Warriors kick-start the competition
Kekoa Sasaoka, a former All-State kicker/punter from Kahuku High, is joining the Warriors this week.
Sasaoka was at Snow College the past year and before that he was with Bowling Green.
He can punt and placekick, but he’ll be contending for the point-scoring position at UH. He said he is comfortable from up to 55 yards.
The other kickers:
> Alex Trifonovitch, who was recruited as punter but made the switch to kicker last year.
> Ryan Meskell, an Australian who made played American football for the first time last year after a career in rugby and soccer. His strong leg was valued on kickoffs last year.
> Michael Boyle, who had a nice spring after redshirting last year. He also can punt.
> Nino Alibegic, a kicker from Independence Community College. He is featured in Netflix”s “Last Chance U.” Here’s a good story on Alibegic: Nino Alibegic story
It is a beautiful day here in Hawai’i!
Good morning, all!!!
Hey, 1st and maybe 2nd, too!
Last season was a glaring reminder just how important the kicking game has become in today’s football game. Glad to see serious competition in camp this season. Hopefully it results in a consistent kicking game and some wins.
So what is the penalty for Oregon St’s secondary violation which they said was an honest mistake, a clerical error ?
So what is the penalty for Oregon St’s NCAA secondary violation which they said was an honest mistake, a clerical error ?
Islandman … don’t worry, the NCAA dropped the hammer on OSU. They aren’t allowed to recruit the player(s) they sent the materials to if he/they leave UH. SMH.
Not quite sure how sending recruiting materials to an athlete at his other school is an honest mistake. That would be like someone accidentally sending nasty text messages intended for his girlfriend to his wife. Honest mistake.
Don’t see how it could be a “clerical error”. They got the wrong player names or what ?
Test message errors are easier to do.
Oregon State’s clericial error was not knowing the address of the intended recipients. They sent the material to the student center.
Again, if you’re a PAC-12 school with PAC-12 TV money and resources, what are you doing poaching Hawaii? It’s lazy and stupid. It’s like you’re at a party with super models. What are you doing asking your best friend’s younger sister to dance?
Regarding Sasaoka, his twitter says 3 for 3. Does that mean 3 years to play 3 ? Was a redshirt frosh last season, per Snow roster. Article said 3 to play 2.
Boise lazy too, poaching OC from Hawaii in 2016.
Oregon St also got former UH basketball Asst Coach Marlon Stewart as Dir of Op,
In the 1982 Indy 500, Kevin Cogan started in the middle of the first row. He swerved near the start, taking out four cars. Mario Andretti was furious, charging that somebody couldn’t handle the responsibility of being in front. That’s today’s metaphor.
With practice starting this week, very interested in who finally made it from recruited class. Some of thes new arrivals for sure count against next years 25-no problem. Also really wish we did not wait for unveiling on new uniforms-need a little or big shot of excitement. Do I have any direct knowledge regarding this-no! Common sense dictates nothing new since NC days except white “hats”. Something is brewing. New staff, rebuilt roster, new O new D! Spells out something Sherlock Holmes wouldhave deduced! GoWarriors!!!
Welcome home bruddah Kekoa. To Uof Hawaii special teams coach: please kick the ball into/out of the end zone on kick-offs.
And I am still voting for all black uniforms with black socks and black shoes and shiny black helmets. Or at least, bring back the all black uniforms.
ST brings up a mindful reminder of the distinction between a simile and metaphor…..I’m really bored the month before football season.
to deal with the tropical heat and humidity lighter colored uniforms will work better. It will affect hydration problems especially in the early part of the season, white and or light grays will work wonders over the length of the season.
It is easy to prove this. wear a black shirt and go spend so time out doors then wear a white or of white shirt out doors ,
“Clerical error” meaning what? What was the error(s)?
Right player names, but wrong school & addresses?
Wrong player names, wrong school and wrong addresses?
Used an outdated recruiting list of names, changed and used the wrong addresses?
Seems like multiple “clerical errors” had to occur. Someone asleep at the switch? NCAA doesn’t care to find out.
