University of Hawaii offensive lineman Asotui Eli lost weight and found a new football position.
On the opening practice of spring training, the Kealakehe grad was at left tackle. Eli had played center and guard in his first three UH seasons.
In giving Eli a look on the blind side, UH coach Nick Rolovich reasoned: “He’s smart. He’s lost some weight. He’s knowledgeable about what we’re trying to do. He’s athletic enough to do it. We know we can always kick him back inside. He’s smart enough to play any five (line) positions. (Left tackle) is where our hole is right now.”
Tackles Dejon Allen, Matt Norman and Chris Posa completed their UH eligibility at the end of the 2017 season. Fred Ulu-Perry said he received a medical retirement. Five offensive linemen will be joining the Warriors this summer.
The inside-to-outside move is not unique. Ben Clarke switched from center to left tackle for his final two UH seasons in 2014 and 2015. Allen started at left tackle the past two seasons after beginning his Warrior career at guard.
“I’m no Ben Clarke,” Eli said. “I’m no Dejon Allen. I’m Tui Eli, and I’ll do the best I can do.”
Eli, who is 6 feet 4, weighed about 315 pounds at the start of the 2017 season. Through a program of eating frequent small meals and limiting rice consumption to once a day, Eli now weighs 285. He also is adjusting to the footwork and hand placement required of a left tackle.
“Not having your hand on the ball, the set is a lot different,” Eli said of the switch from center.
Rolovich said: “I’m going to put a ball in his locker for him so he can sit there and hold it. It’s like a point guard.”
Tuileta takes a turn at quarterback
The University of Hawaii’s best indoor passer is trying to prove his skills as an outdoorsman.
Larry Tuileta, the volleyball team’s starting libero, took reps at quarterback Thursday during the second practice of the Rainbow Warriors’ spring-football training.
“I was trying to get a feel for things to see where my arm’s at in the middle of the volleyball season,” Tuileta said of the football workout. “I haven’t been hitting a lot (in volleyball), either, so my (football) throwing motion has been a little rusty, as expected.”
Tuileta was a two-sport standout at Punahou School who attended USC for three semesters. He moved back to Hawaii, accumulated the necessary credits to enroll at UH, and then joined the volleyball team for the 2017 season. The past fall, he received a football scholarship that allowed him to play both sports. He practiced and made two road trips, but did not take any snaps during the 2017 football season. He has one season of football eligibility remaining.
This semester, Tuileta said, “I’ve been 100 percent committed to the volleyball team.”
Football coach Nick Rolovich extended an open invitation for Tuileta to take reps during spring training. The volleyball Warriors, who returned on Monday from a three-match road trip, have a bye this weekend. The break allowed Tuileta to test his passing on Thursday, as well as learn the intricacies of the newly installed run and shoot offense.
“I picked up some of the core plays,” said Tuileta. who is in his final year of volleyball eligibility.
The past two seasons, the Warriors ran a blend of run-pass option and three-wide schemes. Many of those pass routes involved similar concepts to the run and shoot.
“There’s some new terminology, but it’s the same for everybody,” Tuileta said.
Tuileta also is relying on his experience at Punahou.
“A lot of the pass plays we did at Punahou are similar to what we’re doing now,” Tuileta said. “At Punahou, we were always in the (shot)gun. We’re always in the gun here. That hasn’t changed (from last season), which is nice. I guess we’ll throw it a little more this year.”
Cole McDonald, Kyle Gallup, Justin Uahinui and Jeremy Moussa are the other quarterbacks on the spring roster. Saint Louis School quarterback Chevan Cordeiro and Kolney Cassel, who has played at Sacramento State and SMU, will join this summer. Rolovich said the position is open.
“Everyone is fighting, not just the quarterback position,” Tuileta said. “It’s not a secret a lot of people left. A lot of people are trying to step up. A lot of people are contributing a lot of good energy and a lot of good work ethic to the team. It’s nice to see that.”
Torres takes up new home
In the transition from a hybrid offense to run-and-shoot, the tight end position was eliminated.
“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” said Dakota Torres, who was a part-time starter at tight end the past three seasons. “But I talked to Rolo about it, and he told me to learn slot.”
Now Torres, who is 6-2 and 240 pounds, is essentially a power slotback. “It’s a lot more running,” said Torres, who had earned a reputation as a physical blocker. “We’ll find a way to hit.”
Torres demonstrated sure hands and deceptive quickness during passing and team sessions.
“They told me I had to lose a little weight,” Torres said, patting his abs. “I had to bring out the six-pack again. I wasn’t planning on it. I was equipped with the ice over the six-pack.”
Okeke moves to free safety
Ikem Okeke is making progress going backward.
As an outside linebacker, he forced a momentum-changing fumble in the 2016 Hawaii Bowl. Last season, he played the safety-linebacker hybrid known as viper. This spring, Okeke is a free safety.
But in new defensive coordinator Corey Batoon’s system, safeties can move up to the tackle box, play in the gap, blitz or drop into coverage.
Okeke said he benefited from playing safety as a freshman and sophomore at Las Vegas’s Bishop Gorman High School. This offseason, he was told to learn safety and nickelback.
Okeke appeared to be comfortable during Wednesday’s drills.
“It was a good experience,” he said. “First day, you get used to things. Hopefully, it picks up later.