New UH coaches, players to debut

These days, it’s hard to tell the University of Hawaii football coaching staff without “Hello, my name is …” tags.

Since the final whistle sounded on a 1-11 season, defensive coordinator Thom Kaumeyer, linebackers coach Tony Tuioti and tight ends coach Phil Rauscher were not retained. Two weeks ago, running back coach Chris Wiesehan resigned to coach the offensive line at Temple.

Kevin Clune, who coached linebackers at Utah State, was hired as defensive coordinator. Kurt Gouveia, a Waianae High graduate who played 13 NFL seasons, was named the linebackers coach.

Wayne Moses, who has worked with five Pac-12 schools in a 35-year coaching career, was named running backs coach.

Jordan Wynn was promoted from graduate assistant to quarterback coach with play-calling duties. He fills the slot vacated when Aaron Price was fired as offensive coordinator in August. The offensive coordinator’s title will not be filled. UH is expected to wait until this summer to fill the final assistant coach’s job.

The 85 players will become the focus when the Rainbow Warriors open spring training with Tuesday’s first of 15 practices through April.

“We’ve been talking about spring ball for, it seems, like forever,” said Clune, who was hired in January. “I’m really excited to get out there and finally get going.”

Clune said he was familiar with Hawaii’s personnel from scouting Utah State’s opponents.

“They were always in our breakdown,” Clune said of videos of cross-over games.

He has studied videos and cut-ups of each of the Rainbow Warriors’ 994 defensive plays in 2013.

“The thing you see after watching game after game after game is they kept battling to the end,” Clune said. “There was a chance, at the end of some of those games, to steal a couple of wins. It didn’t happen, but the heart and the fight were there. That’s one of the major reasons I wanted to take this job. I like those kids. Those kids have some fight. We have to keep it going — the hustle, the pursuit to the football. If we keep doing that, we’ll figure out a way to get some W’s.”

The Warriors will be switching their base defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4. The transition won’t be as traumatic because the Warriors had used sub-packages involving a nickelback or extra linebacker. Clune said he won’t try to “cram what we did at Utah State down their throats.”

Instead, the playbook’s language will be simplified. He also will tailor his lesson plans. Clune said a mistake is for coaches to teach only the way they were taught as players.

“I’m not teaching a room full of clones of Kevin Clune,” he said. “I’m teaching a wide variety of different people and different learners. I have to figure out a way to reach them. … I’m trying to find a way to use the right language, use the right stuff, to get to each player. Everybody is different. That’s our job to find a way. Every one of our players has to get an ‘A’ in our class. We can’t fail anybody. That just doesn’t happen.”

On offense, the Warriors will open the quarterback position for the third consecutive year.

In 2013, the Warriors ran one of the quickest offenses, averaging a play every 20.3 seconds. They ranked 38th nationally in “explosive drives” — possessions averaging at least 10 yards per play. Their explosive-drive efficiency was 15.8 percent (29 of 184 possessions). In the final nine games, when Wynn became the primary play-caller, that average increased to 18.4 percent (26 of 141).

QUARTERBACKS

Players: Taylor Graham, Jeremy Higgins, Hunter Hughes, Adonis Phillips, Ikaika Woolsey.

Outlook: With the field yet to be set, a starter won’t be named until training camp. Beau Reilly, who initially signed with Colorado State before going on a two-year church mission, won’t be eligible to join the Warriors until this summer. USC quarterback Max Wittek, who is seeking to transfer, said UH is one of his three finalists. That gives Graham (three starts), Woolsey (two) and Higgins (one) a headstart in the competition. Graham, a former Ohio State transfer, struggled in his first UH season, completing 46 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and five interceptions. Graham started the first three games in 2013 before suffering an injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder. He was reduced to a cameo role in the final third of the season, and then underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason. Graham’s availability might be limited in spring ball. Graham has a strong arm — he was summoned for two Hail Mary throws last season — and he was relatively accurate when not pressured. On plays when he was not hurried or hit, Graham completed 57.1 percent of his passes. That figure increased to 68.1 percent when discounting nine unforced drops. Woolsey also has a strong arm (31 percent of his passes traveled at least 20 yards from the line scrimmage) and elusiveness (an average of 1.83 yards after eluding a tackle).

RECEIVERS

Wideouts: Ammon Barker, Duke Bukoski, Vasquez Haynes, Marcus Kemp, Keith Kirkwood, Bubba Poueu-Luna, Ryan Pasoquen, Terrance Sayles.

