Born to run
As running back Diocemy Saint Juste closes in on his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, former UH head coach Dick Tomey reflects on the last Warrior to have twice rushed for 1,000 yard in his UH career.
“Gary Allen was a receiver,” Tomey said. “Right in the middle of practice one day, all our running backs went down. I knew Gary, when we recruited him, he thought he might be a running back. He didn’t know. I said, ‘Gary, jump in here, take a couple of snaps,’ because we were toward the end of practice. He just made four or five runs. Nobody could tackle him. We started him in the game the next week, and nobody could tackle him.”
Tomey added: “Gary did a great job the rest of his career. He was 170 (pounds) max. But he was magic. He was magic with the ball.”
met and chatted with Gary Allen at UH tailgate at the UCLA game
he was pleased I remembered him and his running for and becoming the 1st UH back to run for 1,000 yards
team play asks every player to do his/her part to be successful
trying to do too much can misfire — happened to Al Noga when he tried to do extra and it hurt the team — HC was not pleased and chewed him out on the bench
when is that perfect time to do extra and bring success? things happen so fast on the field that the brain must process so many different options before the player reacts.
someone posted earlier that UH LBers seemed to be reacting to early instead of waiting for the RB or QB to decide a course of action — noticed Tavai hit several holes too early and the RB moved left of right to find a big puka!
here’s to a winning game on 10/14!!!
Gary Allen is up there with UH’s top running backs. DSJ is on track to be there as well.
One of my favorite UH running backs is the late Heikoti Fakava who passed away in 2012. He wasn’t that big, but he sure was tough as nails on the field and a true gentleman off the field.
My favorite UH RB is Nate “Nasti” Ilaoa with his quickness, power, and ability to catch the ball. Nate and Colt had the best shovel pass combination.
Would be interesting to hear from other Tsaikos about your favorite RBs…
Not easy to go against who you are and go from physical and lead by example and expect others to follow. Internally these types are volcanic when teammates go thru motions-time for a few to erupt even though it’s against their nature-losing and not exhausting themselves to win is also against their nature-when a quiet leader breaks the silence…….everybody listens-speak up!!!!! GoWarriors!!!!
My favorite running back by far was Gary Allen. He was magic in motion. I watched all his home games in person at Aloha Stadium. Whenever he touched the ball, he could make the defenders miss. He had great lateral movement and would make would be tacklers look silly. So much fun to watch.
I had a great thrill at the UH Tailgate Party at the Rose Bowl against UCLA when I finally got to meet Gary Allen in person. He was a very humble and quiet person who graciously agreed to have his picture taken with me. I told him that he was my favorite UH Running Back of all time. He smiled.
After we took our picture together, another person was waiting to have his picture taken with Gary Allen. That player was Tom Tuinei.
Guud Afternoon Tsaikos…Bootiful Day!
Keith Lopati?…would have been, could have been da bestest.
Hawaii has had several really outstanding running backs. My favorite is Travis Sims, followed by Larry Sherrer and Junior Lopati.
from ST’s column …
Smith will be in the booth calling plays.
Estes will on the sidelines coaching the O-line.
Recruiting intern Josh Omura will take over some of Estes’
grad-assistant work.
GO WARRIORS !!!
BEAT the SPARTIES.
I was at the game when Junior was tackled in the end zone after scoring a touchdown. I think he blew out his knee and was never the same. Thing is, it was a late hit in the end zone that ended his career. Totally unnecessary.
One of my favorites and contemporaries was Larry Sherrer who led the UH in rushing in 1971 with 1,100 yards on 200 carries. He did it in 11 games so averaged one hundred yards per game when that wasn’t the norm. He went on to try out for the Giants and playing in the CFL. He scored the only touchdown for Montreal in the CFL Championship game.
I also liked Allen, Fakava, Bill Massey and Larry Holmes (who rushed for over 1,000 yards in 1972.
Is Dick Tomey still here and attending practice once in a while? I thought he had another gig on the mainland. Hmmm… Tomey was the Defensive Coordinator at UCLA before he came to Hawaii. His hard-nosed Hawaii defensive was legendary. After he left for Arizona, his “Desert Storm” defense made the news.
Here is a overqualified coach who knows defense…
Diocemy Saint Juste should have had a career game against Nevada if not for the holding call that negated his 84-yard TD run. I hope he can replicate that performance in one of the remaining 6 games of his career.
#10 — Did you mean Albert Holmes? Larry Holmes was a heavyweight boxer, wasn’t he?
# 9: H-Man October 11, 2017 1:51 pm
I saw it on TV, and the replay.
It was a late hit – dirty play. NO penalty.
