Warrior Beat

The blog is taking its show to Las Vegas for the Mountain West football media preview. We ‘ll have expanded posts soon. For now, we’re, um, doing research. Joey Iosefa and Beau Yap arrive tomorrow morning.

“I’m like the uncle who shares,” Jesse Sapolu said. Sapolu is just like any other uncle who was a center/guard for the San Francisco 49ers for 15 seasons, won four Super Bowl championships, and appeared in two Pro Bowls. This summer in California, like the previous two years, Sapolu provided tutorial sessions for UH center Kody Afusia and right guard Dave Lefotu. (Sapolu and the two players met through Sapolu’s son, London Sapolu, a former UH center.) During a visit […]

The Warriors’ first practice will be Monday, Aug. 4. The tentative weekday schedule calls for weight training or conditioning drills in the morning, practice beginning at 2:15 p.m., and meetings/video reviews in the evening. The afternoon start accommodates the players enrolled in Summer Session II classes between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Practices are expected to return to 7 a.m. starts on Aug. 25, the first day of UH’s fall semester. * * * * * Let’s supposed a normal […]

Training camp opens in two weeks, but the following are no longer with the Warriors: > Bubba Poueu-Luna, wideout/kickoff returner — After earning three letters in his first four years, he opted to retire from football and focus on academics. He did not participate in the recent spring training. > David Griffin, offensive tackle — After transferring from Mesa College in January 2013, Griffin played in five games, making two starts, at right tackle last season. He underwent shoulder surgery […]

The Warriors have completed their coaching staff. Interns > Donovan Raiola — He’s a Wisconsin and Kamehameha Schools graduate who was a member of seven NFL teams during a six-year career. Raiola and Dean Chung have run clinics for o-linemen. He was a Kamehameha assistant coach the past two years. He will help o-line coach Chris Naeole. > Feso’otai “Tai” Papalii — He’s a 2007 Kealakehe High graduate and former UH defensive back. His father, Sam Papalii, is a long-time college […]

Former Oklahoma State kicker Ryan Weese is transferring to  UH and is expected to participate in training camp next month. Weese received preliminary approval, although his admittance has not been finalized. If approved, he would be a sophomore this year, eligible to compete this season, and have three years to play three seasons. This past spring, Weese joined OSU as a walk-on after transferring from Hutchinson Community College. A player usually has to redshirt a season after transferring between FBS […]

Remember Brian Hittner? The Saddleback College long-snapper has battled for a year to earn enough transferrable credits to compete for the Warriors. Well, the struggle is nearly over, and Hittner is set to join. If everything goes as expected, Hittner will be on the Warriors’ 105-player roster for training camp, which opens Aug. 1. The Warriors have reserved five spots for specialists. Placekicker Tyler Hadden, punter Ruben Guzman and long-snapper Brody Nakama already have claimed three spots. Hittner would take […]

Strength/conditioning coordinator Gary Beemer was looking for people to help with the Warriors’ offseason conditioning program. There was one catch: The worker had to pay for his own travel, housing and meals. Oh, another catch: The salary was zero. Any takers? As it turned out, three volunteers from the mainland, including one from Florida, are helping the program this summer. They show up early, stay late, work hard and never lack enthusiasm. Who says there’s nothing for free?