Friday’s aloha practice

This morning, the Warriors made their final public appearance ahead of the season opener against California in Australia. (The Warriors will have a scrimmage tomorrow evening in Aloha Stadium. Former UH players are invited to attend the private event.)

In today’s 2-hour practice:

> Quarterback Ikaika Woolsey had his best outing of training camp, going 7-for-7 in situational drills. “The receivers did a great job of running great routes and getting open,” Woolsey said. “I tried to get them the ball.”

> Woolsey took the first snaps in every rotation, with Aaron Zwahlen, Cole Brownholtz and Dru Brown alternating the rest of the order.

> Brownholtz, who can run 40 yards in 4.57 seconds, continues to impress on rollouts, keepers and read-option plays with his speed.

> Brown found John Ursua on a play-action pass for a 68-yard touchdown.


> The defense has played well all week. Defensive end Teva Eldridge’s twisting pass rush led to linebacker Ikem Okeke’s pick six. Defensive tackle Ka‘aumoana Gifford’s power move forced a fumble that linebacker Solomon Matautia recovered.

> Jalen Rogers and Jamal Mayo have locked down the No. 1 corner jobs, but there’s a three-way rotation at the two safety positions among Trayvon Henderson, Daniel Lewis and Damien Packer. Freshman safeties Keala Santiago and Kalen Hicks will be in the mix this season. But Austin Gerard also will be a consideration. Gerard made a leaping breakup in the end zone.

> Nose tackle Kory Rasmussen and linebackers Malachi Mageo and Russell Wiiliams Jrs. are each having a terrific camp.


> Linebacker Jeremiah Pritchard has drawn praises from the coaches. On consecutive plays, he forced a fumble and then made a sack.

> I’ve covered UH football, in some form, since I was a Ka Leo sports editor in 1979. I’ve seen Gary Allen, Anthony Edgar, David Toloumu, Mike Bass, Charles Tharp, Nate Ilaoa, Alex Green, and so forth. When healthy, Diocemy Saint Juste is the best UH back I’ve seen. “He’s a pretty talented player,” Rolovich said.

COMMENTS

  1. Boolakanaka August 12, 2016 11:27 am

    Ekahi??!

    Interesting developments with KT. Counselors, Tom, Nasti, et al….how quickly do you think they can expedite the appeal through the upper campus hierarchy?

    Mui, Nasti, and Boola….sounds like a pretty reputable firm??!


  2. letsgowarriors August 12, 2016 11:32 am

    good report, thanks.

    and holy hell, he has to stay out of trouble for 4 years. thats a long time


  3. Jeezy33 August 12, 2016 11:51 am

    Nice reports St. I guess you ask, and you shall receive..

    Hope ipu man approves .. Don’t wanna give too much secrets out.


  4. Da Punchbowl Kid August 12, 2016 11:52 am

    Nice report – sounds like the offense made up some ground.

    Here’s to a healthy Senior year for DSJ!


  5. Bryson August 12, 2016 11:54 am

    DPK Good News DSJ is a Redshirt Junior I Believe…


  6. Bryson August 12, 2016 11:57 am

    So Stephen what are the chances of KT being brought back on the team this season? I’m sure there will be guidelines he’ll have to follow like KG had too…


  7. BigFan August 12, 2016 12:17 pm

    ST, It looks like the running backs comment is yours as the Rolovich comments are in parenthesis. That’s saying a lot when you include Gary Allen who’s got to be a top 5 rb for UH. I hope DSJ can stay healthy. I don’t think he’s ever been really healthy for him to produce with consistency.


  8. WarriorNy August 12, 2016 12:25 pm

    Wow, that DSJ comment is telling. I love the depth at Runningback this year…


  9. SteveM August 12, 2016 12:31 pm

    I was wondering about Saint Juste.
    ST’s opinion places him in legendary company!


  10. NotNasti August 12, 2016 12:33 pm

    Boola,

    I heard that upper campus does not want anything to do with KT. They do not want him back, as the cases are of a domestic nature. However, since the Deferral was granted, the pleas were not accepted by Judge Kuriyama, and will not be entered into the record. The student code states as follows:

    “Felony Conviction. Any SA convicted of or pleading guilty or no contest to a felony charge shall be
    permanently dismissed from the team. The SA shall retain her/his grant-in-aid for the balance of the
    academic year. The Athletics Director will notify the Financial Aid Office that the grant-in-aid shall not
    be renewed for any successive academic years. The SA may appeal this decision pursuant to the appeals
    procedure stated above.”

    So the position of the AD and upper campus is that while KT was not convicted, he did plead no contest to a felony charge. I do not believe UH contemplated what to do when a plea is deferred by the court, because there is no conviction, but there is a plea. Furthermore, according to the SA Handbook, appeals must be filed within 14 days of the disciplinary decision, and we are way past 14 days. Interesting times.