Lopati was in the end and slowing up when he was hit in the back of the knees.
PILAU !!!
#6 North Shore Fan … Lopati would have been an NFL Star if he hadnt been unnecessarily tackled in the end zone after that long touchdown run and injured. He was a probably the greatest talent ever recruit to UH … Parade Mag All-American and would have been ranked a five-star recruit if they had ranked prospects back then. A terrible shame that he was never to be an All-American
Gerald Green and Wilbert Haslip. Thunder and lightning. Haslip going down with a knee injury one of the saddest moments for me at a UH game. Anthony Edgar, George Bell, Heikoti Fakava, Junior Lopati, Jamal Farmer, David Toloumu, Alex Green, Travis Sims, Boyd Yap, these and many others brought so much joy for so many years.
#13 Yes, Albert Holmes … must have had Sherrer on my mind. Both were great runners. BTW … there was also Emery Holmes in the 1960. Those were the days of Jim Roberts, Ralph Kaspari and the Ahu brothers0s.
Gary Allen, Period! After we beat ASU, Tomey said he weighed 155 lbs for that game. Partied with him and other football players when partying was allowed, even night before game. It was amazing that they could still play the next day.
Oops! Emory Holmes … not Emery! Could talk all day about the old guys who paved the way for UH with Coach Dave Holmes. Without Dave Holmes, there is no Dick Tomey at the UH. Those guys should get more credit … beat Washington 10-7 at Seattle and brought UH to the attention of West Coast football.
Here’s Saint Juste;s high school senior highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfAzaeuhO3A
Must have made UH recruiter (Rolo?) water…
yep. That guy was George Foreman though.
Muhammad Ali; don’t count the days, make the days count.
Can he break the record? Diocemy
Kaua’i’s mayor is a pervert. Not smart is him. Tired of reading about them in newspapers or blogs.
How has partying with Gary Allen made you smarter? Kaua’i has a football mayor.
Hey guys,
Remember that receiver we had Keith Kirkwood?? Check out this catch… UNREAL…
http://heavy.com/sports/2017/10/watch-temple-wr-keith-kirkwoods-ridiculous-one-hand-catch/
Jeff Sydney
Sydner
Nolan George, Alvin Yamashiro, Tennyson Lum.
Little fast guys with big hearts.
Rolo call Gary Anderson.
Sangamon Keith-Sherrer and Albert Holmes were both teammates. Albert was same year as me-he was smooth. He would always say to me “Man, you crazy!” Can here him say it every time I here his name-
I used to see Gary around campus in the day and talked story with him a couple of times. Super nice and very humble.
DSJ is great in his own way as a lot of the other backs were in their time. I do recall the blog host saying that DSJ is the best running back he’s ever seen at UH. Very compelling statement, that!
I hope DSJ keeps it up, he is key in our team’s turn around, which I think is coming soon! I also think he has an NFL future.
GO WARRIORS!!!
Always remembered Hekoti Fakava. Always made the tough yards, trademark neck collar, and relative unknown that made a big, reliable impact on UH games. Also Travis Sims. Was third string running back at start of season but got the job when others got injured and never looked back. Regarding current UH offense, Dru Brown seems to be more conservative in his role this year. Last year he would surprise with keepers, not so much this year. More mobility can cause headaches for defenses. JMHO.
I met a big Cowboys fan years back and he told me that Dallas had gotten some great players from Hawaii that made some all time Cowboys lists, he named Mark Tuinei, Larry Cole, Gary Allen, and Golden Richards, and one other player I have forgotten
#15..Sangamon Keith…Yes..for sure! Was in the north end zone with my binocs on him all the way and saw the hit coming. That guy is a piece of s…. I wonder how he is today knowing he might have crippled another athlete and destroyed his career.
“In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream/At night we ride through mansions of glory on suicide machines”
The other couplet that blows me away is this.
“Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard/Girls comb their hair in rear-view windows/And the boys try to look so hard
When Gary Allen played for Hawaii, “Darkness on the Edge of Town” and “The River” were released. My grandmother and I walked from her Waimalu home, braving the many, many pit bulls foaming at the gates, to the Pay and Save and paid $10.98 for the latter on vinyl. If you spend any time in Waimalu, you know about the stream by the elementary school, where it is filled with tilapia.
I still cringe when I see tilapia on restaurant menus and in the supermarkets.
al @ #27
Doggone it, al! I was all ready to ask the blog if they could name the “Gold-dust Twins” who played for UH when you and I were still teens and a certain announcer was still talking about “manapua”.
