Special interest

It was later in the practice, the 13th of 18 periods, when auditions were conducted for spots on four special-team units.

“That’s why we call it the big four because it encompasses all four — punt, punt return, kickoff, kickoff return,” said Chris “Demo” Demarest, who coordinates special teams.

In the big-four drill, there are four players on each side, starting in a prone position. At the whistle, coverage players jump up and sprint downfield. The hold-up players jump up and try to re-reoute the coverage players.

The seemingly simple drill is a study in technique, discipline and effort. For instance,  a coverage player on the outside lane is supposed to set the edge and prevent the returner from running wide. Three times Demarest fumed when an outside player left his lane to chase the returner.

The hold-up players were implored to stay in front of the coverage player — stab and lag — to re-route without clipping. Demarest does not tolerate  penalties, not even in practices.


Demarest said he has received coach Norm Chow’s blessing to use every player but quarterbacks on the big four.


“We’re going to find the best available players for special teams,” Demarest said. “Everybody has an opportunity, whether you’re on scholarship or a walk-on, to catch my attention.”

Demarest said starters are limited to playing on two of the four units.

COMMENTS

  1. Loa April 10, 2014 6:00 am

    morning gang!

    “stab and lag”


  2. momo April 10, 2014 6:12 am

    Good morn to you all. Of to a round of golf


  3. Daddy April 10, 2014 6:25 am

    Daddy was here


  4. whitey April 10, 2014 6:30 am

    good morning tsaikos, daddy, and momo.


  5. whitey April 10, 2014 6:31 am

    momo, long time no see. saw kaname at the store and he looks good.


  6. tommui April 10, 2014 6:41 am

    GOOD MORNING HAWAII!

    Good day Whitey!
    Good morrow Momo! Miss seeing Garret on the blog.


  7. wafan April 10, 2014 6:44 am

    Good morning, all!


  8. Da Punchbowl Kid April 10, 2014 7:39 am

    Good morning Loa, momo, Daddy, whitey, tom, and wafan. How’s errybody this fine day?


  9. Da Punchbowl Kid April 10, 2014 7:40 am

    Yeah, where’s Garret?


  10. Da Punchbowl Kid April 10, 2014 7:40 am

    Tent!


  11. Shoko April 10, 2014 7:54 am

    Mountain West conference Friday night lineup released.
    http://www.themw.com/#!/news-detail/mw_14_m-footbl_sked_update1_04-10-14_uand3a


  12. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 8:10 am

    Walk-ons this is your chance to get playing time!!! And on a different item, but still related to college athletics, very alarming, at least for me, article in the NYT about the rate of spending on college athletics compared to academics…

    Even as their spending on instruction, research and public service declined or stayed flat, most colleges and universities rapidly increased their spending on sports, according to a report being released Monday by the American Association of University Professors.
    “Increasingly, institutions of higher education have lost their focus on the academic activities at the core of their mission,” the association said in its report. “The spending priority accorded to competitive athletics too easily diverts the focus of our institutions from teaching and learning to scandal and excess.”

    For years, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, a watchdog group of academic leaders and others, has been documenting, and deploring, the race in sports expenditures at the most competitive level, Division I. But this report is believed to be the first that also compares educational spending and athletic spending, over time, at Division II and III schools and at community colleges.

    “Many of us have had the concern that the out-of-control expenditures in Division I would have a cascading effect, and this report suggests that our worst fears are coming to pass,” said William Kirwan, co-chairman of the Knight Commission and chancellor of the University System of Maryland. “The American culture is so in love with athletics that even though many people know the right thing to do, they can’t do it.”

    Using data from the United States Department of Education, the N.C.A.A., and its own surveys, the association paints a sobering picture in its report, titled “Losing Focus,” of a sector in which the growth in educational spending trails far behind that of athletic spending — especially at community colleges and Division II and III institutions.
    From 2004 to 2011, community colleges’ inflation-adjusted educational spending — on instruction, public service and academic support — declined, while their athletic spending increased 35 percent per athlete, the report said. Overall spending per student grew 2.6 percent.

    Inflation-adjusted athletic spending also increased, by 24.8 percent, at public four-year colleges in all divisions in those years, while spending on instruction and academic support remained nearly flat, and public service and research expenditures declined, the report said. Their overall spending per student grew 1.6 percent.