The dog ate their address file.
Kicking gotta be better of course. Lookin’ and prayin’ for it!
Welcome back Kekoa! Now THAT”S a Warrior name if their ever was one!
*there* I meant to say above, dagnabbit!
the new special teams coach has a lot of kickers to work with.this should be interesting.
Kekoa Sasaoka survived the Bowling Green mas-…
Support the free press.
Buy the Star-Advertiser even though they put the scary national news on page two.
I remember one game when Scott Harding was punting from about midfield in perfect position to pin the opponent at least inside the 15 yard line. When he punted it was a high wobbler, looking for sure to bounce in the end zone. I remember thinking “what the hell is he doing”, and then “thud!!”. The ball just stopped right where it landed (it did roll a few inches) like it landed in the water or something. I never seen anything like that before. It was incredible. I hope to see some rugby style punts if we have the players that can do it. Heck there are so many kickers maybe they can all specialize in something. Rugby style was pretty effective. Something positive that we can thank Coach Chow for.
RE: #21
We punted so much during those years that we got spoiled watching Scott do his thing. Now I wish I could hit pin high on the green like how Scott could pin it in the 5. 😅
Just wondering why a team, any team, would have so many kickers, especially those on scholarship, especially when they were recruited because they were deemed to be of collegiate D1 quality. In other words, if you are a punter, they know how far you can punt. Either that is acceptable or it isn’t. If you are a kicker, they know ;your range and accuracy. So if you got recruited, shouldn’t you be on the field doing what you do as a kicker? And who were back ups, if any, to Jim Asmus, Jason Elam, and Dan Kelly?
Just an oversight, not mentioning Justus Tavai in today’s article? Think I’ve seen him in pics of downtown rally. Just curious
Great Morning All!
Annual Warrior recap by the Blog Master this morning has gotten the football juices flowing again!
It seems another “milestone” has been attained in support of the team as reported earlier in the off-season that a new low for season ticket sales is dwindling closer to the 10,000 mark.
Time to get back on the soapbox, so those who want to stop reading now…
I’ve been an in-house supporter of Rainbow football since they were wearing gold helmets and playing for a guy named Holmes against teams that now play D3 CFB in the NWC.
I’ve seen students rush in to “score seats” on wooden bleachers as soon as the old steel doors slid open on South King Street.
I watched as the white-clad Rainbows hit the turf with their “computer-generated” Hula-T and got slammed by a “small-college” NC.
I saw the schedule get upgraded over the years as the Bows battled #1 teams; Heisman trophy winners, Rimington Award winners and various bowl-bound big name opponents.
Always watching the team surrounded by thousands of my fellow island residents no matter if the venue was in Moiliili or Halawa because we all “knew” sumboddy on the team or who “used to” play or best of all, we were bringing someone who “going be da next stah” Rainbow…
I plan to still be in the stands this coming season. I’ll be thankful (again) that I can drive in a little later with my Ohana because the parking lot will not be packed. We still going be there early enough to tailgate before the game and talk about if “get chance” this week or this season.
And then I’ll head in to my seat and wait for kick-off…
…only this season I guess I will have to wonder where is everyone else who used to be next to me and why did they turn their back on the guy they know who is/was on the team? And what about the kid who supposed to be the next stah?
Now back to regular programming.
Backup to Jim Asmus: Lee Larson, who was the regular kicker the next year.
Backup to Lee Larson: Richard Spelman, who stepped in when Larson had some accuracy problems and was then the regular kicker after Larson.
Backup to Jason Elam: Zerin Kahn, who was the regular kicker the year Elam redshirted.
Morale of the story: that’s why you need several kickers.
21. Current UH punter Gaudion uses rugby style punts sometimes and he averaged 42.1 yds per punt, 43.1 in MW games.
#25. Excellent post. Was there also to see the program evolve into what it is today.
Like you I am concerned about how many of my seat mates will not be there next month.
Hawaii football fans are finding reasons why not to spend a Saturday evening at Aloha.
Akamai Okole
I think I just got chicken skin from reading your post.
New post: http://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=46197