the competition they have at OL, Shaw said:
"It's all about competition." (HSB)
About how he still participated in one-on-one drills yesterday, but not full-contact team workouts, just like before he heard the result of his appeal, Letuli said:
"I'm still involved in only one-on-ones." (HA)
Happy that the stress of waiting for his appeal ruling is gone, Letuli said:
"I'm relieved. I'm not stressed anymore. It was very stressful waiting." (HA)
HA Note: "Letuli felt confident that he met the precedent of proving that injuries forced him to miss nearly two full seasons. He suffered torn ligaments in his right shoulder in 2005 and a torn tendon in his left knee in 2009. He said his mother and UH head trainer Eric Okazaki provided contemporaneous documents — notes written in the years he was injured."
Letuli said that his mother:
"is very organized. She gave a lot of information." (HA)
Happy that they will have Letuli for another season, Shaw said:
"The biggest winner in all of this is the Warrior football program. We get a good player back for another year." (HA)
"He lends a lot of maturity to the group now and we've got another guy who can be a leader, knowing he'll be here in the fall. It was hard for him to really take charge because he didn't know if he'd be here or not." (HSB)
HA Note: "During UH's Pro Day, an event Letuli attended earlier this month in Carson, Calif., Shaw told National Football League scouts that Letuli was one of the best tackles he ever coached. Shaw repeated that claim yesterday."
Explaining why Letuli was one of the best tackles he ever coached, Shaw said:
"He has the rare combination of power and strength along with physical size, athleticism and quickness. He has all of the skills, like no one else I've ever been associated with on the offensive line. He's a very smart football player. He understands the game very well. It's just an awesome tribute to the NCAA to give a guy like that another year on the field." (HA)
About being able to run pass routes without discomfort, giving him hope that he will be ready for this summer's training camp, Rodney Bradley said:
"I'm about 90 percent, there's a little pain in the area." (HA)
About how he's sitting out of Spring Practice because he does not want to risk a setback in his recovery, Bradley said:
"Somebody could roll up on my leg." (HA)
About running routes after practice with QBs Cayman Shutter and Corey Nielsen throwing passes, Bradley said:
"I'll definitely be ready this summer." (HA)
About how Mack missed practice yesterday to be with his wife Heather, who suffered a fractured arm when she was hit by a car Sunday, Spencer Smith said:
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs. McMackin." (HA)
HA Note: "Cornerback Tank Hopkins, who is recovering from a pelvic injury, said he is contemplating redshirting this coming season. Hopkins, who will be a senior, has never used a redshirt year."
HA Note: "The grass practice field has been renamed Cooke Field, according to a small plaque. What used to be Cooke Field — the complex featuring a track and football field with an artificial surface — is now Ching field."
About how Austin and Rausch took reps with the first unity yesterday, moving Rausch ahead of Graves, Rolo said:
"We're trying to get them all some reps. Brent's done some nice things, he's made a lot of progress in the middle of spring. Shane, on the whole, has been the best performer. Dave's had his good days. He still has stuff to learn, it's a tough offense to get in the spring. Brent's been up and down, and we think he's on one of the ups right now." (HSB)
http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/20100422_Letuli_cleared_to_play_1_more_season.html
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