Hawaii Bowl … Derek Thomas signs
It’s a busy time, but the Hawaii Bowl is the last college football game to be played in the Aloha State this year.
And Fresno State and Houston have pretty interesting players. Plus, this is your chance to tell your future grandkids: “Yep, Papa remembers watching Ed Oliver play in Hawaii …”
* * * * *
There was a delay, but defensive end Derek Thomas of Cerritos College did transmit a copy of his letter of intent yesterday evening. Because he is a mid-year JC transfer, he was allowed to sign outside the recent three-day signing window.
Thomas is 6-2 and 222 pounds. He enrolls at UH in January, and will have four years to play three seasons.
If he is as good as projected, you might one day tell your future grandkids: “Yep, Papa remembers watching Derek Thomas play in Hawaii …”
Sounds good.
Thanks for your daily posts ST. Holiday Season or not. Much appreciated by many here. Merry Christmas to you and your family and to all of the Warrior beat Family.
A couple more JC transfers would be nice.
as we wind down 2017 – A-House family extends a Merry Christmas to all Tsikos, past and present, and their loved-ones a merriest of Christmas beginning today and well into tomorrow
thanks, Al, for your comment on my question.
just back from the West Coast and sun of a gun family has begun discussion on a possible return trip in 2019 depending on scheduling
would be nice to include a game at San Jose or Fresno with a stop in Reno and/or Frisco and, of course, another 49er game at Levi Stadium!!!!!
with so many DE’s present and in-coming hope there is room for Man Hendrie at DE of MLB
wish Genta gets some playing time at RB next year or a kick-off/punt return man
still holding out hope that the 6’10” lineman from Australia prepping on the East Coast will email a LOI to Coach Rolo — what a catch!! — perhaps, equaling Dwight Clark’s THE CATCH to win the NFL championship game against the Cowboys.
Happy birthday, Tom-warriornation!
Merry Christmas, ST and all you Tsaikos!
Merry Christmas everyone…. No Christmas present. The big Aussie OT, Daniel Faalele signed with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He’s listed at 6-8/400. But really good news that Derek Thomas signed with the Warriors. Now there’s a traffic jam at DE, but that’s good. Now for some JC Offensive Tackles to sign with the Warriors.
Thanks Seewhy!
Mele Kalikimaka to the Tsai master & fellow Tsaikos! Hope we find a leader for our offense and a beast on defense!
H-man…….I think you got the wrong Aussie. I don’t think we were really in play with Faalele. I think we were more hoping for Kavepalu. They were both discovered at the same time but Kavepalu gave us a verbal and the other kid never did.
Last I heard Enesi K was supposed to come in Jan so maybe he is on the way and no need LOI. I dunno…..so much unknown about this kid that maybe we hyping him up too much. If he gets here then good for us. If not, we should just move on and go with the boys that we have. We have some pretty good football players on the team and I am just as excited for guys like Brandon Kipper, Emil Graves, and other young OL in the program.
Kahuna, A-House wrote about a 6′ 10″ Aussie prepping on the East Coast. That would be Daniel Faalele who prepped at the IMG Academy in Florida. As for Eneasi Kavapalu, I was hoping to see his name pop during the early signing period, but disappointed he did not. I tried searching to see if he popped up somewhere else, like Minnesota, to join his his friend, but nothing so far. Maybe he is still in line to sign with Hawaii, but sometimes it’s a challenge to clear a foreign player through the NCAA clearing house.
Seems we got a lot of good pass rushers in this class but most on the smaller side. Is that a sign that Rolo may want to switch to a 3-4 Defense? I think it would be a good move for our personnel.
3 -4 defense usually employs three larger down lineman.
Yes, it looks like the intent is for a 4-3. Whoever coaches DEs will have a lot to work with.
schastlivogo Rozhdestva, comrades.
The late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon once said, “Enjoy every sandwich.”
Take care.
We have more than enough “beefy” interior D-linemen. Two freshmen were added last season, Anthony Mermea (6-4/300) and Doug Russell (6-5/300). Returning players at nose are Samuela Akoteu (6-2/320) and Viane Moala (6-7.290), both with extensive playing time last season. Eperone Moananu (6-2/290) was moved to the D last season and saw playing time. Incoming freshman Blessman Ta’ala at DT will really strengthen that position. He will join senior Zeno Choi (6-3/270). You can probably add Cole Carter (6-4/245) and Joey Nuuanu-Kuhiiki (6-3/270) to the mix at DT.
About 12,000 fans at Aloha stadium. Maybe a few more hundreds and no more.
Fresno state is the favored. Maybe by +7.
2007, about 455,000 people enter in and out of Waikiki per week. Statistics on this small town.
I’ll pick them too. They’re there now. Do you know if the same Hawaii crew is working? (Regular game)
At home spoiling myself with loco moco mini plate. Mmmm….
Nice OL pickup!
Looking good!
Go Warriors!!!
For me I get more excited during recruiting time then the actual season.
Merry Christmas Tsaikos!
Thanks Haka, from SA:
The University of Hawaii football team completed the early recruiting period with a signed commitment from offensive lineman Kohl Levao of City College of San Francisco.
Levao is the 17th player signed to the Rainbow Warriors’ 2018 recruiting class.
