Star-Bulletin presents "The Centurions"

[BigWave96744]

Okay since we have to entertain ourselves in this dead sports time of the year lets start to debate "THE CENTURIONS."

Stutz no respect at #100? I remember Craig Stutzmann from the Fresno game in 1999 catching the game winning touchdown in overtime to win the WAC championship for only the second time in school history. Also the route against BYU in 2001 and "the punt." I can't imagine he's only #100.

I mean Jake Ingram is cool and was consistant but sorry he's a long snapper... Can't beat the "Poi Hands" Craig Stutzman. Can he?

Jake may be the best Long Snapper of all time...

But Consider there are 11 on Offense, 11 on Defense, a Kicker, Punter, LongSnapper, Kick Returner, Punt Return, heck maybe even a Holder, to consider. If they take the top 4 on Offense and Defense, that's 88 guys with 12 more to field...
Stutz could be looked at as the 4th best SlotBack (right, I think), or 8th best (either side)
That's pretty damn good considering former SB (Davone Bess, RGM, Chad Owens Jeff Synder, Dane McArthur, Dan Ahuna, Eddie Kealoha, Junior Lopati, etc) and that's just guys in the last 20 years.. Congrats Stutz on being named Mr. Irrelavent

[uhwarriors]

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KIP AOKI / KAOKI@STARBULLETIN.COM
STEVE LEHOR: He led Hawaii with 117 tackles in 1979, earning all-freshman accolades from The Sporting News. As a sophomore, he followed that with another team-pacing effort of 115 stops, but was slowed by injuries later in his career.

As the caption states Steve Lehor had two really great seasons in 1979 and 1980 before getting hurt. His 117 and 115 tackle seasons are even more remarkable because those were the days of 11 game seasons. He was a smaller middle linebacker who was really quick and a very sure tackler. If his career wasn't hampered by injuries, he definitely would be right at the top of the career tackling record list.

[Irse]

I hope Peter Kim makes the list but probably won't. The guy owns Liliha Bakery now!

I thought he played at Alabama.

[DaveR]

Peter played as a freshman at UH, then transfered to Alabama. He scored the final points of Bear Bryant's coaching career.

[chawan_cut]

http://www.starbulletin.com/specialproj ... enturions/

Matt Harding. Hawaii's fastest man for so many years. It was like he raced the ball back to the punter.
It was their teams of the late 80s, early 90s, capped with the 92 Holiday Bowl year that got me hooked.
I didn't know that he wasn't supposed to be in on that long bomb catch vs BYU that year. Its like he looked up and the ball was there.
I can't remember how many times he and/or Branch took the ball back for a TD. They had a couple of reverses too if I recall.
Weren't they the last to return kicks for TDs before CO did it his freshman year?
Good work Mr. Reardon! Keep it up! This "offseason" doesn't seem so bad with all this football reading.

[DA BRO FROM MAKAKILO]

http://www.starbulletin.com/specialproj ... enturions/

Matt Harding. Hawaii's fastest man for so many years. It was like he raced the ball back to the punter.
It was their teams of the late 80s, early 90s, capped with the 92 Holiday Bowl year that got me hooked.
I didn't know that he wasn't supposed to be in on that long bomb catch vs BYU that year. Its like he looked up and the ball was there.
I can't remember how many times he and/or Branch took the ball back for a TD. They had a couple of reverses too if I recall.
Weren't they the last to return kicks for TDs before CO did it his freshman year?
Good work Mr. Reardon! Keep it up! This "offseason" doesn't seem so bad with all this football reading.

i hope somebody could post some old pics/clips of matt...to me he is ranked to low!

[Scott]

http://www.starbulletin.com/specialproj ... enturions/

Matt Harding. Hawaii's fastest man for so many years. It was like he raced the ball back to the punter.
It was their teams of the late 80s, early 90s, capped with the 92 Holiday Bowl year that got me hooked.
I didn't know that he wasn't supposed to be in on that long bomb catch vs BYU that year. Its like he looked up and the ball was there.
I can't remember how many times he and/or Branch took the ball back for a TD. They had a couple of reverses too if I recall.
Weren't they the last to return kicks for TDs before CO did it his freshman year?
Good work Mr. Reardon! Keep it up! This "offseason" doesn't seem so bad with all this football reading.

i hope somebody could post some old pics/clips of matt...to me he is ranked to low!

Here is Matt Harding dancing all over the world!



