Once again, our readers asked questions about the University of Hawaii football team. Once again, we tried our best to find some of the answers.
YOU WANT ANSWERS TO UH FOOTBALL? JUST ASK
You’ve got UH football questions? We’ll try to find the answers. Submit your questions to beat writer Stephen Tsai either on his popular blog — hawaiiwarriorworld.com/category/warrior-beat/— or via email at stsai@staradvertiser.com.
Every Wednesday during football season, Tsai will answer a few of the questions in the print edition of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Jeezy23: Will there be a big emphasis in cornerback and defensive line for the 2017 recruiting class? It appears that we need an upgrade in speed and cover skills at corner and more physicality on the defensive line to match up with tougher opponents.
Answer: “There’s always an emphasis on recruiting cornerbacks and defensive linemen, as well as linebackers and offensive linemen,” head coach Nick Rolovich said. “I think quarterbacks and kickers are down the line. But always big bodies. We’re always going to recruit O-linemen and D-linemen and, yeah, we need more depth in the secondary.”
Mike96816: Has true freshman Jeremiah Pritchard jumped ahead of Malachi Mageo and Dany Mulanga at the SLB position?
A: “I would say no,” Rolovich said. “But I love Pritchard, and he’s going to be a great football player for this football team for a long time”
Letsgowarriors: Status on Marcus Armstrong-Brown?
A: There is a possibility he will join the Rainbow Warriors next year.
WarriorNY: What does Coach Rolo think of playing the Power 5 conferences?
A: UH favors a balanced nonconference schedule of one Power 5, one FCS and two that are considered equal in budget/skill. The Warriors have limited scheduling flexibility the next few years. “I don’t think we’ll play more than two (Power 5 teams) a year, and hopefully one’s at home. I think our home crowd is good. They seem to enjoy when one of those teams comes to town.”
Waryor: Are Power 5 teams interested in taking advantage of the Hawaii exemption to play Hawaii one week early?
A: “Yes,” Rolovich said. “The problem is you’ve got to shuffle things around. It’s kind of a puzzle piece, especially in the near future. I don’t know how many options we’ll have next year. But ’18 and moving forward, it’s definitely something we’re looking forward to taking advantage of.”
Markazulu: Are we still doing a pregame haka?
A: “No,” Rolovich said. “We’re not going to do a haka.”
Oh, wait, that’s a tricky question. The Warriors have been rehearsing a ha‘a. They performed the chant in the tunnel before the Michigan game. They will perform it in front of a crowd when they feel they have fully mastered it.
Hitmanhart: Why no Melvin Davis on short-yardage plays?
A: Davis was not on the travel roster to Michigan.
P.Ness: Two games in now, what has Nick Rolovich learned about what it takes to be a head coach?
A: “It stinks to lose, just like it did as a player,” Rolovich said. “I don’t like losing. Ugly? Clean? It doesn’t change the fact we’re 0-2. We’ve got to consistently look for ways to improve.”
Islandman: Coach Rolovich, do you like laulau?
A: “Yes,” Rolovich said. “I haven’t had a laulau I didn’t like.”