Levao is 6 feet 5 and 320 pounds. He played guard and tackle at CCSF, but is projected to compete at tackle for the Warriors.
Stephen, you posting from the stadium?
Levao is a very large human being. For amusement purposes only:
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7996833/584c7afb3deaaa28c8883b99
RE: #11
Thank you for all that you do! We are very grateful to have a fan like you.
#6, clyde
Thanks for entertaining video.
I especially liked play #4. Lined up at LT, pulled to his right,
and wiped out the CB or FS/SS, outside the right end area.
A 320 lb. ballerina.
#28.
that’s “Thanks for the entertaining video.”
Kudos to Fresno St. Not just for winning, but they brought their band and cheering squad. The University of Houston did not. The concessions again were pathetic. I saw Japanese tourists at the game. I suppose they wanted to see American football. Lots of old people. Older than me. They struggled to walk up to their seats, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Fresno’s secondary is really good. Their D-line pretty much shut down Houston’s running game. Read in this morning’s article that they played 17 freshmen during the course of the season. Wish Hawaii had played more players including some freshmen that only picked up splinters. Coach Tedford showed coaching really makes a difference.
Merry Christmas Tsai and Tsaikos.
You are like a Christmas Tree all year round.
You Light Up My Life.
Thank you.
20….Attendance: 20,546
Turnstile: 12,187
UH Basketball live on ESPNU today at 11:45am PST vs Princeton for 5th place-Diamond head classic.
#27 I am grateful for diehard fans like you.
Have a nice Xmas Warrior Nation and Tsaiko Nation!
Merry Christmas All!
All I want for Christmas is “A 320 lb. ballerina.” Levao – Wow!
Merry Christmas ST and to everyone! Have a happy and safe Holidays (no drink, no drive)! No place to go but up for UH Football.
After upgrading the coaches salaries, perhaps someday a new stadium in the 40,000 seat range can be built. The other UH’s (Univ. of Houston) new stadium fits the bill. Expand da rail to UH for one on-campus stadium. Increase Hotel room tax? One State Lottery? Exit fee (like they do in Japan) when you leave Hawaii at the airport? Too many excuses in these islands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRIwe9BMlc4
UH Football Recruiting–seeking 2500 donors @ $20 each
As a fan, I am trying to do my part in helping our team get back to the top of the MW. Can you do your part by chipping in a donation to the UH Foundation Fund I created–see below link.
If we all can donate $20+ (4 cups of coffee) and 2500 fans do this, we will raise $50,000 for UH Football recruiting.
After donating, add your name below:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15u0ZFhnWN8zm5OrFDQFs9L8mnBEN-BqE5kUHcfNR3LQ/edit#gid=0
Mahalo, and pls share this with all of your fellow fans.
Tom Kitaguchi, founder of our UH Football Warrior Nation Facebook group (over 3050 members).
https://www.uhfoundation.org/impact/students/warrior-nation
#35 – DPK that was for Christmas Eve. We want another one for Christmas!
Mele Kalikimaka to all, even those under the influence of drugs.
H-Man: thanks for your post at #19,
very surprised that Faalele signed with Minnesota
thought all the SEC and ACC teams surrounding IMG Academy would be 1st inline to sign him — guess they did not like what they saw
perhaps in a year or so in the coldness of a Minnesota winter Hawaii would be a welcome sight for him — wish, wish, wish !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sounds like the DT position in 2018 and beyond will be solid with current players, red-shirt, and incoming players
Corners, Corners — and I don’t mean corner of the street — UH is in serious need of help here and in the safety position
experience will not assist with their slow feet to cover WRers
and, I ask again, why did UH WRers have such a big problem in getting separation from their defenders? unfortunately, many of the routes were straight up the side lines which made it much easier, IMHO, for defenders to cover and they lacked to speed to break away added to the lack of arm strength of the QB
sure would like to see the QB position open, and I really mean open, to all contenders — no holds barred for even the 2 incoming players to “strut dare stuf”.
although the early signing period is over that should not stop players, HS or JC, to commit to UH for 2018 and sign their LOI in early February.
i am pleased to see that UH signed 18 player out of the 25 allotted for 2018
earlier, some one hinted of a possible transfer to UH soon — waiting with baited breathe!!!
any good suggestion(s) to rid a house of “silver fish”??
Great Christmas present for the football team in the form of a huge lineman! Looks like a beast of a run blocker but not sure he has quick enough feet to be a Tackle. His home may end up being at Guard. Hopefully can get him in the weight room and tone him up a bit.
#16 I realize 3-4 requires 3 larger down linemen which #19 pointed out. I think Moala and Choi are better suited as ends in a 3-4. 4-3 usually works better with bigger DEs which we do not have. Our DE would probably be better as OLB in a 3-4. Most of the NFL now runs a 3-4 and I think we now have the personnel to go back to it. Back in the days with Alama-Francis and Mel Purcell. Adam Leoand and Solomon Elimimian in the middle.
Ahouse i do think we need a quality corner or 2. But with the recent additions to the Dline, it will significantly help our corners cover! And our safeties should be fine in 2018! I expect justice aufaga and dan lewis to start
New post: http://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=45219