If Hawaii athletes went to college in Hawaii

Sickbastard · Post by **Sickbastard** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 2:24 pm

Just wanted to start a new thread. Do you think that UH would be able to compete nationally (BCS level in football, college world series level annually in baseball) with the big schools if all the local talent stayed in the islands? I know basketball's out, cause local kids don't grow to be 7 feet tall. Just wanted to hear the thoughts from the peanut gallery. Feel free to flame away if you like, but please don't go "LEWPAC-level" crazy while doing it...

H20 · Post by **H20** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 2:55 pm

Yep, Darnell, Gesser, and Chang in succession? Our D line would consist of Johnathan Mapu, Brandon Ala, Donny Mateaki, Tolifili Liufau, Wilson Afoa, Randy Faletoi, and Jesse Mahelona. The other teams running game would non-exsistant. We would have ALL the Kahuku DB's and ALL the OL guys who for some reason wanted to go elsewhere.

WA Warrior · Post by **WA Warrior** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 6:10 pm

I believe if UH played a more traditional scheme in Football, i.e. two TE, FB, RB/TB, etc, then yes they can compete, don't know how successful they would be, but yes they can compete. If UH continued with the Run-n-shoot or any other pass-heavy oriented offense, then no, just don't see to many locals as WRs and pass-heavy QB. The same goes for volleyball, the height and agility isn't in the islands. Baseball, sure, can hang with just anyone!!! I agree with Sickbastard on the Basketball situation....

robz04 · Post by **robz04** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 5:07 pm

Joe Igber from Iolani would have been a great RB in the Run-n-Shoot. Or move him out to the slot. No one could keep up with his speed and his jumping ability. But maybe I'm biased to him since we from the same valley... hehe

IPatentllo7o1 · Post by **IPatentllo7o1** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 10:44 pm

UH would be top 10 year in and year out in football if all the local talent stayed home... but im sure any state with a serious football community can make that claim.... if florida a&m got all their BEST local talent, if sanjose st got all their BEST local talent, hell if SMU kept all their local talent they would return to their glory days...

Post by **Scott** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:40 am

The biggest problem I see is that the local talents might not want to stay home after the kind of treatment Timmy Chang received. He was highly recruited out of high school, stayed out of trouble on and off the field, didn't make a big fit when he was benched a couple of times, and then goes on to break the NCAA passing record and only 33,000 people show up for it. Even some of the locals down play his achievements instead of backing him up and looking at the positives. I understand that Hawaii is having a bad year, but we all need to remember that he is one of the local talents that decided to stay home and play in front of his friends and family.

warriorfan808 · Post by **warriorfan808** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:49 am

Scott wrote:The biggest problem I see is that the local talents might not want to stay home after the kind of treatment Timmy Chang received. He was highly recruited out of high school, stayed out of trouble on and off the field, didn't make a big fit when he was benched a couple of times, and then goes on to break the NCAA passing record and only 33,000 people show up for it. Even some of the locals down play his achievements instead of backing him up and looking at the positives. I understand that Hawaii is having a bad year, but we all need to remember that he is one of the local talents that decided to stay home and play in front of his friends and family.

I wouldn't put too much on the attendance being so low for the game. It was raining pretty bad and knowing no one could bring umbrellas to the stadium, really scared people off.

BigWave96744 · Post by **BigWave96744** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 10:16 am

Despite what many people say about UH recruiting, the hard TRUTH is that given the opportunity, MANY local boys will choose playing on the mainland for a high caliber team...

So when player "X" or "Y" goes to the mainland, I don't start pulling hairs and critisizing the UH coaches... I wish the player luck on the mainland and if it doesn't work out, then come back (like Hunter, Uso, LaBoy (local ties), etc..)

Do you honestly think if UH offered Kaluka Maiava, he would take UH over USC???? Give me a break.. You must be on glue... He even dropped UCLA for USC.... Same with Mahelona (Tenn), and many of the Kahuku dudes.... They want to go to the mainland...

Also Utah has taken over BYU as the attractive place for many of the local boys of the LDS faith... My co-worker is a UTAH alum and he mentioned they built an indoor practice field and has an awesome weight and athletic facility.. When Kahuku went to Utah this summer for an exihibition game, it was played at the Utah stadium and the they gave Kahuku the full treatment... So if Kahuku's WR, Spencer Hafoka, chooses BSC Bubble Utah over UH don't start any threads about another local boy lost..

Ldub20 · Post by **Ldub20** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 1:45 pm

I would take Gesser over Chang any day. Gesser would set records if he played in this Hawaii offense. Gesser wouldn't CHOKE in big games unlike Chang. Gesser's proven that by playing in a BCS conferense and in the Rose Bowl. Most importantly Gesser knows how to get things done and WINS!
Also, what does that say about Hawaii when they can't keep the local blue chippers at home? Bottomline is that recruits will stay home or play at Hawaii if they feel like it's a good situation, the program is on a upswing, and of course WINS consistently. When I talk about wins I'm talking wins against "big time" schools and quality opponents. Not wins against teams that you should be killing anyways! That's how you build a program if you want to take it to the next level and earn national respect.
It's been 6 years since JJ, I'm still waiting for what he promised!

BigWave96744 · Post by **BigWave96744** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 2:34 pm

I agree with you on the WINS=Tradition.... They gotta start with conference wins on the Road and an occational Non-Conference win on the road against a big time program...

We all know we play tough at home.... To me that's a given...
The BCS, top 15 is way off in the future and shouldn't be brought up...
ROAD wins is Hawaii's NEXT LEVEL.......

The808Chef · Post by **The808Chef** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:01 pm

Talent aside, I'd take Gesser over Chang only because I think Gesser was a better leader and more mentally tough. They both have the talent to excell in this offense. Too bad Gesser would have left anyway.

Ldub20 · Post by **Ldub20** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:06 pm

Not every team in America gets blue chip atheletes year in and year out with the exception of the big boy's like USC, Miami, Oklahoma, Texas, etc. But, with mid-majior's like Hawaii to compete and don't get the blue-chip recruits. It is very important that with the players you do get, you DEVELOPE these players and teach them the fundamentals and basics like TACKLING! I think June Jones and his coaching staff does poor job in this department. Look at a team like Boise. They get no blue chippers. But, their coach has a system in place that WORKS and they believe they can beat anybody. I think Hawaii has much better players than Boise. The difference is that Hawaii doesn't DEVELOPE their players they do have while Boise gets everything out of each player that they have on their team. Every blue-chipper coming out of highschool thinks he's going to the next level, but most of them hit the college level and find out that their just another player.

H20 · Post by **H20** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:12 pm

I remember Gesser saying he wanted to play in the Pac-10 since he was young. We have no chance for guys like that even if we go undefeated the year they are deciding. A lot of them just want to go elsewhere, "get off the rock" is a popular saying. Theres nothing UH can do about that.

If Hawaii athletes went to college in Hawaii

If Hawaii athletes went to college in Hawaii

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guys going away

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