Slotbacks: Scott Harding, Donnie King, Quinton Pedroza.

Outlook: Although labeled a pro-set offense, the Warriors used three or more receivers on 70.1 percent of their plays. With Pedroza, a Utah transfer, added to the mix, the Warriors might use more four-receiver sets. Pedroza was poised to become a Utes starter when he opted to transfer to UH, where he reunited with two former Utah teammates — Jordan Wynn, UH’s quarterbacks coach, and Luke Matthews, the receivers coach. Harding, who will be limited this spring, was clutch in 2013, with 52 percent of his catches resulting in first downs, including 63 percent in the fourth quarter. He was the primary target a team-high 88 times. Kirkwood, who did not play organized football until his senior year of high school, made the most of his 12 catches, with nine resulting in first downs and four in touchdowns. He led UH wideouts with a yards-after-catch average of 7.0. Haynes struggled early, but down the stretch, caught 88 percent of the passes in his direction.

RUNNING BACKS

Players: Samson Anguay, Max Broman, Joey Iosefa, Steven Lakalaka, Jason Muraoka, Diocemy Saint Juste, Faga Wily.

Outlook: Newly hired assistant coach Wayne Moses takes over a unit that dramatically improved after Iosefa fully recovered from a foot injury for the final four games of the 2013 season. In the first eight games, the Warriors averaged 30 carries and 73.3 rushing yards per game. In the final four games, the per-game averages increased to 47 carries and 197.3 yards. In that span, Iosefa averaged 146.5 yards and scored five touchdowns. He proved to be a determined second-effort runner, averaging 3.9 yards after eluding or breaking a tackle, and caught all 10 passes in which he was the primary target. UH will limit Iosefa’s rep count this spring, opening the way for reshaped Saint Juste and Lakalaka. Saint Juste appears to be slimmer even though he gained 5 pounds of muscle. Lakalaka has lost nearly 20 pounds, and his body fat dropped from the mid-20s to 15 percent.

TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS

Tight ends: Meffy Koloamatangi, Tyler Liana, Josh Long, Harold Moleni, Jordan Pu‘u-Robinson, Tui Unga.

H-backs: Penitito Faalologo, Justin Vele.

Outlook: In football, everybody has a doppelganger, and Unga has drawn comparisons to Itula Mili, a Kahuku High graduate who played 10 NFL seasons. They have similar playing frames — 6 feet 5, 260 pounds — and a knack for blocking and pass-catching. Since Chow resurrected the position at UH two years ago, there has been a clear division between blockers and receivers. Unga, who initially signed with Fresno State two years ago, might become the dual threat that used to give UH defenses fits. Moleni is a traditional tight end who has worked on his pass routes. Pu‘u-Robinson has been limited to three games in two years because of injuries. Long redshirted in 2013 after suffering a concussion in a skateboard accident. Faalologo probably won’t get any handoffs, unless in short-yardage situations, but he’s a physical blocker and a surprisingly efficient receiver on screens and swing passes. During an intrasquad scrimmage last year, a teammate warned Faalologo not to “hurt the ground” on a play.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Centers: Ben Clarke, Brenden Urban.

Guards: Kody Afusia, Dejon Allen, R.J. Hollis, Dave Lefotu, Kory Rasmussen, Kiha Sai.

Tackles: David Griffin, Leo Koloamatangi, Frank Loyd Jr., Sean Shigematsu, Elijah Tupai, John Wa‘a.

Outlook: The seven-week offseason conditioning program closed with the offensive linemen dominating their defensive counterparts in tug-of-war competitions. Although the contests were not a measurement of skill — after all, a blocker’s talent is pushing not pulling — it was symbolic of the line’s cohesion and improved overall strength. Clark and Afusia are set at two of the interior positions. Lefotu, Shigematsu, Griffin, Koloamatangi and Loyd started games last year. Tupai, Wa‘a and Allen redshirted as freshmen in 2013. Tupai was relegated to the “Pit” — the sideline area for rehabilitating players — after undergoing shoulder surgery. Tupai spent practices dragging weighted sleds, pushing golf carts occupied by two people, and sprinting hills. As a result, Tupai posted the best front-squat lift among the offensive linemen. Wa‘a played so well on scout teams the coaches had to resist promoting him to the active squad (and burning his redshirt year) at midseason. Tupai and Wa‘a, who was named the top scout on offense, will challenge for starting jobs. Kory Rasmussen, who transferred from Colorado last year, moved from defensive tackle.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Players: Mike Andrade, Nick Childs, Calen Friel, Marcus Malepeai, Moses Samia, Luke Shawley, Hunter Thomson, Haani Tulimaiau, Kennedy Tulimasealii, Niko Uti, Beau Yap.

