Easy move: Lewis loves the Hawaii melting pot

Even now — 11 years and 4,204 miles later — University of Hawaii football player Daniel Lewis can remember the sound that changed his life forever.

“The wind was so loud,” Lewis recalled. “I had never been in a tornado before, but I imagined that’s what it sounded like.”

It was August 2005, and Lewis and his family were living in New Orleans. It was a home filled with love — and books.

“My grandmother had a huge bookcase,” Lewis said. “She always harped on reading. She knew words were knowledge. That bookcase meant so much to her.”

Lewis, who shared his grandmother’s passion for reading, was looking forward to the start of fourth grade. And then the evacuation warnings came. Hurricane Katrina was approaching the Big Easy.

They headed to a relative’s house in New Iberia, La. Each of the children had packed enough belongings for three, maybe four days.

“I wasn’t paying attention to the news,” Lewis said. “I was young. I was enjoying my time. I said: ‘This is fun, but when are we going to go back home? I’m ready to go back to school.’ My mom said: ‘You’re not going back.’”

A week later, Lewis accompanied older relatives to New Orleans. Jean Gordon Elementary had been submerged in 8 feet of water blended with raw sewage. “I had a huge school,” Lewis said, “and it got messed up.”

He was jolted when he walked into what remained of the family home. “Everything in the house was ruined,” Lewis said. “That bookcase … and all of my grandmother’s books were destroyed.”

A first cousin, Walter Narcisse, could not be reached. They later learned Narcisse had found shelter in the Superdome.

Lewis was no longer in denial. He would not be moving back to New Orleans.

Lewis became a star athlete. He eventually earned a football scholarship from the Warriors. Living in paradise, he followed reports of the recent racially divisive problems in his home state.

“If a lot more people could understand perspective and everyone’s different situation, we could probably avoid a lot of these different problems that are happening,” Lewis said.

In Louisiana, he recalled witnessing different experiences with the police. “Some have been great, some have been not-so-good,” he said.

He was at a Mardi Gras event in an African-American community when sheriffs “came through and were pepper-spraying everyone. We were blocking the street, but, I mean, it was Mardi Gras.”

The experiences were different in Hawaii.

“When I first got here, I was walking to get something to eat,” Lewis said. “It was late at night. I passed in front of the police, and I remember being so nervous. If I were at home, they would have stopped me and questioned me. … My local teammates were telling me you don’t have to worry about that out here. … Having that melting pot, I love that, being able to see different people’s perspective. … I honestly think the cops in Hawaii do a great job. Shoutout to HPD. I think cops around the nation can learn from these guys. They love their job and they love the people they’re protecting.”

MOUNTAIN WEST PREVIEW

WEST DIVISION

FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS

> 2015 records: 3-9/2-6 MWC

> Head coach: Tim DeRuyter

> Outlook: The Bulldogs might have been identity-theft victims after dropping to fourth last year after three consecutive first-place finishes. Injuries and inconsistency resulted in four different starting quarterbacks and a quick-screen-heavy offense that averaged 22.3 points per game. The defense was equally odorous, relinquishing 38.1 points per game. DeRuyter hired new coordinators — Alabama offensive analyst Eric Kiesau and South Carolina assistant Lorenzo Ward. Kiesau will keep the no-huddle, uptempo pace but add more personnel groups and deeper pass routes. Chason Vigil, whose freshman season was abbreviated to three games because of a broken clavicle, is the leader in a three-quarterback competition that won’t be settled until the second week of training camp. DeRuyter nearly missed out when he left messages on a cell phone Ward no longer used. Now they have a connection on defense, with DeRuyter assisting Ward in implementing a 3-4 pressure defense.

> A Bulldog story: Wideout Aaron Peck gets to reboot his football career nine months after discarding the medical boot he wore most of the 2015 fall semester. “We thought Aaron would have a breakout season a year ago,” DeRuyter said. Instead, Peck missed the season after suffering an injury to his left foot. Peck said three screws were inserted to stabilize a torn ligament that caused bones to dislocate. “I woke up in a lot of pain,” said Peck, noting the ensuing dismal season brought more hurt. Peck was medically cleared in January. He led the players-only workouts this summer. “We put that miserable season behind us,” Peck said. “The 2016 Bulldogs are 0-0 and ready for the season to start.”

HAWAII RAINBOW WARRIORS

> 2015 records: 3-10/0-8 MWC

> Head coach: Nick Rolovich

> Outlook: The renovation includes changes to the staff (three new coordinators, not including new video coordinator Oli Vea) and schemes. The Rainbow Warriors are shifting to a hybrid offense containing elements of the run-and-shoot, read-option and pass-run-option schemes. A seven-quarterback competition will be settled after the second training-camp scrimmage on Aug. 13. The Warriors are returning to the 4-3 defense featuring two inside linebackers. The defensive play-caller is Jahlani Tavai, who moved from rush end to middle linebacker.

