Jordan Pu‘u-Robinson recently had some time added to his eligibility clock.
Experience has taught him to cherish every moment.
"You’re going to have ups and downs through your career, but you have to stay positive," Pu‘u-Robinson said, "because the football window’s only so small and you only get so many opportunities and so many snaps. So you have to really appreciate it."
He should know.
Pu’u-Robinson’s stop-and-go college football career has rivaled the H1 Ewa-bound on a Friday afternoon. After enduring knee and hand injuries that ended or abbreviated earlier seasons, the Baldwin graduate’s shoulder kept him out of Hawaii’s first two games this fall.
Healthy again and eager to contribute in a new role, Pu‘u-Robinson — a converted defensive lineman — is looking forward to making his debut as a tight end in Hawaii’s Mountain West Conference opener at Nevada on Saturday.
"I feel good. I have to get the rust off a little bit but I feel good," Pu‘u-Robinson said. "I feel like I’m improving every day, getting my assignments down and I’m really looking forward to this 10-game stretch."
He’ll have a chance to make up for some lost time. He was told last week that he’s been granted a sixth-year of eligibility for the 2014 season.
"I don’t know how it works, if I’m a junior now or I’ll be a senior twice," he said. "But I’ll be back another year."
At the moment, he’s focused on contributing to the Rainbow Warriors’ offense after switching positions in the spring.
"I think it came back pretty quick," said Pu‘u-Robinson, who played tight end and defensive end during his high school career on Maui. "The base stuff is kind of there but at this level you have to get all the detail and technique stuff down."
Pu‘u-Robinson has appeared in 12 games since graduating from Baldwin. He redshirted his first year at Washington State then lost the 2010 season to a torn ACL. He returned to play in 10 games with the Cougars in 2011 and finished the season with nine tackles.
He decided to transfer to UH the following spring to be closer to his family and his petition to be immediately eligible was initially denied. After sitting out three games, the NCAA declared him eligible hours before UH’s trip to BYU in late September and he filled in at defensive tackle when injuries depleted the line.
But his season lasted just a few more snaps before he broke a finger and tore ligaments in his hand early in a loss at San Diego State the following week.
With his hand healed, Pu‘u-Robinson appeared poised for a starting role in the offense entering fall camp. But a separated shoulder kept him off the field for most of camp and the first two games of this season.
"It was frustrating but it’s something that’s out of my control," Pu‘u-Robinson said.
"Injuries are injuries, everybody goes through them, some worse than others. But there’s nothing I can do about it but rehab and just try to get back ASAP."
Now that he’s back in the playing rotation, Pu‘u-Robinson said UH’s bye week helped him get back up to speed and his return adds depth to a tight end corps charged with both blocking and pass-catching responsibilities.
UH quarterbacks targeted tight ends Harold Moleni and Clark Evans a combined six times in the first two games. Together they have three receptions for 37 yards. Evans accounted for UH’s lone offensive touchdown in the loss at Oregon State two weeks ago on a 15-yard reception from Taylor Graham.
"I was jumping up and down and going crazy, people thought that was my brother or something," said Pu‘u-Robinson, who watched the game at a local restaurant. "It was a good deal to see a tight end succeed."
Tight ends have enjoyed success in head coach Norm Chow’s offenses at his past stops. That made the move appealing to Pu‘u-Robinson when the coaches asked.
"It’s fun," Chow said of seeing Pu‘u-Robinson finally get a chance to return to game action. "He’s a very willing guy, he cares about the team and he’s full of energy."
