HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors football team returned to work on Thursday morning at Cooke Practice Field, putting in their eighth session of the 15 spring workouts spread evenly across the month of April.
 
It was another high-energy, quick-transition workout, as the 'Bows build toward the April 29 finale in their preparation for the 2016 season.
 
The session featured a trio of scripted team scrimmage sessions and the 'Bows closed out with a little fun in the combine catching drill, as offensive and defensive linemen caught balls in a throwing alley for an offense vs. defense competition, with the defensive victory secured by Tevarua Eldridge on the final play.
 
The parade of UH alumni and professional visitors to UH spring practice continued, as now for the sixth practice Pro Bowl MVP Michael Bennett returned, in addition to former 'Bows all-star kicker and two-time Super Bowl Champion Jason Elam, UH All-American guard and former Jacksonville Jaguar Vince Manuwai and UH defensive tackle and former San Francisco 49er Isa'ako Sopoaga.
 
One of the highest-energy voices on the field, not just Thursday, but every day, comes out of the linebacker drills from first-year linebackers coach Sean Duggan. Originally from Ohio, Duggan has made a quick transition to coaching after a four-year playing career at Boston College, going on to be a graduate assistant for the Eagles on the nation's top defense, alongside UH defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa.
 
Coach Duggan took a few minutes to sit down with UH Media Relations and acquaint Warrior fans with the youngest coach in first-year head coach Nick Rolovich's staffroom.
 
Q: You're a transplant to O'ahu, living in Boston the past few years and originally from the Midwest, but you've never seemed out of your element here. Why does your personality mesh so well with people here in the islands?
A: I think I'm a pretty easy-going guy. I'm open to learning new things and that was one thing coach Rolo and coach Lempa told me I had to be in coming here; was to be open and ready to learn about a culture I've never experienced. I'm just trying to take it all in. It is really a beautiful and special place and I'm extremely happy to be here.
 
Q: You've lived here a few months, working locally and recruiting, what do you think it is about Hawai'i that makes it such a special place?
A: The people definitely are what make this place truly special. They really are the most friendly people in the world. They embrace people coming in here that are ready to learn and understand their history and culture. I remember one of the first days I was here, I met somebody and they gave me hug and a kiss on the cheek, and that was something new for me.
 
Q: At 23, you're one of, if not the youngest assistant in the nation at the FBS level, how do you balance coaching at your age with players that are only a few years younger than you?
A: Knowing the system you're in and being an expert at your craft is important. When guys see you have knowledge, they respect that. It's a hard to balance sometimes, but it gets easier with the right players; they've been great. They're so open to learning, they really just want to get better, and I give them a lot of the credit. I try to bring a lot of energy with my knowledge to the field and the guys respond well to that, but it all circles back to being an expert in what you're teaching.
 
Q: With only a third-party tie to the program in coach Lempa, how did your hiring all come together for you taking over this position?
A: It's kind of funny actually…Coach Lempa pulled me aside one day at Boston College. He asks me 'do you want to go to Hawai'i.' I thought he was talking about a vacation at first, so my response was 'absolutely'. Then he said 'no, to go coach.' My answer didn't change, 'absolutely.' I got really lucky getting to work with coach Lempa. He believed in me, which can be really humbling and I can't thank him enough for helping me to take this unbelievable opportunity, it's truly been a blessing.
 
Q: Playing in a defense he helped coach and working with him as a GA, how has coach Lempa guided you as a coach?
A: The thing that makes coach Lempa so special is that he really cares about the players, more than just on the field. We want to have the best defense we can, but what's more important to him is that guys are living their lives the right way and guys are taking lessons they learn on the field and applying them off the field so they're good in life. It's something I always admired. Playing for him, I got to see it there and working with him, I've seen it even more. It's more than just a job; you've got to really invest in these guys' lives.
 
Q: You moved directly from being a player to a graduate assistant, and now are quickly an assistant coach; obviously it's a decision on what you wanted to do pretty early. When did you decide you wanted to coach the game?
A: I was eating player meal my senior year at Boston College and coach [Don] Brown, our defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the time, asked me if I wanted to help out in the spring when I was done. He told me, 'really I think you should look into it, I think it could be a good career for you.' I'd always had it in the back of my mind, but after thinking about it more I helped out and volunteered in the spring and fell in love with it right away. I got lucky that a GA spot opened up and was lucky again to come here. The game has been so good to me, and it's allowed me to go places I never thought I would get to go. It truly is a team sport. In corporate America, they talk about being a team player, but that really can't compare to being a football player on a team.
 
Q: Some of the best defenses in the nation over the past few years came out of BC. Obviously that's the standard, and with the defensive group we've got now, where do you see this program headed?
A: These guys want to get better and they want to set that standard here. We truly have talent here; we've got some dudes. We didn't have a lot of big-time talent at Boston College. We weren't like Florida State, or Miami, or the other teams with all the five-star recruits, but we had guys that were just tough, smart and the will to be good. We have that here and we're going to build something special.
 
Q: How would you say the players in your position group are adjusting to the change in scheme after adjusting to a whole new scheme last year?
A: They're doing great so far. I tell the guys that they've just got to get a little better each day. They're really doing that and having fun. It's a great group of guys and really tight as a unit. They demand excellence from each other, which is really what you want to see.
 
Q: The linebackers were pretty sound for UH many times last year, but lose some notable faces. What is the focus for improvement heading into next year?
A: Guys just have to step up. It has to be that next man up mentality. Some guys have probably waited their turn a little bit and it's their time to play. It's just learning what we're putting in and going out there and doing what they do.
 
Q: What would you hope to have people say about the style of play for the linebackers heading into next season?
A: I'd want people to say that they're fundamental, know the defense, fit in the right places and understand the game. But we also want them to say that they're aggressive and just animals on the field; guys that give 100 percent effort on the field every single play. I'm an energetic guy that demands excellence; we can't lower the bar.
 
Q: Why do you think coach Rolo's "pride rock" and "live aloha, play warrior" statements resonated from day one with the people and fans in Hawai'i?
A: People here just have great pride in the state of Hawai'i and their communities, and that's something special. It's something that's really been lost over the generations in other places, but this place is different. When coach said that, I think it really just hit people and they really gel with it; those statements really embody the pride in this state.
 
Q: Several coaches talk about getting the players to trust and love one another, are you seeing those bonds forming over the past few months and in spring ball?
A: We were just talking about it as a staff that guys are starting to trust that other guys are going to do their jobs and we're taking care of each other on the field. This team is really starting to gel and the players tell me that this is really different than in the past. This team is really starting to understand that we need all of the 100-or-so guys to get a W on Saturday.
 
Q: Once we're there as a team, how does that translate to success on the field?
 
A: When guys play for each other, they play harder. When guys trust each other, they don't try to do too much, they do their job on every play, knowing their teammates will do the same. When guys hold each other accountable, that directly translates to wins. When you demand excellence from other guys, you're raising the bar yourself, but you're also helping to bring up the whole team.
 
 

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The Rainbow Warriors go back to work for their ninth practice and third Saturday of spring practices this weekend at the Clarence T.C. Athletics Complex field, making their first appearance on turf this spring. The first horn sounds on Manoa at 9:00 a.m.