  11. 808warriorfan August 12, 2016 12:35 pm

    Hopefully the Offense will continue to progress … awesome analogy in regards to DSJ … PRAYING he stays healthy and has a breakout season …

    In regards to the story about KT being given his “deferment of plea” he should have a 2nd chance. Pisa Tinoisamoa, Devone Bess, and Colt Brennan were given 2nd chances. So my point is if we are not going to give KT a 2nd chance we should not even admit players who have been dismissed from other programs as well … fair is fair …

    Also the previous blog about Max Hendrie, there was a question about being a booster and a link to the UH Compliance Chart. So if I go to H-Zone in The Ward Center and purchase UH items, the proceeds goes to the UH Athletic Fund. Does that make me and everyone who purchases UH items boosters ???

    LIVE ALOHA / PLAY WARRIOR / DEFEND THE ROCK … GO ‘BOWS !!!!!


  12. letsgowarriors August 12, 2016 12:40 pm

    should have reached a plea deal instead, guilty to misdemeanor assault in exchange for dropping the felony charge.

    yeah this no contest is potentially good since it will be off his record but 4 years is a long time, IMO.


  13. S.peezy55 August 12, 2016 12:41 pm

    2

    Staying out of trouble period is not really hard to do if u think about it. I really hope he will be reinstated onto the team though.


  14. bowwar August 12, 2016 12:50 pm

    Staying “clean” for 4 years, if you live and practice a clean lifestyle. The bruddah gotta address his “demons” and keep them under control for “his own good.” If Kennedy is able to do that, then he truly deserves the chance to pursue his passion of playing football.


  15. Not an Expert August 12, 2016 1:09 pm

    Regarding Hendrie, the reason NCAA is taking so long is because a big money school has conspired with someone in the NCAA so that he does not get to play this year and thus they (vultures) can come in and scoop him away from UH.

    Is this conspiracy theory to far fetched?


  16. Not an Expert August 12, 2016 1:16 pm

    Were there any athletes who had a felony charge or conviction who pleaded no contest and/or had a deferral, or was on probation while not a student at UH, but was recruited later and given a scholarship?


  17. Boolakanaka August 12, 2016 1:48 pm

    Nasti, thanks for that lucid overview. I had thought all along that Green had recognized a potential blind spot with the policy. That said, it appears all sides are grey on now how to best proceed forward……indeed, very interesting times.


  18. Da Punchbowl Kid August 12, 2016 1:52 pm

    @Bryson #4 –
    Mahalo for the correction! Here’s to DSJ’s health always!

    Getting so excited for this season.

    GO WARRIORS!!!


  19. Mike96816 August 12, 2016 1:54 pm

    I believe Cold Brennen was original charged with burglary when he attended Colorado but the charge I think was plea bargained down to a misdemeanor trespass.


  20. H-Man August 12, 2016 2:05 pm

    Kennedy has a red shirt year available since he was a 2013 recruit (http://www.scout.com/college/hawaii/2013-football-commits). He can sit 2016 and play in 2017. At this stage, I think that is the best for Kennedy and the team. He can focus this year on academics and work towards getting that degree and prepare to play next year. To me it’s a win-win.


  21. islandman August 12, 2016 2:20 pm

    Best running back evaluation should also include production over the years played, yards gained, TD’s etc., not just how he looks in practice ? So far, how does Sainte Juste compare to Gary Allen and the others in those areas ?


  22. Boolakanaka August 12, 2016 2:26 pm

    How does DSJ compare to Marco Johnson and Jeff Snyder who both played on Sundays?


  23. Shoko August 12, 2016 2:39 pm

    If not mistaken, Colt was charged and convicted of felony burglary and trespassing.

    Not sure whether KT is on track to get his degree before his scholarship expires, but if degree is in hand and he still has a year of eligibility, would he be able to take advantage of the graduate transfer rule to play DI football?


  24. Derek August 12, 2016 2:42 pm

    If Keith “Junior” Lopati didn’t blow out his knee against San Diego State at Aloha Stadium we would be talking about him right near the top of the all time UH running backs. And you can’t rule out guys like Larry Sherrer, Bill Massey, Travis Sims, Nuu, etc. They were pretty special in their own right. Bottom line, you have to stay on the field and be healthy to contribute and be productive. Good luck to the entire team, and stay healthy.


  25. SteveM August 12, 2016 3:12 pm

    A few years ago I wrote a fictional anecdote about the problems of the UH football team. This is why I find any statement about players and possibilities from ST interesting.
    • • • THIS IS FICTITIOUS: * * *
    Head coach Norm Chow slowly walked off the practice field shaking his head. The team looked good in practice again but not so much in games. The fundamentals were sound, but something was not clicking in games. Did he have the best athletes in their best position running certain plays? Something is wrong and he just can’t put his finger on it.