  13. jm2375 April 10, 2014 8:32 am

    Good morning Tsaikos!

    GO WARRIORS!
    GO WAHINE!


  14. NorthShoreFan April 10, 2014 9:26 am

    Guud Morning Tsaikos…bootiful cloudy day.

    carry over from yesterday’s conversation…da pineapple fields was brutal for a 15 yr old who never toiled a day in his life till then.
    however, met some really cool peeps and got to know what team work was about…
    used to make extra $’s if we could fill x amount of trucks so it was..GO, GO! time. each guy had to pick his lane and not fall behind but when they did we all helped out. some lines had more pine than others.
    one of my lunas, a Mr. Layugan (spelling?) was one cool dude. shared his booze sometimes.
    he used to love when tourist stopped by for pics. as soon as they stopped by he was already peeling the pine to offer them…guud memories of that guy.
    hey $1.15/hr + incentives..life was hard but guud.


  15. Sofaking_blk April 10, 2014 9:39 am

    #11
    I didn’t see UH on the schedule. Even our won own conference has no respect for us. Back in the day we use to have at least 3 games a year on ESPN. It’s a shame how far UH football has fallen.


  16. al April 10, 2014 9:54 am

    tv schedule for friday nights only.
    relax.


  17. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 9:55 am

    14–Continuing the stories of yesteryear and pineapples. Truth be told, one of my uncles always delivered pineapple from the field to the cannery, so, the 2nd and 3rd summers, he talked to one of his boys, who was a supervisor, for the 11-7 shift. Well, bruddha, hooked it up…my job was to make sure all the cores coming out of the ginaca pineapple processing machine, and were dumped into this individual trash bins and then taking into a much larger holding area, where they smashed up all the cores and made it into juice.

    Anyway, we had to keep track of about 50-60 machines, but me two other soles brudhhas turned into an art form. Often crank out for like three hours, and these rubbish cans were super heavy, like 100 pounds plus, but then would take a while for it to get full–then go on the roof for like an hour, and watch the stars…..no-OSHA back then, so often my cousin Paka and her other cousin lolo, would visit us on the roof. Good times….


  18. hwnstyll April 10, 2014 10:06 am

    Boolakanaka,

    Mo betta you start your own blog instead of taking over this one. Kind of long post no?


  19. SteveM April 10, 2014 10:11 am

    Good morning everyone!

    GO SPECIAL TEAMS!

    …responsible for some of the most spectacular plays on both sides of the ball. Working for more spectacular plays than the other team. GO “Demo”!


  20. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 10:14 am

    18–Information is the friend without allegiance or bias.


  21. SteveM April 10, 2014 10:35 am

    RE: #18
    hawnstyll (not to be confused with Lo-Cal Tsai-ko hawnstln) — if a former UH football player wants to talk football, life in Hawaii, and any of the 6 F’s of the blog — speaking for myself, I have no problem with that. Many of us have “taken over the blog” at one time–some with ST’s official blessing as “hosts for the day”.

    Many of us have contributed like boolakanaka in the past….often 5-10 of us at the same time, which brought the comment count to 500+ per day. Did you know that original blogger al was offered his own blog by the Advertiser to talk about food in Hawaii? Also WreckinEyez was offered one on life in ewa. Garret and his technical football research really helped (and note #8 by DPK today).

    Contributors like this is what differentiates ST’s Warrior Beat from other sites.


  22. gobows April 10, 2014 10:37 am

    15

    Thats a good thing, lose money playing on a week day. If the usc game had been on saturday, 40k+ easy. UH cannot schedule home games at 8pm on a weekday, that would defeat the purpose of a tv audience on the mainland. So a 5 pm game on a weekday will get only 26k in attendance. If you can donate a couple million $$$ every year, then maybe UH can lobby for those late afternoon home games on a weekday.


  23. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 10:44 am

    21–And mahalo nui, SteveM, nothing like a tsaiko getting your back. On the other hand, I take no offense–not the the first time I have been called long-winded, and thats just this morning.


  24. tommui April 10, 2014 11:06 am

    #23 Boolakanaka

    I like your remembrances of days past.

    There are some on the Blog that had long post without anything of substance.


  25. Shoko April 10, 2014 11:07 am

    Yep, these are Friday games. CBSSN and ESPN might pick up a few Hawaii games in the coming weeks that will be announced later.