> A Warrior story: Quarterback Ikaika Woolsey indeed comes from a strong gene pool. His grandfather, Bill Woolsey, was a swimmer who won medals in the 1952 and ‘56 Olympics. “He’s the superstar of the family,” Ikaika Woolsey said. “He told me stories about being 17 and in the Olympics. It humbles me to know what he’s done.” Woolsey is in the running for the most scrutinized job in Hawaii. “You’re either the goat or the hero,” he said. “There’s no gray area. My father always told me: ‘Playing quarterback, you’ve got to have crocodile skin. You’ve got to be tough.’”

NEVADA WOLF PACK

> 2015 records: 7-6/4-4 MWC

> Head coach: Brian Polian

> Outlook: Last year, the Pack tried this fresh approach: Don Jackson accepted a reduced role to expand the running back rotation. Jackson, who completed his eligibility in December, finished with 1,082 rushing yards. James Butler gained 1,342 yards despite only one start. “Don was the established running back and he made the sacrifice to bring me along,” said Butler, who now mentors the younger backs. New offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, a Chip Kelly disciple, will keep the pistol formation but call more pass plays to the wideouts (the top four return) and bubble screens to the backs. Polian also formed a “book club,” assigning his players to read copies of ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas’ book on mental toughness. Polian said center Nathan Goltry bought an audio copy, then “spent seven hours the day before the meeting lying on his couch listening to the book on tape. But I guess the message got across.”

> A Wolf Pack story: Quarterback Tyler Stewart was offered a UH scholarship as a high school senior in 2011. Norm Chow, who was hired as UH head coach that December, said he would honor Stewart’s scholarship offer but warned that two grayshirt quarterbacks — Ikaika Woolsey and Justin Alo — were joining in January 2012. “I was cool with one guy, but two was too many,” said Stewart, who declined the recruiting trip. Stewart signed with Nevada, whose offensive coordinator — Nick Rolovich — is now UH’s head coach. Stewart passed for 2,139 yards and rushed for 517 non-sack yards in 2015. “He’s more confident, and rightfully so,” Polian said. “Experience will do that for you.”

SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS

> 2015 records: 11-3/8-0 MWC

> Head coach: Rocky Long

> Outlook: Christian Chapman, who completed 60 percent of his passes in three injury-replacement starts, has the edge at quarterback. But whoever is at the controls is just the baton-passer to Donnel “DJ” Pumphrey, the league’s best back. Pumphrey led the Aztecs in rushing (1,653 yards) and receiving (28 catches). His lone pass went for a 16-yard TD, giving him a pass-efficiency rating of 564.4. The Aztecs will not alter their 3-3-5 defensive scheme. “This is being stubborn,” said Long, who calls the defensive plays. “We believe in our defense. We have ways within our defense to play (against) both spread and running teams.” Linebacker Calvin Munson is a hitter (98 tackles) but not a pitcher. He played one season with the SDSU baseball team. “I was kinda the closer until I couldn’t throw strikes,” said Munson, whose fastball topped in the low 90s. “I could throw it decent, just not in the strike zone.”

> An Aztec story: Pumphrey has breakaway speed but not breakway intentions. He did not apply for the 2016 NFL Draft, choosing to return for his senior season. “I made a promise to my mother, even before I got to college, that I was going to finish school,” said Pumphrey, who needs 14 more credits to earn a bachelor’s degree. Pumphrey, who is 5 feet 9, has tried to gain weight to reach his goal of 180 pounds. The other night he had a power dinner. “I ate adobo,” said Pumphrey, who is half Filipino.

SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS

> 2015 records: 6-7/4-4 MWC

> Head coach: Ron Caragher

> Outlook: A decade ago, the Spartans were stripped of dozens of scholarships because of poor Academic Progress Report scores in the early 2000s. With improved support, the Spartans returned to academic stability a few years ago. Last year, their high APR score enabled them to receive an exemption to play in a bowl game despite a 5-7 regular season. “It was one of the few times you saw a team rewarded for the academic side of things,” Caragher said. Dual-threat quarterback Kenny Potter completed a league-best 67.4 percent of his passes while rushing for 599 non-sack yards. Ron English, a former Eastern Michigan head coach, is the new defensive coordinator for a unit that allowed 157.8 passing yards per game, second fewest among FBS schools.

> A Spartan story: In a viral YouTube video, Potter threw a football 45 yards from the top of the Spartan Stadium bleachers into a garbage can. “I asked him: ‘Why didn’t you empty the trash can before you threw it?’” Caragher said. “He pulled the ball out and all this trash fell out.” In crunch time or garbage time, Potter is keenly accurate. The Spartans rely on timing routes in which a receiver breaks as the quarterback hits the plant foot to throw. “I’ve always taken pride in being able to put a ball in tight windows,” Potter said. Caragher said he would rather a quarterback throw “accurate, catchable balls than (have) a cannon arm. You can have a cannon arm but if you don’t make good decisions and sail it over (a receiver’s) head, it doesn’t do any good. Kenny has a good sense of touch.”

