In the aftermath of the confidence-boosting victory over Louisiana Tech, the Hawaii football team is now working on additions.
With a bye this coming weekend, assistant coaches Tony Tuioti and Brian Smith remained on the mainland to recruit. The rest of the staff will be focusing on local prospects.
Tuioti will be recruiting in Ohio, Kansas, Arizona and Los Angeles. Smith will be recruiting in Texas and California.
The Warriors have 21 seniors on this year’s roster. They are seeking to replenish at offensive line, defensive tackle and linebacker. They also would like to recruit at least one more safety.
The Warriors already have commitments from quarterback Ikaika Woolsey, who is attending City College of San Francisco this semester; offensive linemen Dustin Adams and Ben Clarke; and linebacker Eddie Lackey.
Clarke is enrolled at UH as a part-time student and will go on football scholarship in January.
Woolsey and Lackey, who has three sacks and two touchdowns for Riverside Community College this year, also will join in January.
What’s more, linebacker Penitito Faalologo is set to join for the spring semester. Faalologo, who signed in February, was on the training-camp roster. But he remained in American Samoa because of a family death. Linebacker Darryl McBride, a UH walk-on in 2010, was awarded Faalologo’s scholarship. Faalologo will receive another scholarship in January.
The Warriors wil have meetings today, but will not practice. Conditioning drills are schedule for Tuesday, with the Warriors set to resume practicing Wednesday.
The time off should be beneficial for the Warriors.
Linebacker Corey Paredes, who left the LaTech game with a sore right knee, is expected to be ready for the nationally televised road game against San Jose State on Oct. 14.
Defensive end Tavita Woodard, who has not played a down this season after undergoing foot surgery in August, is expected to practice this week.
Both will be helpful to a defense that has amassed 19 sacks, tied with Colorado State for the nation’s most. Texas A&M, which has played one fewer game than UH, is No. 1 with 4.5 sacks per game (18 in four games). UH is second at 3.8 (19 in five games).
Against Louisiana Tech, the Warriors made four sacks despite playing two base defenses (4-3 and 4-2-5) and blitzing eight times in 77 plays.