University of Hawaii linebacker Lance Williams and fullback Justin Vele first met on the run.
It was August 2007, and the Farrington High freshmen were required to jog a lap before the start of football practice. While running, Williams sang Farrington’s alma mater. Vele sang Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.”
“I think I’m a great singer,” Vele said, smiling.
Williams shrugged, and said: “He thinks he is.”
Left tackle Ben Clarke and center Brenden Urban were teammates at Chatfield High in Littleton, Colo. Clarke, an aspiring doctor, spoke with an economy of words. Urban, an aspiring lawyer, was gregarious. Naturally, they became good friends.
Now the two sets of BFFs will play their final college football game when the Rainbow Warriors face Louisiana-Monroe at Aloha Stadium on Saturday night.
“This has been a great experience,” Williams said. “From high school until now, it’s been a great blessing.”
Williams and Vele committed to UH in 2011. While Vele joined in August 2011, Williams was a grayshirt who was asked to delay enrolling as a full-time student until January 2012.
“My scholarship wasn’t a for-sure thing,” said Williams, who took two classes at Honolulu Community College during the 2011 fall semester.
Williams kept fit playing “street basketball.” He often stayed at the UH dorms when Vele’s roommate was not around.
“It was a blessing to have your ‘brother’ come in and live with you, especially that transition from high school,” Vele said.
After Greg McMackin was forced out as head coach in December 2012, his successor, Norm Chow, decided to honor the scholarship offer to Williams.
Williams and Vele were raised in Kalihi. They both were recruited as linebackers. Often, they were misidentified.
“In class we would get that,” Vele said. “Somebody would say, ‘Lance,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m not Lance.’”
While Williams developed into a starting linebacker and, for a year and a half, a team captain, Vele bounced from linebacker to tight end and now to fullback.
The lack of playing time, Vele said, taught him “to be humble. I learned to open my heart even more. It made me a better person for society. When I get out of here, I’m going to appreciate everything.”
Williams and Vele never imagined becoming college graduates. “I thought after high school I would be on the streets with my cousins,” Williams said.
Vele said: “A lot of people don’t expect people coming out of Kalihi to go to college.”
Williams and Vele will both earn degrees in family resources in December.
“We have each other’s back,” Williams said. “Remember when he made that touchdown catch against Utah State? I was the first one down the field. Chee-hoo!”
Clarke and Urban took separate paths to Manoa. Similar to Williams, Clarke was offered a grayshirt scholarship. He was a part-time UH student during the 2011 fall semester, then joined the Warriors in January 2012.
Urban went to Adams State for a year before transferring to UH.
“It was nice being close to home,” Urban said of Adams State. “But living in potato valley, there’s only so much time you can spend there before going crazy. Hawaii’s been nice. It’s been hard being away from family, so it’s nice having (Clarke) out here.”
Clarke, Urban and two other former Chatfield High teammates share a house. “I’m kinda sloppy,” Urban admitted.
Clarke said: “I’m always the one who has to deal with everything. I clean the toilet. I clean the bathroom, the shower. I’m like their dad.”
Urban, who was placed on scholarship last year, and Clarke said they sometimes are envious of their two non-football-playing roommates.
“They wake up at 10,” Urban said, smiling, “and we’re waking up at 5, and going to bed early so we can do it all again the next day.”
Urban was projected to start this season. But he suffered an injury in training camp, and second-year freshman Asotui Eli claimed the center’s job. Eli was injured last week.
“I get to start my last football game,” Urban said. “I’m excited to leave it all out there so I can tell my (future) kid all about it. I had this opportunity.”
Clarke has started all 49 games of his UH career. The Warriors are 10-39 during that span.
“If we lose that game, that’ll be 40,” Clarke said. “That’s a lot in four years. It’s tough, but it would be hard if you didn’t love the sport. I love the sport.”
Knowing then what they know now, Clarke and Urban both said they still would play for Hawaii.
“I’d definitely do it again,” Clarke said. “Not just the football aspect, but there’s no other college in the nation that you can do the things you can do here. You can’t go spear-fishing anywhere else. It’s been an amazing experience.”
