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Khoury Bethley & Eugene Ford

Football

2020 Position Breakdown: Secondary

Throughout the course of fall camp, HawaiiAthletics.com will provide a breakdown of the 2020 Rainbow Warrior football team, position-by-position, as the team prepares for its season opener at Fresno State on Saturday, Oct. 24. 
 
Three key defensive backs are gone from last year's 10-win squad. Rojesterman Farris II, Ikem Okeke and Kalen Hicks combined for a whopping 140 games played during their UH careers. Not to worry though. Secondary coaches Abe Elimimian (cornerbacks) and Laiu Moeakiola (safeties) have a solid pool of returning playmakers. The program has also re-stocked via the FCS and junior college route with five talented transfers.  That combination of old and new should fuel a relentless, ball-hawking secondary in UH's new War Dog defense.

Returnees
 
Secondary  Ht  Wt Cl   2019 Stats
 Cortez Davis (CB)  5-11 180  Sr.  53 tkls,13 PBUs, 1 int
 Eugene Ford (S)  6-2 210  Sr.  55 tkls, 4 PBUs
 Khoury Bethley (S)  5-10 200  Jr.  83 tkls, 2 int
 Donovan Dalton (S)  6-4 200  Jr.  16 tkls, 2 PBUs
 Akil Francisco (CB)  6-1 170  Jr.  2 tkls, 1 PBU
 Noa Kamana (S)  6-0 190  Jr.  12 tkls
 Leonard Lee (S)  6-0 190  Jr.  Redshirted
 Alaka'i Mashima (S)  5-11 185  Jr.  DNP
 James Green III (CB)  5-11 175  So.  6 GP
 Steven Fiso (S)  6-2 200  So.  3 tkls
 Kai Kaneshiro (S)  6-2 180  So.  28 tkls, 3 int
 Kalamaku Kuewa (S)  6-0 200  So.  11 GP
 Travon Killins (CB)  6-0 175 R-Fr..  Redshirted
 Tiger Peterson (S)  6-0 200 R-Fr.  1 tkl in 3 GP
 Michael Washington (CB)  6-0 165 R-Fr.  4 tkls in 3 GP


                              


 
 
 
 
 
 
 








Newcomers
 
Secondary Ht  Wt Cl Hometown (Last School)
 Quentin Frazier (S) 6-1 195 Sr.  San Diego, Calif. (Azusa Pacific)
 Sterlin Ortiz (S) 5-10 185 Jr.  Oklahoma City, Okla. (NE Oklahoma A&M)
 Jalen Perdue (CB) 5-10 175 Jr.  Lancaster, Calif. (Antelope Valley College)
 Logan Taylor (S) 6-0 175 Jr.  Harbor City, Calif. (El Camino College)
 Cameron Lockridge (CB) 6-0 180 So.  Tampa, Fla. (Reedley College)
 Asher Pilanca (CB) 6-0 175 Fr.  Mililani, O'ahu (Mililani HS)




 
 
 
 


2019 secondary members lost: Rojesterman Farris II, Kalen Hicks, Ikem Okeke, Zach Wilson

No-Fly Zone: Senior Cortez Davis is back after an impactful 2019 season. The junior college transfer slid into the starting cornerback role and racked up a team-best 13 break-ups. He also returned an interception for a touchdown to help seal a pivotal win at UNLV during UH's run to the MW title game. Elimimian says: "Cortez has the ideal traits at the position: he's fast, explosive, and quick. On top of that he's got experience and has been a team guy for as long as I've known him. He had a lot of pass break-ups last year and now it's about taking his game to the next level as far as takeaways. I believe Coach Graham has installed a defense that will make him that elite player."
  
Replacing Roe: The Rainbow Warriors will need to replace four-year starter Rojesterman Farris II at the other the corner spot. Elimimian says the competition has been fierce. A slew of returnees — Michael Washington, Akil Francisco, Travon Killins and James Green III  — are battling for that spot. Junior college transfers Jalen Perdue and  Cameron Lockridge — who Elimimian describes as smart, versatile and athletic — are also in the mix.  
 
A Premier Playmaker: With his ability to roam the entire field, junior safety Khoury Bethley is one of UH's top defensive players. He led the team with 83 tackles in 2019 and had two interceptions in UH's season-ending Hawai'i Bowl win over BYU.  Moeakiola says: "Khoury is a tough, bright kid. He's always looking to improve his game, always hungry to learn. He's a great teammate, dependable, and he's viscous at the point of attack."
 
Senior Leader: Safety Eugene Ford has started games since his freshman campaign and he's now entering his senior season as one of the unquestioned leaders of the squad. Moeakiola says: "He's been a bright spot for this defense and for this entire team. He's self-disciplined, self-motivated, and leads by example. Eugene inspires everyone on this team to get better. Whenever you have that type of leadership on your team, you have a chance."
 
Others to Watch: Kai Kaneshiro snagged a team-high three interceptions last season and gives UH another versatile piece in the secondary. Moeakiola says: "Kai has a big upside. We're challenging him to continue to elevate his game and get better." Graduate transfer Quentin Frazier should contend for playing time…Frazier was  a two time all-conference safety and Academic All-American at Azusa Pacific where he played for then-head coach Victor Santa Cruz, who is now UH's defensive coordinator.
 
Coaches Notes: Elimimian is one of two holdovers (along with Jacob Yoro) from last year's coaching staff…the former all-conference Rainbow Warrior, who enters his sixth season at UH, is also the program's recruiting coordinator…Moeakiola was a two-time team captain and Pac-12 honorable mention linebacker while playing for Todd Graham at Arizona State.  
 
Elimimian's Last Say: "We are going to be dialed in. Playing cornerback is one of the hardest jobs in college football. When the pressure is on, we got to be diamonds. All our guys have that mentality to play the position."
 
Moeakiola's Last Say: "We want to leave our imprint on the guys and maximize all the potential they have. On the football field, in the weight room, in academics and every facet in life. Because that's being a champion."
 
#HawaiiFB
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Rojesterman Farris II

#4 Rojesterman Farris II

DB
6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
Kalen Hicks

#3 Kalen Hicks

DB
6' 3"
Senior
Ikem Okeke

#22 Ikem Okeke

DB
6' 0"
Senior
Zach Wilson

#20 Zach Wilson

DB
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Khoury Bethley

#5 Khoury Bethley

DB
5' 10"
Junior
Donovan Dalton

#29 Donovan Dalton

DB
6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
Cortez Davis

#18 Cortez Davis

DB
5' 11"
Senior
Steven Fiso

#33 Steven Fiso

DB
6' 2"
Sophomore
Eugene Ford

#8 Eugene Ford

DB
6' 2"
Senior
Akil Francisco

#22 Akil Francisco

DB
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

Rojesterman Farris II

#4 Rojesterman Farris II

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
DB
Kalen Hicks

#3 Kalen Hicks

6' 3"
Senior
DB
Ikem Okeke

#22 Ikem Okeke

6' 0"
Senior
DB
Zach Wilson

#20 Zach Wilson

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
DB
Khoury Bethley

#5 Khoury Bethley

5' 10"
Junior
DB
Donovan Dalton

#29 Donovan Dalton

6' 4"
Redshirt Junior
DB
Cortez Davis

#18 Cortez Davis

5' 11"
Senior
DB
Steven Fiso

#33 Steven Fiso

6' 2"
Sophomore
DB
Eugene Ford

#8 Eugene Ford

6' 2"
Senior
DB
Akil Francisco

#22 Akil Francisco

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
DB