UH hasn't decided who will start at center and left guard

About how they were going to name Brysen Ginlack the starting LG and Brett Leonard the starting C but then delayed their decision, OL coach Gordy Shaw said:
"But after watching the film (of practice) a second time, we left it the way it was for another day." (HSA)


HSA Note: "That means that Leonard and Bronson Tiwanak, a senior from Damien, will continue to compete for the center's job vacated when Matagisila Lefiti had foot surgery. Lefiti will miss the first three games. Shaw said left tackle Austin Hansen, right guard Adrian Thomas and right tackle Laupepa Letuli have secured starting jobs."


About how Leonard was competing with Ginlack for the starting LG spot, Shaw said after practice yesterday that Ginlack:
"is the starting left guard." (HSA)


About how Ginlack is motivated after sitting out last season to focus on academics, Shaw said:
"I think he's a very humbled young man because of what happened last year, (when) football was taken from him." (HSA)


Praising Ginlack's play, Shaw said:
"He gives us really solid physical play. He's a very strong, powerful individual. "Bulla" is a guy who's willing to do anything. Whenever we put him out there, he's done a very good job." (HSA)


Shaw praised the walk-on Tiwanak, saying that he:
"gives us a good solid player. For the most part, he's doing an outstanding job." (HSA)


About how Chauncy Winchester-Makainai struggled at center in training camp, Shaw said:
"He was really swimming with making the calls. It became evident after a couple of days that his physical play was really deterred by his mental play." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Winchester-Makainai was moved to right guard, where he is a more natural fit, Shaw said. He also can play tackle. Shaw said Winchester-Makainai is "absolutely" a candidate to return to center in the future. Leonard admittedly had concerns with the crash-course adjustment to center. But McMackin said Leonard has the skills to play that position."


About how Leonard might be best suited for center after being at tackle or guard earlier at UH, Mack said:
"He might be a better center than anything else. He really sticks on guys. He's worked hard on his snaps." (HSA)


About similarities between center and tackle, Shaw said:
"The center position is like playing tackle. You're put on an island sometimes. You have to be a little more athletic. Brett picked up the calls. Everything in our offense flows from the center position, and he picked up the offense." (HSA)


About how it is late to not have chosen a starting OL (just 8 days before their first game), Shaw said:
"That's book 101 on the offensive line." (HSA)


About how they have 7 players who only have practiced with the first team, with 5 members of the second team OL not taking snaps with the first team, Shaw said:
"If we were throwing a 2 in there to see what it's like, that would be different. We have seven guys we consider starters. It's a matter of which five we want to play." (HSA)


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