UNLV REBELS

> 2015 records: 3-9/2-6 MWC

> Head coach: Tony Sanchez

> Outlook: In the final game of a difficult 2015 season, the Rebels faced long odds. The backup quarterback was held out to preserve his redshirt status, and there were only four scholarship players at receiver and five on kickoff coverage. “Where do you go with this?” Sanchez said, a fitting question for a season in which new helmets and uniforms could not mask deficiencies on offense and defense (5.7 yards per rush; nine sacks in 12 games). Johnny Stanton, a JC All-America quarterback, should boost the passing game. Enthusiasm is not an issue. “If you’re not bringing energy (into the weight room), Coach Sanchez will send us back out until everybody is bringing energy,” wideout Devonte Boyd said. “Even if you don’t bring the energy, you’d better fake it.”

> A Rebel story: Boyd’s New Year’s resolution was to stop making resolutions. “The minute you get close to your goal, you get content with just reaching your goal,” Boyd said. “I did that before. I went into the season trying to get 900 yards when I could have gotten 1,000. But I set my goal at 900 and was cool with that. I stopped setting goals. I’m shooting for the stars.” But Boyd, who averaged 16.7 yards per catch, did fulfill an offseason wish of gaining weight. Boyd, who is 6-1, added 10 pounds and now weighs 180.

MOUNTAIN DIVISION

AIR FORCE FALCONS

> 2015 records: 8-6/6-2 MWC

> Head coach: Troy Calhoun

> Outlook: With the demanding academic obligations, the Falcons usually use only 75 percent of the 20 hours the NCAA permits to train each week. “We’ll try to get on the field at 4:05 and off the field by 5:30,” Calhoun said. The coaches will use their other time to recruit (prospects from five time zones visited this summer), and to hone their expanded passing game. “The amount of time we put in on study, design and implementation is extensive and exhaustive, which it better be,” Calhoun said. The Falcons, whose base is the triple option, were fourth nationally in rushing (319.1 yards per game), second in yards per reception (21.23) and 15th in passing efficiency (157.44). Pate Davis and Aaron Worthman did well in spring training, but the quarterback’s job has yet to be awarded. Wideout Jalen Robinette is one of three receivers who averaged at least 20 yards per catch.

> A Falcon story: For linebacker Claude Alexander III, the toughest exam was a field test. As part of Academy training, a group of eight was taken into the woods for three days. They were given one chicken and a rabbit to kill and eat. They also received iodine tablets. “If you find a stream, you put some iodine tablets in it, and it’ll clean the water out,” Alexander said. “It was kind of rough, but it makes you realize you can do more than you think you can.”

BOISE STATE BRONCOS

> 2015 records: 9-4/5-3 MWC

> Head coach: Bryan Harsin

> Outlook: The Broncos were as blue as their turf after losing two home games last year. After losing an offensive coordinator following each of the past two seasons, Harsin has found a suitable replacement — himself. While Zak Hill and Scott Huff will serve as consultants, Harsin said: “Ultimately, I get the play-calling duties.” Quarterback Brett Rypien, who averaged 304.8 passing yards per game in 2015, endured glitches in an otherwise impressive freshman season. “Even though we microwaved him to get him out there, we’d have liked to marinate a little bit,” Harsin said. “But we had to throw him out there real fast.” Harsin said Rypien analyzed each frame of every BSU play last year. “He self-evaluates, like we all should do,” Harsin said. “He knows what he did well and what he didn’t do well.” Running back Jeremy McNichols (1,337 yards, 20 touchdowns) and wideout Thomas Sperbeck (88 catches, eight TDs) should ease Rypien’s sophomore year.

> A Bronco story: Growing up, Sperbeck often played catch with his father, Thomas, a college coach. “We used to do drills all the time,” Sperbeck said. “He used to be out there catching balls for me for three hours.” Harsin marveled at Sperbeck’s athletic skills, saying: “He can pick up a tennis racket or a golf club or a Hacky Sack, you name it, and he’s probably good at it. … He’s reliable and dependable. He’s a football player. You’ll take that guy 100 times out of 100.”

