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With 11 preseason practices in the books, the University of Hawaii football team has made an all-in commitment to its kicking game.
Two newcomers — Matthew Shipley and Adam Stack — have emerged as top contenders to succeed Ryan Meskell, who completed his eligibility at the end of the 2019 Hawaii Bowl.
Dan Phillips, who coordinates the special teams, indicated Shipley and Stack are a mixture of talent and Freon-in-the-vein coolness.
“They work hard and they’re humble,” Phillips said, “but they have a confidence and air or swag about them that kickers have. It’s been fun to watch them develop and compete, and we’re continuing to do it on a daily basis. … They’re pretty cool customers. I wouldn’t want to play poker with them.”
Both took separate routes from standouts at Chris Sailer Kicking to the Manoa campus. Shipley is a 2020 graduate of Liberty Hill (Texas) High. Stack is a 2017 graduate of Kamehameha Schools who played two seasons at Oregon before joining the Warriors as a graduate transfer this past spring. With the NCAA’s pandemic-related exemption that grants players an extra year, Shipley might have up to three more UH seasons.
Shipley and Stack received high ratings from Sailer, who runs a nationally respected camp for kicking and punting prospects. Sailer ranked Shipley as high as No. 5 among kickers in the 2020 recruiting class. Shipley caught UH’s attention after excelling at the 2019 Texas Spring Showcase and then at Sailer’s camp. He also was invited to the All-American Bowl. Shipley has trained under Scott Blanton, who was Washington’s kicker for four NFL seasons.
Stack was the Ducks’ No. 1 punter as a freshman in 2017 and top place-kicker in 2018, when he was 6-for-10 on field-goal attempts. He did not participate in the 2019 spring training while recovering from a hernia ailment. After not being used in the first two games of the 2019 season, he entered the transfer portal.
Stack and senior Stan Gaudion are competing for the punter’s job. Gaudion averaged 39.1 yards per punt in 2019.
Phillips said the staff meets after every practice to evaluate special teams. A meritocracy is the foundation.
“There’s no entitlement in this program, from top to bottom,” Phillips said. “We work hard every day and compete every day. … Every day is a new day. Just because you had a bad Friday doesn’t mean you have to have a bad Saturday. We really work hard to stay focused.”
Phillips also doubles as the defensive-line coach. He said the linemen are still being evaluated, with the goal of “trying to get these guys in the right spot.”
Phillips said he receives help from Koa Kaai, a graduate assistant for defense. “The way college football is these days, you’d better be nice to your GAs because you may need a job some day,” mused Phillips, who praised Kaai as a “tireless” worker with a “sharp mind.”
Phillips said the goal is to develop depth on the defensive line. “The more guys in the rotation,” Phillips said. “The fresher they can be.”
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