Warrior Beat: Trading places

Dakota Torres is the latest player to make the move from offense to defense. / Photo by Stephen Tsai

Dakota Torres‘ move from slotback to linebacker is not unique.

As a tight end/H-back through the 2017 season, Torres was a physical player who enjoyed contact. Even at slotback, where he relocated at the start of spring training, he brought an extra oomph to each play. So the move to linebacker — where he played as a Punahou freshman and sophomore — appears to be a natural transition.

Through the many, many years, UH players have found success at new positions. In recent years, Daniel Masifilo, David Manoa, Meffy Koloamatangi, Kory Rasmussen and Charles Clay played better on defense than offense.

Going deeper into UH history, Dino Babers and Blane Gaison thrived as second-career players.


There also were players who were prepared to play on both sides in the same game — Ryan Mouton, Eddie Klaneski, Craig Cofer and Dejon Allen.

While Torres is expected to do well on defense, UH already has made the right moves with Eperone Moananu and Kamuela Borden moving to the defensive line. Moananu is part of the top rotation on the defensive line, and Borden has been an effective special-teams player.

COMMENTS

  1. ai-eee-soos September 19, 2018 1:15 pm

    GO WARRIORS !!!

    BEAT DUQUESNE !!!


  2. ai-eee-soos September 19, 2018 1:16 pm

    one game at a time …

    GO WARRIORS !!!

    BEAT DUQUESNE !!!


  3. suckkabooya September 19, 2018 1:27 pm

    Special teams, defense, offense, anywhere. He has a lot to contribute physically and as a leader. He will make a big play somewhere. Go Dakota. And Go Warriors


  4. justsomeguy September 19, 2018 1:28 pm

    Kalua you are spot on everyday man haha


  5. idunnonuttin September 19, 2018 1:33 pm

    replying to suckkabooya from previous blogpost, this is the original idunnonuttin. I’ve stopped posting since Savich hijacked my screen name as Idunnonuttin. I stopped posting cause dat guy is too much. Will just be an observer and enjoy the comments from now on. Aloha!


  6. Inyoface September 19, 2018 1:39 pm

    Idunnotit get out your moms basement and get a jobby job lol


  7. suckkabooya September 19, 2018 1:44 pm

    #9

    I get it, the capital “I”. I’m sorry to hear that. Pilau. Hope you reconsider when (or if) there is some resolution. Aloha!


  8. Aiea 7 September 19, 2018 2:34 pm

    this is torres”s last year and we are 4 game into the season; how much of a success can he be? as the season goes by the teams will get much better and having an unseasoned player is kinda risky.


  9. Akamai Okole September 19, 2018 3:54 pm

    Great Afternoon All!

    10 months ago he was watching film and prepping to throw against HS CB’s and Safeties who were scrounging for lunch money on game day.
    And now you want him throwing into coverage against CB’s and Safeties who are prepping to play in the League? 😯


  10. Akamai Okole September 19, 2018 4:03 pm

    Best wishes to Torres. Hope he finds the field.

    (All State HS TE)

    Stubbs…hope he gets back on the field again, too.

    (All State HS WR)

    ….

    (All State HS QB)

    #HSnotCFB


  11. Da Punchbowl Kid September 19, 2018 4:52 pm

    I’v said it before…

    Good teams football teams are made of hard working, selfless guys like Dakota Torres. He needs to be on the field, I think that’s why coach changed his position.

    There are many guys like Dakota whom we’d like to see play. Hopefully, we’ll get we can start getting bigger leads which will allow them to get game times. As good as this team can be, it must build depth as it gets further into the season.

    GO WARRIORS!!!/LIVE ALOHA/PLAY WARRIOR!!!


  12. Akamai Okole September 19, 2018 5:00 pm

    :LOL:


  13. SailorBlue September 19, 2018 5:01 pm

    Aloha everybody ~ Saturdays are made for FOOTBALL and TGATE. Mrs. SB & I have reserved ***CABANA A*** at Rainbow Bay Marina. The normal routine: early crew arrive/set-up ~9AM, grill crew fires-up ~10-10:30, eat ono grindz until clean-up ~1.5 hours prior to the game. Donations to pay for the Cabana, pop-up tent and common items are always welcome. Remember, everybody is welcome. Questions – email me at jboster(at)yahoo(dot)com. Hope to see everybody there. Cheers, SB


  14. JesseJames September 19, 2018 5:02 pm

    Good afternoon Tsaikos.