Skippy Dyer, 1955-56, played in 6-0 upset vs Nebraska in 1955. RB and DB.
http://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/10/07/sports/1928-2016-former-rainbow-skippy-dyer-followed-his-dreams/
Ben Ronquillo, 1962-65. he didn’t have many openings to run through, i think.
5-4, 140 lbs, Tom Kaulukukui (1934-37), 103 yd. kickoff return in 1935 vs UCLA. All-American.
I tink the OL coaches need put players in spots on the line and stick to one position. No more cross-training all of them. Only a few of them that can handle it should. If you have 20 lineman then that’s four-deep at every position, need find a home and practice. Think about it. You’re good at what you practice.
Go gettum WARRIORS!!
The difference is last season Kevin Lumpa was DC and this year he is not here. Hawaii needs to hire a new DC, you can’t keep getting out coached on defense and expect to win. The O line has got to stop with those dumb penalties and don’t let the opponent get into their heads. What ever is going on with the O-Line attitude they need to be smart and play smart or the losing streak will continue. The Hawaii CornerBacks need help maybe play more zone defense. Hawaii can make the Hawaii bowl, this team has the talent but there is some attitude adjustment needed.
frpm ferd’s column …
Diocemy Saint Juste needs 45 yards against the Spartans, the nation’s third-worst rushing defense, to overtake Carter (2,528).
And Gary Allen’s 36-year old school record of 3,451 yards — while ambitious — might not be out of reach by season’s end.
If Saint Juste helps lift the ’Bows to a bowl game, he would need to average 138 yards a game over the course of the season to surpass Allen.
you can read ferd’s column now, but it probably be blue-starred in a few hours.
Time to run the table-yep first of six balls to be sunk this weekend. Call me crazy deluded or what ever you like. Take out SJSU decisively get a rest and start over. If the South Alabama Jaguars 1-4 can take down 4-1 Troy State who previously beat LSU, it can happen. South Alabama also beat SDSU last year as heavy dogs. Crisp clean and energized effort can accomplish this. Like John Estes down on the sideline-he’s got the keys to a pretty good car. Let’s see him make the difference I know he can. GoWarriors!!!!!
James Fenderson New Orleans Saints.
Doko ni ita?
Gary was the truth. He is many ways was the player that elevated the program to the next level. He was super quick, had great vision, really good hands and was strong as sh*t for his size. Now, Anthony Edgar was a poor man’s Chis Johnson, while not as quick CJ II, has was actually right there, as he was a legit low 4.4, high 4.3 guy. Not many moves, and sort of a robotic running style, but is he got the corner or a step on you, it was over….and he was all muscle.
That said, he is a distant second (of at least in my era) to Gary Allen, who was all instinct and moves……beautiful, just beautiful guy to watch…..
Looking back at San Jose St’s last two games (UNLV and Fresno St)., their QB Josh Love put up good numbers against UNLV; 30/48/315/1TD but 2 INTs. san Jose also lost a fumble for 3 turnovers for the game. UNLV countered with 345 rushing yards on 52 carries for a 6.6 yards/carry average. They also passed for 205 yards. Fresno St. just simply shut down San Jose St’s offense, allowing a total of 205 net yards (97 passing and 108 rushing).
So my prediction is Hawaii 35 San Jose St. 24. Diocemy will rush for over 200 yds.
Guud Morning Tsaikos…Bootiful Day!
H-Man…love da score! Keeping fingers and toes crossed up for a good game this week!
IMUA WARRIORS!
Hawaii 42 San Jose 35
if SJSU is so “inept” — why are so many posters giving SJSU many points?
conclusion: UH defense has many pukas that allow opponents to score mucho points — be it the DL that cannot penetrate or defensive scheme of the DC or players out of position or wrong assignments or whatever the reason — not excuses, but reasons
like Nevada, UH may lose this one and if it does the season is done!
JMHO.
Because the Warriors’ defense has not even put up a speed bump so far this season. Plus Josh Love can put up some passing numbers. It’s just his penchant to toss interceptions that downgrades his performance. But still they can score and win more games if they control their negative turnovers.
#46:
Love should not be concerned with UH defense because “turn-overs” have been difficult to come by in 2017
if he gets hot like the Nevada QB with passes it will be a long night for UH
no “pick-6” in 2016 and into 2017 — and the wait goes on!
All mentioned were all outstanding backs. I also liked Bobby Ahu when I was going to school. Once he returned 3 punts for TD in one game against Linfield. Different caliber, but it doesn’t diminish his performance. He could play against anybody. But the running back that was my favorite is Bill Massey. He could break tackles with the best of them. He reminded me a lot of Boise St. RB Brock Forsey and he was great, just a tough ball carrier who wasn’t denied. Oh well, memories!!!
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