    It just dawned on me that if ESPN did announce it will pick up a Hawaii game, people would probably be complaining they will be embarrassed on national television again…lol.

    Indeed, a very tough fan base.


  26. BigWave96744 April 10, 2014 11:08 am

    I predict Kawika Borden as one of the top 4
    Also might throw in Keelan Ewaliko and New Walkon Taz Stevenson


  27. Shoko April 10, 2014 11:10 am

    And, yes, Boolakanaka does write about some thought-provoking subjects.


  28. jimmy the lock April 10, 2014 11:21 am

    SteveM, no need mention anything since people on here voice their opinion. You also didn’t need to qualify your post with “if a former UH football player” since anyone can talk football, life in Hawaii, and any of your so called “f’s”. Would you have a problem if it isn’t a former player posting? If that’s the case then you would have plenty problems.

    LOL, I’m a hypocite, yeah, yeah, since I’m mentioning your post and shouldn’t because you can post what you like, within ST’s bounds. 😆 🙄


  29. jonj April 10, 2014 11:21 am

    Made it to my first practice of the year. Missed the first half. Higgins and Graham threw the best balls today. Higgins continues to impress even had some very nice 20yd throws one was caught the other dropped. Woosley had a nice scramble far right back to left and back right and found a Wr. 40hrs deep in the endzone. Ammon baker looks great but needs work on his hands. Had 3-4 drops that would have resulted in big gaines. One of them he gave up to little olé maggit. 6’4″ Wr shouldn’t loose to a 5’8″ DB on a jump ball. Maggit also got a nice break on a hitch route and intercepted woosley. Defense didnt look that great offense was handing it to them easily. Coach Demo… The man is Nuts!!


  30. Da Punchbowl Kid April 10, 2014 11:22 am

    You good boola! I am sure if braddah (or sistah) hwanstyll had the pleasure of meeting you as some of us had, he would love you too.

    Wow, you guys were able to sneak girls onto the roof of the cannery?


  31. jimmy the lock April 10, 2014 11:22 am

    Boola, best parties were with Mary and Jane! They kept things mellow.


  32. Da Punchbowl Kid April 10, 2014 11:32 am

    Thank you for saying exactly what some were thinking, jimmy! About the girls, I mean. 😉


  33. Shoko April 10, 2014 11:39 am

    Sounds like Woolsey executed a Russel Wilson on that play. Always nice to have a quarterback that can extend the play with his feet.


  34. jimmy the lock April 10, 2014 11:39 am

    Stock market got slammed today.
    Putin should stop futin around.
    Pistorius is he really serious?
    Hawaii Health Connector, waste of millions.


  35. 3-Prong April 10, 2014 11:41 am

    I’m w/boo too. I like his posts. Sometime gotta do da “Evelyn Wood speed Reading” ting on em tho. hehe


  36. jimmy the lock April 10, 2014 11:42 am

    Da Punchbowl Kid, one time my friend thought is was girls… 😯 He had a “bone” to pick with one of them.


  37. LizKauai (mbp) April 10, 2014 11:45 am

    Congrats, Avis and Kalani!!!


  38. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 12:05 pm

    3 Prong…Messieure Wildcat–dats right, I’m like one opihi, every third or fourth thing I say is valuable.


  39. Stephen Tsai April 10, 2014 12:43 pm

    jonj:
    You picked a good day to watch practice.
    Well, bad weather-wise, but good because it was a nice scrimmage-like day. QBs were live targets outside of the pocket.


  40. Ipu Man April 10, 2014 12:57 pm

    And the kickers were kicking ath?


  41. JustAsking April 10, 2014 1:12 pm

    36- I often have a separate reading session for Boola’s comments! Sometimes long, but usually very interesting. For example, his reference to the disparity in spending growth for athletics versus academics is troubling. We all support athletic programs, but the primary purpose of colleges/universities is sometimes lost. As we debate the construction of a new on-campus stadium, the general condition of the Manoa campus continues to deteriorate. . .