    Go Warriors!!! Beat Duquesne!!!

    BTW. Got this from Pomai’s family.

    “Please come join us as we celebrate the life of Donald “Pomai” Patton. Saturday, October 6, 2018 at Kuhio Beach near the Duke statue. Service will start promptly at 7:30 a.m. followed by a private scattering of his ashes at 8:30 a.m.”

    They scheduled it early knowing it was a home game against Wyoming. Just providing info for anyone who wanted to attend.


  15. Akamai Okole September 19, 2018 5:03 pm

    Mahalo SB.

    Mahalo JJ


  16. wafan September 19, 2018 5:30 pm

    Aloha and mahalo Pomai.


  17. Da Punchbowl Kid September 19, 2018 5:46 pm

    Sorry for the typos in my post about Dakota. Need coffee.

    Not a bot! Need coffee!


  18. tom-warriornation September 19, 2018 6:39 pm

    Who need tix for the Fresno St road game on Oct 27 sitting with me & Cole McDonald’s parents & friends on the 35 yard line behind our Warrior bench; so close you can almost touch the players–can’t beat this road game experience!


  19. tom-warriornation September 19, 2018 6:45 pm

    $55 each. Text me 415-324-0585.

    Who knows; this game for a potential conference championship but one game at a time!


  20. PONO September 19, 2018 8:35 pm

    post #5 or Ta’ala is 5’11. Love the dedication of Torres who just cares about the success of the team regardless of where is he on the field. Team above self is an attitude that all players should carry with them. Big shout out to him for reppin Hawaii. Who said Punahou kids don’t stay home? Torres, Tuileta, Mashima, Tuinei all reppin the Bows.


  21. JesseJames September 19, 2018 10:00 pm

    Didn’t Bernard Quarles play QB and then play safety or something like that. I seem to remember a QB doing that…


  22. burro sabio September 19, 2018 10:12 pm

    Blane Gaison
    Verlon Redd
    Walter Briggs
    Walter Santiago


  23. burro sabio September 19, 2018 10:13 pm

    Mr. Tsai, please SMU the clown.
    After that, SMU Savich/DunnoNuttin.


  24. Stephen Tsai September 19, 2018 11:55 pm

    After 146 years, Ringling Brothers closed the “Greatest Show On Earth.”
    No more acrobats, elephants or clowns.


  25. A-House September 20, 2018 4:09 am

    how about this play:

    regular 4 wide set, but use Dakota Torres as the RT — all WR go out and peel across the middle — Torres does a “brush block” then peels off to the right for a pass — Furuta on the right side to block the left DE after Torres does his block


  26. A-House September 20, 2018 4:10 am

    damn — still on East coast time — it’s already 10:10 am!!!!


  27. justsomeguy September 20, 2018 4:57 am

    I like that idea A-House, as long as Torres is isn’t wear a jersey #50-79 and isn’t covered by a WR (as he must be on the end of the line at either side). Interestingly, in High School football there MUST be 5 players with jersey numbers between 50 and 79 on first, second, and third down. There is no such rule in the NCAA.


  28. justsomeguy September 20, 2018 4:57 am

    Mahalo Mr. Tsai!


  29. cappie the dog September 20, 2018 5:47 am

    Raphel Cherry.

    Back in the day when African-American quarterbacks were automatically reassigned to another position.


  30. Maddog50 September 20, 2018 6:01 am

    First of all congrats to Circle of Honor inducteesin particular the 2007 team and especially Rick Blangiardi who was a young coach staff member during my time. Congrats Coach! Regarding the game and no disrespect to the “Dukes” but this should be like a wall falling on someone-last weeks loss coupled with where this team is headed (upward) this should be over decisively and by a wide margin by mid third quarter. The Dukes opponents, all four have a 2-10 combined record. I note that every single time and I mean every single time Coach Rolovich relates he is trying to deliver to the State and community something they can be proud of. The players relate the some thing each and every time. Here’s to the Warrior faithful that will be in attendance for this game and I hope thousands more to show support for the effort this staff and these players are giving for a “greater cause”! GoWarriors!!!!