Link

[uhwarriors]

http://www.starbulletin.com/specialproj ... enturions/

Matt Harding. Hawaii's fastest man for so many years. It was like he raced the ball back to the punter.

Harding had a career record 12 blocked kicks which included 6 punts, 5 field goals and 1 PAT. The best "block" I ever saw was later deemed not to be a block because he got the ball before the punter actually kicked the ball. Harding got in so fast that he was passing in front of the punter before the punter kicked the ball. Harding deflected the ball before it hit the foot of the punter and the punter whiffed the kick. It was initially called a blocked kick but after video review they determined that Harding had changed the flight of the ball on the punter's drop causing a whiff. The official ruling was that Harding caused a fumble.

Opposing teams knew all about Harding and schemed to double team him. But UH used to move him around and had others tie up blockers to give Harding a chance to slip in.

[RedZone]

Lavell Edwards was happy when Dane MacArthur graduated. I think Wilbert Haslip is the best fullback I have seen play for the UofH. Had it not been for a knee injury I think he would have had a long career in the NFL.

If we are going by positions Ron Hall name should be popping up. It will be interesting to see the runningbacks Dave comes up with. There have been many very good ones.

One player I enjoyed watching a long time ago was Tim Bucannon. I think Blaine Gaison should received some consideration too.

[chawan_cut]

The best "block" I ever saw was later deemed not to be a block because he got the ball before the punter actually kicked the ball. Harding got in so fast that he was passing in front of the punter before the punter kicked the ball. Harding deflected the ball before it hit the foot of the punter and the punter whiffed the kick. It was initially called a blocked kick but after video review they determined that Harding had changed the flight of the ball on the punter's drop causing a whiff. The official ruling was that Harding caused a fumble.

wow, which game was that? i gotta see that for myself.

[Ulchiro5ga]

http://www.starbulletin.com/specialproj ... ion84.html

Star Bulletin Article - 6/20/09

No. 84 - Jimmy Asato

[finlandia]

Yeah, BYU's coaches used to say McArthur was UH's most consistent receiver. He didn't seem fast or quick, wasn't that big, and wasn't that smooth a runner, but somehow no one could stop him. I remember one catch he made in the 56-14 game (I think) in which he caught a long pass while sliding out of bounds near the goal line. When the first guy ran up to congratulate him, he put up his hands as if to say "Hey, I don't know how I caught that one either!"

[uhwarriors]

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KIP AOKI / KAOKI@STARBULLETIN.COM
LARRY ARNOLD: He's the most prolific Hawaii pre-1980s quarterback, with 3,329 career passing yards from 1967 through 1969. His 21 touchdown passes in 1968 stood as the Rainbows' single-season record for 22 seasons.

Larry Arnold was a very good QB and would be very prolific in today's wide open passing offenses. He was about 6-3 and had a rocket for an arm. He was drafted in the 12th round of the 1969 draft by the Rams and was the only UH QB drafted until Colt Brennan was drafted in 2008. Arnold still lives in Hawaii on the Big Island.

[uhwarriors]

The best "block" I ever saw was later deemed not to be a block because he got the ball before the punter actually kicked the ball. Harding got in so fast that he was passing in front of the punter before the punter kicked the ball. Harding deflected the ball before it hit the foot of the punter and the punter whiffed the kick. It was initially called a blocked kick but after video review they determined that Harding had changed the flight of the ball on the punter's drop causing a whiff. The official ruling was that Harding caused a fumble.

wow, which game was that? i gotta see that for myself.

I've looked around but can't figure out which game it happened. Alll I can I remember is that the punter was around the 40 yard line on the North endzone side of the field and kicking toward the South endzone.

[uhwarriors]

I think Wilbert Haslip is the best fullback I have seen play for the UofH. Had it not been for a knee injury I think he would have had a long career in the NFL.

Haslip was our version of Earl Campbell. He was a punishing inside runner which enough speed to break it. In the middle of his senior year and on the verge of breaking the then career record for rushing yards held by Larry Sherrer, he suffered a season ending injury. It was heartbreaking to see him wheeled off the field on a wheelchair. Even with the injury, he did play one season in the NFL for Kansas City.

One player I enjoyed watching a long time ago was Tim Bucannon.

Bucannon played only one season at UH but was a terrific middle linebacker. He held the single game tackles record for a long time before it was broken. He was drafted in the 8th round by Cincinnati in 1968.