Warrior Beat

Trey Larsen aced a walk-on tryout more than a year ago, earning a slotback’s spot on the Warriors’2018 spring roster. But his work in those practices and the offseason program did not result in a spot on last year’s team. Undaunted, Larsen participated once again in last month’s walk-on tryouts. He initially was not put on the callback list. But this week, he has rejoined the Warriors — as a cornerback. * * * * * The unlikeliest hero — […]

Doug Russell? “No, he’s now Russ,” UH head coach Nick Rolovich said. “He lost the ‘ell.’” Russell looks — and feels — an ‘ell’ of a lot better after dropping 45 pounds from last spring to this spring. Russell, who is 6 feet 5, now weighs 285. “I’m moving a lot better,” said Russell, a defensive tackle/nose tackle. Russell said he has been on a conditioning program for quite a while. “I hit a road block,” he admitted. “I was […]

To the UH football players, it was no surprise when running back Wilbert Haslip was named the team’s 1978 MVP. Haslip was the players’ overwhelming choice despite spending most of that year on crutches. “Even though he missed most of his senior year … we voted him the team MVP at our banquet,” former UH quarterback Jeff Duva said. Last month, Haslip died in Riverside, Calif. He was 62. “Wilbert was a great athlete, a great football player, a great […]

It makes sense that cornerbacks coach Abraham Elimimian would help devise a creative product for the Warriors’ spring practices. After all, Elimimian’s father is a Renaissance Man who authored the “Encyclopedia of World Literature.” Elimimian came up with two clothes attached chest-high to a vest. They serve the same purpose as the flags in flag football, only they are placed in the target area for defensive backs. The cloths have been helpful in teaching proper hand placements during drills. Elimimian […]

Woody Blevins has officially joined the UH football coaching staff as an intern/quality-control coach. His hiring was approved on Friday. Blevins spent the previous seven seasons at Northern Colorado, ascending from volunteer to graduate assistant to full-time assistant coach to special teams coordinator/cornerbacks coach. He also has held the title of “mental edge,” the UNC’s sports psychology director. “It was hard and it was easy,” Blevins said of leaving UNC. “It was hard because I love my players and I’d […]

It was a lively start to spring training with today’s 2-hour practice on the grass field. Quarterbacks Cole McDonald and Chevan Cordeiro were in good form. During the passing session, McDonald was 9-for-10; Cordeiro was 6-for-8. McDonald is fully healthy after playing in pain last year following injuries to his knee and side. He completed two long passes to Jason-Matthew Sharsh and Dante McGee. Cordeiro has worked on adding weight. Head coach Nick Rolovich has marveled at Cordeiro’s elusiveness and […]

Slotback Dante McGee and offensive lineman Kauka Umiamaka have both landed spots on the Warriors’ spring roster. The Warriors open spring ball on Friday. McGee, a Pearl City High graduate, made last year’s spring roster after acing a walk-on tryout. But there was not enough room for him to advance to the opening-game roster. Last spring, Umiamaka, a Castle High graduate, announced he would be joining the Warriors as a walk-on. But, again, there was not enough space on the […]