2016 Hawai'i Football Fall Camp
Day 1: Into The Fire: Football Opens 2016 Camp With Strong First Day
Day 2: Football Building The Team Behind The Team
Day 3: Shells On And It's Sweet Home Hawai'i For Football Staff
Day 4: Summer Dedication Paying Off As Football Camp Rolls Into Day Four
Day 5: Football's Offensive Line Leading The Drive Into 2016
 

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HONOLULU – Saturday opened up a trio of firsts for the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors football team in the first fall camp under first-year head coach Nick Rolovich. UH made its full pads debut for the camp, also making a first appearance on Clarence T.C. Ching field, while also holding the first two-a-day session of the season.

Lively action was to be expected for the Rainbow Warriors, as every player awaits the day they can get into full pads for the first time each season. Opening up with an 'Oklahoma' drill and a series of individual unit drills, the squad went live twice later in the morning session.

One unit to keep an eye on brings a notable amount of experience to the table for 2016, and will be looked to as a key component to offensive success this year. The outside wide receivers return 104 games worth of live experience, including 36 starting appearances.

"There's consistency and you know what you're going to get with this group," receivers coach Kefense Hynson said. "There's leadership and maturity with some seniors in the group. At the end of the day, those guys are going to compete and their teammates know it."

Last year's outside group accounted for 1,429 of the receiving yards, at 57 percent of the total, but were responsible for 67 percent of the receiving touchdowns on the year. The returning personnel accounted for 87 catches last season.

Returning under the biggest spotlight, senior Marcus Kemp has accounted for 1,470 yards and five touchdowns in his UH career, including a team-leading 36 catches for 563 yards last season. He's a big target at 6-4 and has proven his mettle as a big-play guy, from 2014's game-winning Hail Mary snag versus UNLV, to the 79-yard streak for a score in the 2015 win over Colorado.

"I think he's got some untapped potential," Hynson said. "That being said, he's consistent, he's smart, he understands football, he's mature, he works and he wants to get better."
 

Outside receivers putting in work this camp for #HawaiiFB. Big things on the horizon. #LiveAlohaPlayWarrior pic.twitter.com/WF96wMQAHd — Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) August 7, 2016

While fans should expect Kemp to rotate among the top receivers, another familiar face has battled into more likely playing time this year. After a promising rookie campaign with 10 catches for 162 yards, junior Ammon Barker was largely relegated to special teams last season. However, beginning in the spring, Barker made a name for himself as a big (6-4, 215), physical receiver that can move well for his size, battling press coverage or shaking defenders.

"Everybody starts from ground zero with this staff," Hynson noted. "He did all the things I asked him to do. He competed and made some big plays in the spring and he's only gotten better."

Entering his fourth year in the program, Barker sees some good things just beyond the horizon for the outside corps.

"We're doing pretty well as an outside unit, and as a receiver group we've grown a lot from last year as far as working to do the little things right," Barker said. "Everyone feels more comfortable and confident in their routes and catching the ball, and that enables us to play more free and fast."

Sophomore Devan Stubblefield and senior Isaiah Bernard also project as big factors this season. Stubblefield led the UH offense with four receiving touchdowns on a team second-best 351 yards in his first season back after a rookie-year injury. Also taking on his second year on Manoa, Bernard became a factor down the stretch, collecting 219 yards on 21 catches.

After not taking a single pass last season, junior wideout Keelan Ewaliko is back full time on the outside after serving as the team's top kick returner last year. As a rookie, Ewaliko registered six catches for 141 yards. He backed up his reputation as a burner on one 98-yard kick return for a touchdown last year, with another going for a near-score earlier in the season. After a handful of position switches that included running back and defense, he's back in a natural role.

"He's got a really good skillset," Hynson noted. "He's another guy that could really make some big plays for us. He's made some big plays on special teams, so he's a guy that when the lights come on he won't be afraid to shine."

Walk-ons Frank Abreu and Kalei Letoto have shown growth over the past year and return for the unit as well. In addition, the outsides add first team all-state receiver Kalakaua Timoteo to the mix after collecting 1,345 yards and 22 touchdowns last year as a high school senior, as well as the debut of 2014 recruit Don'Yeh Patterson.

"I think they'll be as good as any group in the Mountain West," Hynson said. "We've got size, we've got speed, guys that can catch the ball and run routes. The competition has been good."

With nine players rotating through the role, slot receivers will also see some time working through as hybrid receivers, giving the staff a chance to capitalize on this group's versatility and experience.

"The outside unit probably has the most experience coming back and we're trying to be leaders for the group in the meeting room and by example," Kemp said. We're moving forward and getting better as a unit. We have the type of people that can play anywhere."

While the position group was looked to mainly for the big play in past years, the receivers as a whole will be looked to in opening up the whole offense in the new scheme—a role that suits them just fine.

"They're not selfish guys," Hynson said. "Everybody understands in this offense that everybody works to get other guys open. We preach that, the guys understand it and they embrace it."

With Saturday's afternoon practice, the Rainbow Warriors close the book on week one of fall camp. Practices will resume Monday morning at 6:30 a.m. back in full pads, returning in the afternoon for another double-dose of practices.
 
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