COLORADO STATE RAMS

> 2015 records: 7-6/5-3 MWC

> Head coach: Mike Bobo

> Outlook: Nick Stevens, who led the MWC with 21 TD passes, will have a new set of targets this season. Last year’s top two receivers — Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins and Joe Hansley — departed, Deionte Gaines was booted for violating team rules, and Jordan Vaden moved to cornerback in the spring. “They might have been our top four receivers last year,” said Bobo, who calls the offensive plays. Next in line is 6-4 wideout Xavier Williams … maybe. “He has to get his life outside of football right if he’s ever going to be a player,” Bobo said. “He has a long way to go to be a contributor for this football team.” Marty English, who was promoted from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator, is bringing back the 3-4 base used a couple of years ago. Construction begins in the middle with nose tackle Christian Colon, a 330-pound freshman, and inside linebacker Kevin Davis, who made 101 tackles a year ago. Davis was born in Germany and played hockey before focusing fully on football.

> A Ram story: Nolan Peralta was a backup linebacker for two seasons when he suffered a stress fracture in his lower vertebrae. “I didn’t know how I was going to be able to play football again,” said Peralta, who wore a back brace early in his recovery. “I looked so stiff.” When his back healed, he decided to move to tight end, a position he played part-time in high school. With inexperienced wideouts, Peralta is expected to receive more check-down passes this season.

NEW MEXICO LOBOS

> 2015 records: 7-6/5-3 MWC

> Head coach: Bob Davie

> Outlook: When Davie, a former Notre Dame coach, returned to the sidelines in 2012 after a 12-year hiatus, he brought to Albuquerque a unique triple-option offense out of a pistol formation. Davie did not edit the blueprint despite three consecutive losing seasons. “We are what we are,” Davie said. “We had a plan and we stuck to it.” There was a slight tweak, with Austin Apodaca introduced as a hurry-up passing alternative to quarterback Lamar Jordan’s option skills. But Davie’s patience was rewarded with a winning 2015 season and the Lobos’ first bowl berth since 2007. The highlight was a selfie-worthy upset of Boise State on the blue turf. The Lobos posed for a picture, linebacker Dakota Cox noted, to mark crossing “over the plateau where we’re not just that little brother that can get pushed around in games.” That picture, most likely, is now hanging on Boise State’s bulletin board.

> A Lobo story: After two years as a starting quarterback, Cole Gautsche realized his passing game did not match his expectations. He decided to redshirt last year to learn to play tight end. “I’ve always been a physical player,” Gautsche said of the position switch. “It kind of fits into that.” He spent the redshirt year studying videos, being tutored by the other tight ends, and taking reps on the scout team against the first-team defense. “It seems to be working out,” he said.

UTAH STATE AGGIES

> 2015 records: 6-7/5-3 MWC

> Head coach: Matt Wells

> Outlook: Last year’s four starting linebackers are in NFL camps this week and the defensive coordinator is employed at Oregon State. “Those are big significant losses,” said Wells, who expects the defensive linemen and secondary to help the new linebackers. Quarterback Kent Myers, who served as Chuckie Keeton’s injury replacement the past few years, is now the full-time starter. Myers is a confident passer and runner. “He’s got home-run speed,” Wells said. “He can score a touchdown every time he pulls it down.” Stacy Collins, who was head coach at South Dakota School of Mines the past four years, is the new special teams coordinator empowered to recruit the roster. “The best (defensive) players will play on the punt team,” Wells said.

> An Aggie story: Last summer, defensive end Ricky Ali’ifua was in a vehicle 300 feet behind an SUV that was struck head-on by a semi-truck. Four Aggies defensive linemen who were in the SUV were injured. “We tried to pull people out, but the car was really smashed up and jammed,” Ali’ifua said. “The hardest part was having to see our friends — the guys we battled with in the weight room and conditioning, guys we were really close to — sit in the car and wait for assistance because we couldn’t do anything.” Ali’ifua was forced to become a vocal leader after that. “It kind of inspired me to do more,” he said.

WYOMING COWBOYS

> 2015 records: 2-10/2-6 MWC

> Head coach: Craig Bohl

> Outlook: Wyoming was the only West team not to play in a bowl last year, but Bohl is not ready to abandon the pro-set offense. “That’s a recipe for disaster,” he said of switching schemes. “We’re not going to do that. We’re committed to the future with what we’re doing now.” It was a scheme that was successful at North Dakota State, where one of Bohl’s projects — quarterback Carson Wentz — was the second pick in this year’s NFL Draft. At 6-1 and 219 pounds, Brian Hill, who led the MWC with 1,631 rushing yards in 2015, matches Wyoming’s prototypical back. “In our system, we’re not looking for the 5-9, 180-pound dude,” Bohl said.

> A Cowboy story: In the offseason, Hill gained weight and lost hair, cutting off long dreads. “I didn’t even want to cut it,” Hill said. “After two seasons playing at Wyoming, people definitely took advantage of the rule that your hair counts as part of the jersey.” He recalled a pulled-hair incident last year when it felt like “fire was coming out.” With the new look, he said, “I feel I’ll be tackled less.” Hill also will share reps with Shaun Wick, who was limited to five games last year because of injuries.