Warrior Beat

There were 31 participants for today’s walk-on tryouts at Ching field. The minimum qualifications: 1. Full-time UH-Manoa student. 2. GPA of 2.5 or better. 3. Good health. 4. Good football skills. 5. Survive strength/conditioning coordinator Gary Beemer’s fitness quiz. One participant met requirements 1, 2 and 4 before suffering an injury to his quadriceps. He was eliminated. Here were some of the hopefuls: * * * * * Kenneth McCoy told several UH players he wanted to audition. When asked […]

Deal or no deal: Would you open against the defending league champion in exchange for playing the final three games against teams that were a combined 8-16 in league play last year? Of course. For all the angst over the 2015 schedule, the Warriors actually received a fair deal from the Mountain West Conference. The schedule’s degree of difficulty — 13 games in a row without a bye, two road games against Big Ten schools in a 14-day period — […]

Here’s Hawaii’s 2015 football schedule: 9/3 — Colorado 9/12 — At Ohio State 9/19 — UC Davis 9/26 — At Wisconsin 10/3 — At Boise State 10/10 — San Diego State 10/17 — At New Mexico 10/24 — At Nevada 10/31 — Air Force 11/7 — At UNLV 11/14 — Fresno State 11/21 — San Jose State 11/28 — Louisiana-Monroe * * * * * A volleyball middle blocker relies on instincts, quick thinking and rapid response. Former Warrior middle […]

Local sports television is undergoing a makeover. Brandi Higa, who has served as interim sports reporter/anchor at KITV, was offered the full-time job officially on Friday. She will continue to anchor on weekends. Higa fills the vacancy created when Jahmai Webster accepted a job in Denver. At Hawaii News Now, Taryn Hatcher, who has been training the past month, will go on the air this week. Hatcher is a recent Rutgers graduate. HNN also has hired Francesca Weems, a Kealakehe […]

A key football member is missing from the Warriors’ offseason conditioning program. Stephen Pizza didn’t throw a football or make a tackle during games. But as a graduate assistant strength/conditioning coach, he helped players with weight and fitness training, monitored the “Pit” for those rehabilitating from injuries and, without fanfare, did jobs that needed to be done. During beach workouts, he set up training areas, worked at different stations (including standing in knee-high water) and, after the players left, helped […]

Newly hired defensive coordinator Tom Mason and defensive backs coach Abraham Elimimian are set to arrive in Honolulu this weekend. Jake Cookus, who will coordinate specials teams, began working for the Warriors this week. The additions complete UH’s full-time coaching staff. The Warriors are seeking to hire two interns. Lance Samuseva was promoted from intern to assistant coach. Donovan Raiola, who has drawn praise for his help with the offensive line, is not expected to return as intern. * * […]

New-car owners are impressed with the new features, such as head-rest DVD monitors and hands-free smart trunks. It’s the standards, such as power windows, that are taken for granted. And so it was with former UH basketball coach Larry Little. The basic characteristics we expect in people — the standards — were what made Little. He was honest and fair. He cared about his family, his faith, his friends and his players. As a post-probation coach on a 1970s UH […]

Word on the street is former UH defensive tackle Lance Samuseva — pending background checks, other red tape and hurdles— is poised to join the Warriors’ coaching staff. He was an intern the past three seasons. The likely hiring makes sense because: > He’s likable. Former d-line coach Lewis Powell, who worked with Samuseva the past three years, had nothing but praise. Players past and present also appreciate Samuseva’s stern but wise approach. > He’s a hard worker. In 2012, […]