  42. NorthShoreFan April 10, 2014 1:14 pm

    #17 Bruddha boo…long winded?…never met an attorney who wasn’t!…lol anyhoo, interesting stuff you get..

    while you was looking at stars I had to learn how to flip dem pines…first week was brutal…wrist was taped up and sore like hell. not to mention all the small little needle pokes on the stomach and arms from the pine tips. took a shower and it burned like hell, at least for the first week…den was all pau….second year we was pros….still can flip em pretty good….regular and also spiral dat puppy…


  43. JustAsking April 10, 2014 1:21 pm

    Especially appreciated one quote from Boola’s link: “The spending priority accorded to competitive athletics too easily diverts the focus of our institutions from teaching and learning to scandal and excess.”
    Who can forget the “financial windfall” from the Sugar Bowl appearance being thrown into the wind as seemingly every UH administrator, together with their immediate family, friends, supporters, neighbors, acquaintances, state representative and senator, enjoyed a trip to New Orleans? Examples like that have a chilling effect on legitimate fundraising efforts.


  44. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 1:24 pm

    Now cannot disappoint the folks waiting for me to blow steam like one ole skool iron, so for the other folks who are tired of my bluster and bloviation, e kala mai in advance!!

    The complaint line is to the left and winds down at least a mile or so; look for my wife, she is at the very front of the line……..


  45. Darren April 10, 2014 1:25 pm

    An interesting read…and pretty fair analysis…

    The big 2014 Hawaii football preview: Rainbow Warriors weren’t as bad as you think

    http://www.sbnation.com/2014/4/10/5594956/hawaii-football-2014-preview-schedule-roster


  46. 3-Prong April 10, 2014 1:30 pm

    Boo Da Opihi, yah, yah, if dey no pick you off da firs time you stick mo hard!


  47. jimmy the lock April 10, 2014 1:33 pm

    Thanks for the read Darren.


  48. Inyoface. April 10, 2014 1:54 pm

    Nice!


  49. al April 10, 2014 2:31 pm

    yeah…boolak can get podagee on us. i rather read through his stuff then the ones who don’t know when to paragraph.

    den, the old eyes get hard time follow the bouncing ball.


  50. kawika49 April 10, 2014 2:34 pm

    I gno boola never ran track. He no more run on sentences.


  51. nutmegger April 10, 2014 2:35 pm

    Darren, thanks for the link.
    Very interesting.
    Geez – can’t wait for the season to begin.
    Go Bows!


  52. kawika49 April 10, 2014 3:21 pm

    Nor, dangling participles.


  53. 3-Prong April 10, 2014 3:28 pm

    Eh Kawika, dis one famly show..hehe


  54. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 3:36 pm

    53–Bruddha Kawika, participles,what is that–one fancy word for olo’s?? My 5th grade teacher at Alvah Scott, Mrs. Arakaki taught me that an olo, is ddjectives ending in -ing (and sometimes -ed) and must be used with care

    Or for example, Trying mightily all the mu’umu’us, the tsaikos watched the fafa.

    Tsaikos watch your dangling participles (olos).


  55. NotNasti April 10, 2014 3:49 pm

    Bruddah Boo is like a 4-Octave singer. He can bust out the Halawa Housing slang, and $100 New Haven words. Bruddah get range.

    BTW: What’s with Boola Boola U asking the tiny asian girl to put on weight or get expelled? Poor girl was eating ice cream every day trying to put on some poundage on her 92 lb frame.


  56. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 3:54 pm

    Oh, they was just taking that whole thing about being “well rounded”, a tad too literally. They should have sent her with me, when I tear through Sidestreet Cafe and Alan Wongs.


  57. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 4:02 pm

    56–But seriously, Counselor Nasti, boolaboola U, has the residential college system–12 in total. Each college (e.g. Timothy Dwight) has a master of the college, and this I will say, they look after every single student, like they were their actual own.

    So, if you are missing class, have a chronic cough, maybe too many overnight visitors….they know. Sometimes, a little too much coddling, but always interested and involved. Maybe, it is the reason, why over 98% of students graduate in 4 years, and about 99% graduation rate.


  58. PurpleMaple April 10, 2014 4:03 pm

    Correct me if I am wrong, but Hawaii does not have a tv date for the upcoming 2014 MWC football season because Hawaii has elected not to participate with the MWC’s tv deal with CBS Sports. Instead, Hawaii elects to continue its PPV contract with Time-Warner Oceanic Cable in lieu of the MWC-CBS Sports 7-year tv contract for a total of $116 million or $18 million annually. The $18 million is shared equally amongst the other twelve teams for an annual payout of $1.5 million per team. Hawaii earns more money with its Oceanic arrangement.