  31. Chicken Grease September 20, 2018 7:25 am

    Dave Aranda (now at LSU eatning just about over a mill’ on Bobby curran show ESPN 1420 AM) on tight now. Man. One that got away. Brilliant strategist!

    Sports Animals later in the afternoon tends to replay morning interviews.


  32. H-Man September 20, 2018 8:44 am

    Dave Aranda earns $2.5 mil/year; 4-year contract extension for $10 mil. Dude is rich. To put it in perspective, Dave Aranda makes more that every Group-of-5 head football coach.


  33. Idunnonuttin September 20, 2018 9:30 am

    Hawai’i Bowl 2018
    December 22, 2:30 p.m.

    Versus Louisiana Tech

    Be there or be mayor


  34. Chicken Grease September 20, 2018 9:32 am

    Did you listen to the interview, H-Man?


  35. Akamai Okole September 20, 2018 9:35 am

    Great Morning All!

    Hot!


  36. islandman September 20, 2018 9:38 am

    24. The circus closed. A Circle of Honor inductee, Skippy Dyer was a trapeze artist later after UH.
    ” He once held school-records with an 87-yard run versus Fresno State in 1955 and 95-yard kickoff return for touchdown against Oregon in 1956.
    He was a member of the 1955 squad that upset Nebraska, 6-0 in Lincoln, Neb., considered one of the greatest upsets in school history. He played halfback, defensive back, kick-off return and punt return and was picked No. 25 on the Honolulu Star-Bulletin’s Centurions list, celebrating the Top 100 players in Hawai’i football history. ” (hawaiiathletics.com )
    Also played baseball and ran track at UH.
    http://www.staradvertiser.com/2018/09/19/sports/ferds-words/dyers-feats-at-uh-life-afterward-are-legendary/


  37. Idunnonuttin September 20, 2018 9:43 am

    Raphael Cherry 1987, was better than Kenny Niumatalolo. September 1987. #7 jersey quarteback. 6-2 height.


  38. Idunnonuttin September 20, 2018 9:50 am

    Matalolo came out of Waianae, 1988. Height 6-2 1/2.

    He backed up or was after Garrett in PAC 10 league. Correction PAC 5. 1986


  39. Kahuna September 20, 2018 10:00 am

    #25….whistle blows…….Referee turns on his microphone…..”illegal touching of the ball number 45, lined up as the right tackle and when out on a pass route, 10 yard penalty on Hawaii, replay the down”.


  40. Idunnonuttin September 20, 2018 10:03 am

    Honolulu Star-Bulletin: yesteryears, 1985, March 21, 3 homeruns in one game, in Utah State, one record not broken yet. MARIO MONICO. OUT OF FARRINGTON GOVERNORS, 1981.


  41. Idunnonuttin September 20, 2018 10:43 am

    Honolulu Advertiser had many clippings on UH baseball. San Diego State 1988 regular season outing of Hawaii. 4-0 against Hawaii. Jim Dietz routes Hawaii in regular season play. But Hawaii gets an at-large bid into the WAC tournament. 4th place to win it. This was surprising. Joey Vierra picks up the save and the title. 20 game winner. Like yesterday i remember the game. Rainbows. Remember him as coach? Les Murakami. How he looked like. 6-1


  42. Boolakanaka September 20, 2018 11:02 am

    I love football, just love it. But the fact that Aranda makes five to six times the chair of any academic department at LSU, including medicine, is fairly ridiculous. Last I looked these were places of scholarship and academic advancement, not a minor league farm system for the NFL.

    If one were to actually look at LSUs graduation rate, NOT the success rate, which is just a fancy way to say “on the way to graduation”—it under 50%, 44 to be exact. That’s below mediocre and sad. See:https://web3.ncaa.org/aprsearch/gsrsearch

    At super programs like LSU, Bama, Clemson, something needs to change,,,,


  43. Chicken Grease September 20, 2018 11:07 am

    Bool’, the big name schools seem to always do stuff to help graduate their students, heh, know what I mean, especially the ones they thing will go on to NFL.

    On another note . . . song I will play (have it on my phone at the ready) once Chevan C. Is allowed to play (idunnonuttin’, this should REALLY continue to confuse those who think we’re the same person 🙄):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M


  44. Stephen Tsai September 20, 2018 11:49 am

    New post: http://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=46874


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