OAHU — The University of Hawaii football team will be without two heralded receivers this coming season, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser has learned.
Kalakaua Timoteo, who was named to the Star-Advertiser’s All-State first team in 2014 and ‘15, and Isaia Leeth, who once was considered one of Oregon’s top high school receivers, did not meet the academic requirements to continue playing for the Rainbow Warriors. They are no longer on football scholarship.
Both were expected to contend for playing time in the receiver rotation. The Warriors are resurrecting the run-and-shoot offense, a scheme that uses four receivers as a base alignment. The previous six seasons, the Warriors ran pro-set and hybrid schemes that utilized a tight end.
As a Mililani High junior, Timoteo was instrumental in the Trojans winning the 2014 HHSAA state championship. As one of quarterback McKenzie Milton’s favorite targets, Timoteo caught 56 passes for 1,205 yards and 11 touchdowns that season. As a senior in 2015, Timoteo had 70 receptions for 1,345 yards and 22 touchdowns in 12 games.
Timoteo played in 21 games in his first two UH seasons, totaling 14 receptions for 123 yards. His lone start was against Western Carolina last season. He wore No. 81 in tribute to the year his mother was born.
According to the UH website, Leeth was rated as the No. 1 receiver among Oregon high school players in 2016. He redshirted as a UH freshman in 2017. He played well this spring training before suffering a leg injury.
The Warriors are expected to add receivers before the start of this season.
They also return slotback John Ursua, who has been medically cleared after suffering a knee injury in the middle of the 2017 season. Ursua was leading the nation in receiving when he suffered the injury.
Cedric Byrd, who transferred from Long Beach City College in January, is the leading contender for the other slotback position. Devan Stubblefield and Marcus Armstrong-Brown are wideouts with starting experience.