‘Bows in the Pros: Hawaii football alum John Ursua makes Seahawks roster
No news was good news for former University of Hawaii football player John Ursua.
By not being alerted by today’s 10 a.m. deadline to pare NFL rosters, Ursua has made the Seattle Seahawks’ opening-day 53-man roster.
“The process is different,” Ursua told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Stephen Tsai in a telephone interview. “It’s opposite the draft. You don’t want to receive a phone call. If you receive a phone call, then you’re cut. They let you know by not letting you know.”
But 30 minutes after the deadline, Ursua received congratulatory texts.
“It’s official,” Ursua said.
Ursua had decided to relinquish his senior season at UH to apply for the 2019 NFL Draft. The Seahawks traded a 2020 pick for the seventh-round spot used to select Ursua this year.
Ursua was used in the slot, where he played for the Rainbow Warriors, and wideout in the Seahawks’ preseason games.
“I try not to be one-dimensional,” Ursua said. “I want to do it all.”
Ursua grew up on Hawaii island before before moving to Utah for the start of his sophomore year of high school. He attended three high schools in Utah, including two as a senior, before working for a year and then going on a two-year church mission in Paris.
“I’m extremely blessed,” Ursua said of making an NFL roster. “It’s a huge accomplishment for me. I have this opportunity they’re giving me, this chance to prove myself. I was a later draft pick. You’re always on the bubble when you’re a later pick. To have this opportunity is super cool.”
In other notes around the league:
>> Former UH safety Trayvon Henderson was among the players released by the Cincinnati Bengals today.
>> Former UH offensive lineman Dejon Allen was cut by the Green Bay Packers on Friday after signing two days earlier. He played in the Packers’ preseason finale against Kansas City on Thursday.
First!
Congrats to John Ursua!
Pretty strong showing by the MWC. 9-3 in the first week and 4 of those wins against Power 5 opponents.
Jahlani Tavai looks to have also made the cut, per
https://www.detroitlions.com/team/players-roster/
EXCELLENT!!! Phase Two rolls on!
GO WARRIORS!!!
Great news for the Warriors!
MWC teams did very well. Fresno played USC tight all game. They will be tough to handle.
Congratulations Ursua, Hawaii Nation and all the fans knew you would make it per your hard work and up bringing by your amazing parents. As a dad myself, I will install a hard work ethic for my son. (A future Hawaii Warrior 😉)
Josh Ursua joins the very exclusive Jeff Sydner club. I was 99% sure that Ursua would make a NFL roster. Other than Hawaii and SD baseball, I don’t root for teams anymore, only players with Hawaii-affiliations.
Knew you could do it, Ursua.
my only regret about Ursua is that the 49ers did not draft him.
congratulations to Ursua — play well even against the 49ers, but Niners must win!!!
Word on the street is Trayvon should be on Cincys practice squad…
On to OSU…How to play them? How to defend? Gonna be a good week.
CtD, David Freitas called up by Milwaukee.
Much anticipated week ahead. The Beavers-former coaches former player and a few local players. Should be an interesting week and game. Questions going in Levao, Pritchard, and Akoteau. Can’t think of any others. I expect a similar slow snap approach to keep control of the ball. Clearly OSU run game is their strength. After Cowboy game honestly feel we can get to this Qb better than they did/
Bummer … Leo Kolomatangi was cut by the Lions …
Yes. Agree with Maddog. Pass rush out of the base package will be the key. That back can beat you to the openings so I think UH needs to be balanced. Passes look timing based. Real important to scheme right vs this offense. Oregon St’s OT’s looked okay. If they do try to go deep Padello can bother them for sure. Padello got held a lot (no calls, even by the horse collar once and one time held via “guillotine” choke) vs Arizona but OSU’s OT’s look a little quicker. Interesting match-up outside. Taala and Hune need to hold the “point” and stuff the middle as well so Batoon can press. Should be interesting. Can do.
The LT #68 is Brandon Kipper UH transfer. Hope he has a long day
Kipper is the right tackle
Kipper had 2 false starts vs OK St. Saw many of the Beaver players “laughing” on the sidelines as the game wore on vs OK St. Really? OSU is looking at a win over Hawaii as the cure to right their ills. We’ll see.
Cedric Byrd MWC Offensive Player of the Week,
per ST’s column.
Congrats.
Read where the bows are favored by 5 this week?!
Yup – Home team is -5.
undah / ovah stay 77 to 79.
CHANCE UM !!!
who da guy ai-eee-eoos ?
I like da unda….
burro sabio: Your name doesn’t work as an acronym. Still waiting for the Kean Wong call-up. So, so reminiscent of Marge Schott and Joey Vierra. Wong was the MVP in last year’s AAA all-star game. Sure, he struck out over 100 times this season but he’s batting .300+. Trade him, Tampa.
Went to Dbacks game today and saw 2 ex-Bows in action. Josh Rojas batted 2nd for the Dbacks and went 4-5. Greg Garcia came in later at SS for the Padres.
Go Warriors !
CtD, some would say that my name works perfectly as an acronym.
Agree, Kean won’t make the bigs with Tampa, needs to go somewhere else.
UH received votes (3) in Coaches Poll.
https://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/polls/amway-coaches-poll/
islandman: Perhaps, Kevin Sumlin voted Hawaii at No. 23?
Again both ESPN analysts have UH going to the Arizona bowl and BYU going to the Hawaii bowl….I can’t imagine a scenario where that would actually happen
SoFi Hawai’i Bowl
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
Dec. 24, 8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: BYU vs. SMU
Schlabach: BYU vs. Navy
NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
Dec. 31, 4:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Bonagura: Hawaii vs. Georgia Southern
Schlabach: Hawaii vs. Arkansas State
Don’t care about point spreads projections etc. want to carpet bomb the Beavers-McDonald, ward Byrd Sharsh et al. Just blow these guys back to Corvallis!
When Arizona was balanced defensively in the first quarter Cole was given a clean pocket often and could throw anywhere he wanted to. Pryor and Manning were exceptional. Manning’s footwork and balance is unreal. Just stayed in front of his guy easily. Pryor looked real burly and more powerful in comparison but at maybe 3/4 the quickness. So a lot his match-ups went backwards (muscled his guy outside of rushing lane) or straight to the ground. Furuta was terrific in protection too. easily handled the free rusher.
Arizona later changed their pressure scheme to “flood” (over load) from the edges. I don’t think that was part of the initial game plan but they had to take away the deep passes. It did bother McDonald a little but left huge open running spaces for draws and quick hitting runs. The RB’s just had to break the first tackle and then 10 to 15 yards. They got over excited and fumbled. Too bad. Final score could have been maybe 59-31 without the fumbles.
I think Oregon St will want to take away the middle and deep and make McDonald throw short passes. He seems to be not as good at that. So pressure will from angles where McDonald can’t see it (outside) rather than from the front, mainly because of Furuta. Will be interesting matchup and an important “test” that this team (and Fan Base) needs to pass in the Phase II process. Can do.
New post: https://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=50900