New scheme shines light on linebackers

Hawaii hopes an uptick in blitzing and hard hitting from its linebackers will drive opponents back.

Several of the UH ‘backers will have the chance to earn names for themselves by doing just that.

The shift to a 3-4 base defense under new defensive coordinator Kevin Clune (from a 4-3) has shifted greater responsibility to the linebackers, of which there are now four on most plays.

There is less man-to-man coverage for them than last year. There’s a lot more creeping up for blitzes — or at least the threat of one.

"I was a 4-3 (guy) until about three years ago; then we switched at Utah State and immediately we saw a huge gain on defense," said Clune, who is also UH’s inside linebackers coach.

UH lost two Mountain West honorable mention linebackers in Brenden Daley and Art Laurel, the team’s top two tacklers in 2013.

The Rainbow Warriors have a new "quarterback" at the heart of the D in senior middle linebacker Tevita Lataimua. He and two returnees — junior Jerrol Garcia-Williams and senior TJ Taimatuia — are being counted on for leadership.

Garcia-Williams, UH’s top returning tackler with 67, is one of the only players being asked to play on the outside and the inside. He and UCLA transfer Jeremy Castro are perhaps the most explosive linebackers.

"We’re giving him a lot to do," outside linebackers coach Kurt Gouveia said of Garcia-Williams.

Taimatuia has received constant feedback about his work ethic from Gouveia, who believes he can be an effective leader that way.

Castro, a sophomore who’s closer to a freshman in experience, is a raw talent who needs repetitions to get up to speed.

Lataimua will most often be accompanied by either Simon Poti or Julian Gener in the inside rotation of about six players — Garcia-Williams, Benetton Fonua and Malachi Mageo are the others. Poti is earning a reputation as a hard-hitting run stopper, while Gener is back after suffering a season-ending elbow injury in the third game last year.

On the outside, Farrington product Lance Williams is Gouveia’s best utilityman, and can roam either sideline. The outer depth chart isn’t expected to expand much beyond the four of Garcia-Williams, Taimatuia, Castro and Williams, barring injury.

"All I need is a few good men," Gouveia said.