Shortly after being named head coach of the University of Hawaii football team, June Jones met with Farrington High offensive lineman Vince Manuwai.
During that January 1999 meeting, Jones promised that 1) the Warriors would rebound from the previous regime’s 0-12 season, and 2) Manuwai would develop into an NFL prospect. After all, Jones had skin in the game. He had turned down an offer to remain as the San Diego Chargers’ head coach to coach at his former school. Manuwai rescinded a pledge to the University of Utah to sign with the Warriors.
Seeing potential in a skinny, walk-on receiver from Radford High, Jones decided not to cut Ashley Lelie. He convinced Timmy Chang, a record-setting quarterback from Saint Louis School, to turn down offers from other schools to lead the Warriors’ 2000 recruiting class. Jones predicted defensive lineman Wayne Hunter’s future would be brighter as an offensive tackle. When Ikaika Alama-Francis, a member of the UH basketball team with a successful background in volleyball, sought career advice, the recommendation led to joining Jones’ football team.
In recruiting, prospects seek playing time, a supportive culture and, in many cases lately, a piece of the name-image-likeness action. (A degree, of course, is a given pursuit.) But whether expressed vocally or tacitly, almost every recruit wants to develop into an NFL prospect.
Jones, who coached at UH through the 2007 season, used the success of former players in recruiting pitches. Manuwai played nine NFL seasons. Lelie was the Warriors’ only first-round selection. Hunter played for five NFL teams during an 11-year career … as an offensive tackle. Alama-Francis was the Detroit Lions’s second-round selection in 2007. Chang, now the Warriors’ head coach, was on the preseason roster for three NFL teams.
“In recruiting, you wanted to be able to tell the kids you could get them there,” Jones said of pro-football opportunities. “I used that all the time, especially all the kids who were on the borderline trying to (decide on a college). I showed them how many kids we got to the NFL, especially guys who were not (initially) scholarship guys.”
With today’s easy movements with the transfer portal and lucrative NIL deals, many players leave for the perceived greater opportunities at other schools. But for a mid-major program, such as the Warriors’, it is a recruiting boost for their players to get NFL shots.
Jones is optimistic that a few members of the 2024 Warriors will be in NFL mini-camps following this week’s NFL Draft. Jones said former UH quarterback Brayden Schager and cornerback Cam Stone are “going to get into camps definitely. Schager’s right on the bubble (as a late-round selection). Both will get into camps because of their workouts and how everybody’s looked at them.”
Schager started in the Jan. 19 Tropical Bowl, completing seven of 10 passes and leading a scoring drive in the opening series.
On March 24, Schager, who grew up in the Dallas area, was the quarterback during field drills at SMU’s pro day. Receivers coach Keith Williams of the New Orleans Saints called the plays.
Seven days later in Davis, Calif., Schager participated in UH’s pro day. He sizzled passes through crosswinds of up to 20 mph.
Earlier this month, Schager was one of four quarterbacks who participated in the Dallas Cowboys’ pro day for area prospects at The Star in Frisco. The 91-acre property contains the Cowboys’ headquarters and training facility. Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer attended the event; quarterbacks coach Steve Shimko coordinated the drills.
“It was fun to throw in front of all those guys,” said Schager, who has impressed scouts with his arm strength and critical thinking. Schager has played under three different offensive coordinators at UH.
Stone was an accomplished cornerback when he transferred to UH in January 2023 after three seasons at Wyoming. Last year, Stone received an evaluation that he projected as a late-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He opted to remain with the Warriors for his senior season.
Ahead of UH’s 2024 spring training, Dennis Thurman was hired as defensive coordinator, a position that also involved working with the cornerbacks. During a lengthy coaching career, Thurman was defensive coordinator under Rex Ryan with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. Thurman coached Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis. With Thurman’s guidance, Stone focused on improving his tackling.
Stone was named winner of the 2024 Alec Waterhouse Award as the Warriors’ most valuable player. He participated in the Jan. 11 Hula Bowl. At UH’s pro day, Stone ran the 40-meter dash in 4.46 seconds. He bench-pressed 225 pounds 19 times. Two weeks ago, he participated in the Houston Texans’ pro day. Stone is viewed as a nickelback at the next level.
Schager and Stone have said it would be a dream to receive NFL opportunities. That also would be an accomplishment the UH football program would celebrate.