Outlook: The base front reduces from four to three linemen, but there are more options. Yap and Shawley, a former Navy SEAL, project as ends. But they can play with a hand in the dirt, as stand-up ends or align wide as outside linebackers. Yap had 37 tackles, with 12 for losses, but he was at his best in the unheralded role of setting the edge. Samia, who has endured injuries each season, drew praise for his offseason workouts. He was credited with a 600-pound squat-lift. Malepeai and Tulimasealii are the wild cards. Malepeai gained more than 30 pounds ahead of the 2013 season in a plan designed to get more work at defensive tackle. Comfortable at that weight, Malepeai can be used at nose, 3-technique or big defensive end, a position that was popularized by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tulimasealii also can play each of the three line spots. He showed his skill against Army. On one series, he chased quarterback Angel Santiago for a 2-yard loss and then for no gain. Later, he ran 30 yards downfield to catch an Army ballcarrier.

LINEBACKERS

Players: Jeremy Castro, Rashaan Falemalu, Benneton Fonua, Jerrol Garcia-Williams, Julian Gener, Tevita Lataimua, David Manoa, Jamie Tago, TJ Taimatuia, Lance Williams.

Outlook: The newly implemented 3-4 scheme gives the outside linebackers the flexibility to align strongside/weakside, boundary/field or left/right. In whatever formula, Castro is expected to be involved. Castro, who redshirted last year after transferring from UCLA, is considered the jewel of the 2014 recruiting class. He has the versatility to be used as a pass rusher, on run support or in coverage. He also fits the prototype of the tall defender on the perimeter that UH has been recruiting the past three classes. Castro, Manoa and Taimatuia are each 6 feet 3, creating obstacles for opponents wishing to loop passes into the flats. Garcia-Williams, who has multiple skills similar to Castro, will get a look at inside linebacker during spring training. The experiment takes advantage of Garcia-Williams’ lateral speed and, in this scheme, he still can be used as a blitzer. Gener had 16 tackles and a pick-6 before suffering a season-ending injury early in the third game. Lataimua played well against Army, and deserves more playing time. So, too, does Fonua, an underused linebacker. Williams has emerged as a leader.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Corners: Gaitano DeMattei, Barry Higdon, Dee Maggitt, Ne’Quan Phillips, Anthony Pierce.

Safeties: Kawika Borden, Josh Donovan, Keelan Ewaliko, Trayvon Henderson, Keahi Hogan, Marrell Jackson, Mike Martin, Damien Packer.

Outlook: The Warriors believe they’ve built depth in the secondary, signing three corners and three safeties in February. In addition, the redshirts have been removed from Higdon, Ewaliko and Hogan. The moves should help ease the departures of John Hardy-Tuliau and Charles Clay, both of whom could play nickel and safety. The Warriors will be understaffed this spring while Borden and Jackson continue to recover from offseason surgeries. The Warriors are seeking candidates for the newly defined nickel position, which will be used as a blitzing rover. Phillips and Martin could be at nickel. Phillips was the Warriors’ best cover defender (two interceptions, eight pass deflections, six breakups). Navy did not throw a pass in his direction. Phillips also was effective in space — 46 of his 64 tackles were solo stops, including 18 on rushing plays. He had four open-field tackles on special teams.

SPECIALISTS

Kickers: Tyler Hadden, Aaron Novoa, Ceejay Santos.

Punters: Ruben Guzman, Scott Harding.

Long-snappers: Kody Afusia, Brodie Nakama, Kawika Borden.

Outlook: While there are other rugby-styled punters in the NCAA, Harding is the only known ambidextrous one. Of his 56 punts, 29 were downed, 10 were fair-caught, and three rolled out of bounds. None resulted in a touchback. Returners averaged 3.21 yards. But of the 14 punts returned, five resulted in lost fumbles. Nakama had a solid season as the short-snapper, with only one off-the-mark toss in 50 attempts. Nakama will get more work this spring while long-snapper Borden recovers from hernia surgery. Afusia has been practicing as the emergency snapper. Benneton Fonua has developed into a playmaker on the punt, punt-return and kickoff-return units.