  59. boolakanaka April 10, 2014 4:21 pm

    Any word from anyone on how Coach Gouviea is doing, or their perceptions?


  60. nuffawrede April 10, 2014 4:37 pm

    As for the QB I Just hope Chow plays the QB who consistently performs the bast in practice. Last Spring Higgins (Schroeder sat out)was the top performer but chow tapped Graham who struggled with the O all spring and fall camp. I saw practice the week of USC and was shocked at how bad Graham was. So Please, coach, stop hand picking QBs and making the defense run soft cover 2 so your handpicked QB can complete a pass and get rid of the thought that you can make anyone with a big arm an all-American. just play the QB that performs the best in practice… it may just save your job.


  61. Inyoface April 10, 2014 6:32 pm

    It will all come down to the O-line more so than the quarterback. They’ll need to protect well, open gaps and limit penalties. When the quarterback feels safe, good things happen.


  62. tommui April 10, 2014 6:41 pm

    BOOLAKANAKA 58.

    I would suspect that the graduation rate at Y has to do with the tuition rate!


  63. andbacktoreality April 10, 2014 8:46 pm

    please stop with the higgins stuff….did anyone see his deer in headlight performances? Our only hope is that Riley kid jumps in and turns the team around.


  64. el burro sabio April 10, 2014 9:13 pm

    Chow knows his job is on the line, if he has to use 5 QBs to win he’ll do it.


  65. nana April 10, 2014 9:52 pm

    How many wins will save Coach Chow’s job?


  66. Da Punchbowl Kid April 10, 2014 9:56 pm

    Dangling participles? Ask Crimea.


  67. All Nuha Already... April 10, 2014 11:16 pm

    Been waiting to read about or see on TV, a report out UH Football Spring practice, regarding the Rainbow Warriors receiving corp.
    Been 3 of the 5 sessions so far, and I hate to say, but they may be the worst unit (as a whole) on the squad.
    Well, maybe the secondary’s a bit suspect as well.

    However, receiver specific for this post.

    I kind of like the Pedroza kid. Quick, seems mentally tough, good hands and he can move. I really Harding but he doesn’t seem to be getting much work during Spring. The rest of the guys, honestly, it’s not looking good.
    Kirkwood, Kemp and company, it’s not been eye-opening in a positive sense.

    Slow off, breaks, very little fight during man-to-man drills and very little swag to speak of.

    I’m optimistic for the entire team, but honest as well. Pass-catchers need work.


  68. maddog50 April 11, 2014 3:52 am

    Read the SB article and data. Thanks, because it confirms exactly what I knew. 1-11 is terrible to all parties…..that being said all you need to do is go to the Sagarin ratings from last year and look at 60 to 73….Not many robust records and it certainly interestng national champ FSU is right there a few spots from the Warriors. No one likes excuses noris there a need, but there certainly is room for at least understanding what is taking place with this football program. It is one thing to field a team, quite another to undertake building a program that will succeed and last. This year will be quite a surprise forthe naysayers even though a challenging start. One thing that stands out is the entire game effort for the away games…..that speaks to a lot of things…….Go Warriors


  69. 3-Prong April 11, 2014 6:27 am

    Go BB, VB, SB, and Polo Bows! Pivotal games. Find a way!


  70. Sofaking_blk April 11, 2014 7:04 am

    #46
    That was a very interesting read but how in the world can anyone glorify a 1-11 team. We should’ve won a lot more games last year but coaching decisions failed this team.


  71. Ipu Man April 11, 2014 7:26 am

    I think we will surprise many of the opponents this year.


  72. kapakahi April 11, 2014 7:32 am

    Noticed that……senior OT David Griffin……always seems to attempt to “false crack” his fellow Warrior teammate(s)……after getting spanked on clean plays in these scrimmages.

    Got into it with Marcus Malepeai and Iuta Tepa on separate instances in Fall Camp last season…..and got into it with Benny yesterday.

    Apparently seems to have some anger management issues…..so hopefully Chow doles out some “old school” coaching methods to discipline Griffin.


  73. Da Punchbowl Kid April 11, 2014 7:40 am

    kapakahi –

    Nice to see you at practice. I suppose the situation with with David Griffin is a tricky challenge. We repeatedly read here how Oline coaches like for their charges to have a mean streak. Here’s hoping they can “bottle the beast” in Griffin and focus that mean streak in a proper way.


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