If the game of football were checkers, the hybrid end would be the king.
“The job description is pretty big,” Hawaii assistant coach Jacob Yoro said of the defensive position empowered to move in all directions.
In the Rainbow Warriors’ scheme, the hybrid aligns as a hand-on-the-turf end in a four-man front and outside linebacker in an odd formation. “You have to be pretty versatile,” Yoro said. “You have to be strong enough to play on the D-line and hold the point, and have the length and athleticism to rush the passer or drop into pass coverage.”
The Warriors have emphasized the position that also is known as the Joker. When Corey Batoon was hired as defensive coordinator a year ago, Yoro, who had coached the safeties, was assigned to work with the hybrids. “It was fun for me to get a little bit closer to the front end, and be able to teach the intricacies of that,” Yoro said.
Last year, Kaimana Padello and Derek Thomas split the hybrid reps. That position accounted for 6.4% of the Warriors’ tackles, but 25% of the backfield stops. Three players recruited specifically for the position — Zach Ritner, Jonah Kahahawai-Welch and Jeffrey Keene — served apprenticeships last year and are now poised to join the mix.
“It’s their second year in the system,” Yoro said. “A lot of this stuff was new in the transition from a D-lineman to a hybrid outside linebacker position. There was a little bit of a learning curve. Some of those guys last year struggled through that. Now we’re in a position where I’m really excited about their growth in the offseason. They’ve really stepped up.”
Ritner, at 6 feet 3, gained 15 pounds and now weighs 232 while trimming his body fat. “It’s more of a solid weight for me so I can move better,” Ritner said. “It’s not just putting on weight to put on weight. It’s good weight.”
Ritner’s long blond hair, which he has trimmed only once in the past three years, has teammates referring him to as a member of the House of Targaryen. “I’m a huge fan of ‘Game of Thrones’,” Ritner said. “I’ve seen every season five or six times.”
Kahahawai-Welch signed with UH in December 2007, two days after decommitting from Navy. He missed most of the 2018 season while recovering from a knee injury. While on the mend, he received encouragement from fellow Kamehameha graduates Kumoku Noa and Wesley Faagau. Kahahawai-Welch played in two games, enabling him to retain his redshirt status.
“Coming from Kamehameha, I was only a stand-up rush end,” he said. “I never dropped so much as I do now. It was a hard transition learning it and taking it in. Having a year under my belt was solid. I’m ready to go.”
During player-run practices this summer, Kahahawai-Welch sported a hoop earring, in tribute to one of the best pass rushers in NFL history. “I looked up to Lawrence Taylor,” he said. “He was one of the best coming off the edge.”
Keene’s junior season — his first at UH after transferring from a junior college — was abbreviated because of a wrist injury. “I’m doing better,” said Keene, who blocked a punt against Navy. “Coach Jacob is good coach. He teaches life lessons. He teaches what needs to be done on the field.”