University of Hawaii football player Colby Burton was the one who was not done.
Burton has ascended the depth chart and will start at wide-side cornerback for the Rainbow Warriors in the Dec. 24 Hawaii Bowl at the Ching Complex.
“I’m excited for him to go out and play in the Hawaii Bowl,” coach Todd Graham said. “He’s a good one.
It will be Burton’s first start since his junior season at McNeese State in 2018.
In 2019, Burton received a medical redshirt after suffering a broken right ankle. McNeese’s 2020 season was canceled because of the pandemic. After earning his bachelor’s degree, Burton entered the transfer portal, joining the Warriors in January.
“Colby came in last spring as a one-year guy,” said Trent Figg, associate head coach/defense. “We talk to all our transfer guys about being humble and hungry. What I told Colby the whole time he’s been here, ‘Trust the process.’ One-year guys come here to play. Early on, he didn’t play a lot, and he started to get frustrated. He came up to me and said, ‘Coach, I’m trusting the process and I’ll be my best every day.’ His attitude every single day has been top notch.”
Burton was a “DNP” the first six games. He broke into the rotation against Nevada, playing 32 snaps at nickelback.
“What (Figg) told me from the jump was to keep working and it’ll work out,” Burton said. “I listened to him and, thank God, he was in my ear.”
Burton went between nickel and corner the rest of the regular season. Cameron Lockridge, the starting field corner, left the Warriors two weeks ago, finalizing his transfer to South Alabama on Wednesday. By then, Burton was promoted to No. 1 cornerback defending the wide side of the offensive formation.
“I have to use a lot of technique and be fundamentally sound,” said Burton, who has not missed a tackle this season.
Burton also has emerged as a mentor to the younger players. “He’s a model citizen in our program,” Figg said. “He’s been like a big brother to a bunch of these younger guys. He came in today and said, ‘Coach, I think the reason I came here was because of the influence I’ve been able to have on these guys.”
Burton also has impressed the coaches.
“Colby’s done a great job, man,” said Graham, who makes the defensive calls. “It’s very hard to transfer to a place and, in one year, transition onto the field and play, because we have good players. And he’s a player. He’s a great young man. It’s been a joy to get to know him and be his coach.”
Burton’s college career will not end on Christmas Eve. Burton has accepted an invitation to play in the 2022 Spiral Tropical Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 15.
“It’s a blessing, a blessing in disguise,” Burton said. “I didn’t see it coming.”
The Warriors practiced for 90 minutes on Thursday afternoon in advance of the Hawaii Bowl against Memphis.
“We had good spirit,” Graham said. “Guys worked hard and did a good job.”
Hawaii Bowl
At Ching Complex
Memphis (6-6) vs. Hawaii (6-7)
>> When: Dec. 24, 3 p.m.
>> TV: ESPN
>> Radio: 1420-AM/92.7-FM
>> Tickets: etickethawaii.com, UH ticket office