    Hanging back was that UH football beat reporter again, this time cleaning spilt chili dog from his laptop. Where’d he get a chili dog at this time of day? Hmmm, he’s been to most practices year-round and has traveled with the team for decades. He knows all the players by name and they don’t run away from him anymore. Maybe he has noticed something…

    “Heck, what do I have to lose?”, the coach muttered, and headed toward the reporter.
    * * * END FICTITIOUS ACCOUNT * * *

    So I watched with interest when ST wrote that Rolo conferred with Dick Tomey during practice. Of course, Rolo knows ST from both sides of the sideline chalk…


  26. H-Man August 12, 2016 3:16 pm

    Totally agree. Junior Lopati would have been perhaps Hawaii’s greatest runner if not for the injury. As I recall, he was tackled in the end zone. It was an unnecessary tackle and the injury could have been avoided.


  27. AllG August 12, 2016 3:30 pm

    Wow that’s high praise for DSJ! Hope he can stay healthy this year! If Brownholtz can really run 4.57 I hope he wins the job. That is Kap type speed and would make our running game even more dangerous with the read option threat.


  28. islandman August 12, 2016 3:58 pm

    24 … speaking of Larry Sherrer, 1971, 1129 net yards rushing, 5.5 average per carry, 16 TD’s . 1970, 772 yds, 6.6 avg, 9 TD’s; 1969, 323 yds, 5.1 avg, 5 TD’s (UH website stats). The competition should be factored in too though and in 1971 they had 9 home games out of 11 total games.


  29. islandman August 12, 2016 4:27 pm

    VB fans, Mitchem has a fractured finger on her left hand. Last year it was the right.


  30. Bryson August 12, 2016 5:04 pm

    Stephen one common theme you keep brining up about the QB’S is that Cole Brownholtz makes plays,seems like once the offensive lights click on he could possibly win us some games…


  31. H-Man August 12, 2016 5:18 pm

    Rolo’s offense at Nevada required a running QB. Their QB did not pass for a lot of yards, but ran a bunch. That puts Brownholtz with his speed in the driver’s seat to be the starter.


  32. laulauhead August 12, 2016 5:23 pm

    St. Juste the best back you’ve seen out of all those studs?! Damn!! Can’t wait to see him do his thing on the field.


  33. Derek August 12, 2016 5:32 pm

    Every time I hear about Dru Brown, he’s throwing a touchdown pass. Maybe it’s just me, but that’s what I notice. I’ll trust Rolo. This QB situation is very fluid anyway. Just have to beat Cal. They are beatable.


  34. al August 12, 2016 5:37 pm

    Agree that Larry Sherrer (now a dentist inKauai) was a great back. However, that was pre-Tsai days.


  35. al August 12, 2016 5:40 pm

    Have also heard some birdies tweeting about Dru Brown.
    However, logic lends towards Ikaika getting the keys to the first test drive.


  36. Stephen Tsai August 12, 2016 5:59 pm

    Laulauhead
    When he’s healthy.


  37. DaMenehune August 12, 2016 8:02 pm

    Al I could be wrong but I thought Dr Sherrer was an eye Doctor


  38. islandman August 12, 2016 8:51 pm

    DaMenehune – correct, google says Dr. Sherrer is an Opthalmologist. Try spelling that without looking.
    Cappie .. 6-8 Ido Flaisher is the last recruit for coach Ganot this year.


  39. SteveM August 12, 2016 9:43 pm

    Back in the 70’s, around 3 years after Larry Sherrer , QB Alex Kaloi played for Hawaii and went on to become a dentist (currently practicing in Waianae). I remember watching Sherrer run in the termite palace and watching Kaloi at the new Aloha stadium.


  40. DaMenehune August 13, 2016 2:23 am

    islandman, why do you think I said eye doctor? I could spell that with out looking!!


  41. dopaco24 August 13, 2016 7:16 am

    My take on the Hendrie issue: The NCAA clearing house probably thinks Hendrie’s school(Scots College) is an actual college.


  42. Ipu Man August 13, 2016 7:54 am

    Jeezy man, I approve…terrific report.
    But as a Tsaikological ploy to put terror
    into the hearts of the enemy. 🙂


  43. Stephen Tsai August 13, 2016 9:35 am

    New post: http://hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=38646


  44. turfwar August 13, 2016 9:35 am

    Along the lines of potentially greatest had it not been for injury my vote goes to Wilbert Haslip. In practice he always ran hard and took every hand off to the goal line. Big strong fast and old school with burst. Too bad more people never had the chance to see this guy play. Dominated practices.


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