Feature story on UH QB commit Cayman Shutter

SP = The StarPhoenix

SP Note: “Cayman Shutter — a Green-Card carrying Saskatchewan Roughriders fan who passed for 400 yards to lead the Punahou School to the Hawaii state championship earlier this month — played his minor football in Regina before moving to Honolulu at age 10.”

About how he struggled with kicking even though his first coach was former Riders’ kicker Dave Ridgeway, Shutter said:
“We had punt, pass and kick competitions and I didn’t do too well at that.” (SP)

SP Note: “A number of Shutter’s relatives remain in Saskatchewan, residing in Regina, Saskatoon and Kenosee. Shutter shudders to think of the minus-40 weather he left behind.”

About the cold weather they had in Canada, Shutter said:
“Actually my dad (Darryl) and I were sort of talking that we forget what it’s like to be really cold.” (SP)

About how he listens to Riders games on the radio via the Internet, Shutter said:
“For a while there, we could get it on satellite TV until the CFL (Canadian Football League) made a new deal (to broadcast all games on TSN). We were pretty disappointed. Last year, we were following the Grey Cup run pretty hard.” (SP)

SP Note: “The 2008 season was his 10th at quarterback. Last June, the pro-style passer won the QB MVP award at the Nike invitation-only camp in Oregon. He was one of four platoon leaders at the EASports Elite 11 camp.”

About the possibility of NFL and CFL in his future, Shutter said:
“NFL is, like, a lofty goal for me. It’s my dream and it’s always been there. A lot of people here don’t really know about the CFL. They think playing in the Arena League is a better choice for them, but I would say, that, right next to the NFL, is coming back home and playing. I’m definitely more of a pocket guy (rather than a scrambling QB), but I definitely wouldn’t mind having that wide-open game that the CFL plays, unlimited motion and all that kind of stuff. Hey, if I’m going to be on a CFL team, I’d like it to be the Riders.” (SP)

About how Canadian kids don’t get the same opportunities to advance in football as kids in the US, Shutter said:
“I don’t think I noticed (the difference of calibre) then (at age 10), but, just because it’s so big here that it kind of gets more serious as you go. When I started playing for my school, it got more and intense. Obviously, you practice year-round here, so that’s a big advantage. That definitely made a difference in my skill, timing and everything like that.” (SP)

Asked how his family moved from Saskatchewan to Hawaii, Shutter said:
“My grandma had U.S. citizenship, so my parents decided to apply for a green card when I was younge. I guess, if you’re going to make the jump from Regina to the United States, (Hawaii) is probably a good place to go. When my mom (Maureen) first got here, she took classes at UH (University of Hawaii) to get her PhD. The job she’s working at now is at my school in communications. My dad does regulatory work for the state as a health planner.” (SP)

About how he hasn’t been able to go back to Saskatchewan for four years because of football camps each summer, Shutter said:
“I was hoping to come back this summer and see everybody. All my cousins are anxious to get me back home and I’ve been anxious to get back home.” (SP)

SP Note: “Both sets of grandparents and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins still live in Saskatchewan. Although both sides of the family are big Roughrider fans, his MacLeod grandparents, Amber and Ken, were Rider season ticket holders for more than 40 years. Grandma Amber MacLeod is a former Rider director and, as a volunteer, published two Rider cookbooks and organized the Meet the Players days for more than a decade. Dennis and Monica Shutter are his paternal grandparents.”

About how his family members are big Riders fans, Shutter said:
“My cousins and family usually go to the games and my grandpa calls me after every game and tells me how it went and gives me a pretty good update of it and a pretty good picture of what happened. Back when I was a little kid, I always liked Don Narcisse. He was my favourite player. There was that catch streak he had going and he had all those funds for every catch he had (SaskEnergy Catch for Kids) that he’d give to charity.” (SP)

About about his favorite all-time Rider QB, Shutter said:
“We haven’t had one stay for a while since I was born, but I guess it would be Henry Burris. He’s been the best since I’ve been little.” (SP)

About winning the Hawaii state championship, Shutter said:
“It was unbelievable. It was the first in our school’s history. We’ve always had a pretty good athletic tradition here, but to be the first in anything here is pretty amazing, especially a football state championship — I think that’s the last one the school needed because we’ve won in everything else. Again, it couldn’t have gone any better. When I first moved here, I kind of set goals for myself and those were the two cornerstones of my goal. To have both come true is good for me and now I’ve got to kind of re-set and look ahead and start making more goals.” (SP)

About how he is named after the Cayman Islands and Cayman means “little alligator”, Mareen Amber MacLeod added:
“his early football goals included playing in college for the Florida Gators.” (SP)

About how his parents thought he should play for Florida, Shutter said:
“That’s where my mom and dad thought I should go. They thought the writers would have fun with that one.” (SP)

About what he wants for Christmas, Shutter said:
“I thought a good gift for me would be a state championship ring for me.” (SP)

Feature story on Shane Austin

About how redshirts and developing players like Shane Austin (scout team player of the year for UH) got extra practice reps with the first units in practice the past two days, Rolo said:
“We wanted to give everyone reps, and see how far they’ve come. Shane is doing a nice job with our offense. He gets it. He makes good decisions, and he throws a great ball. He’s got a chance to play.” (HA)

About being able to run UH’s offense instead of portraying their opponent, Austin said:
“Coach (Greg McMackin) is giving some of us an opportunity with reps, and I’m using it as a chance to get better. It’s fun to be able to run our offense. I remember all of the reads.” (HA)

HA Note: “With Inoke Funaki expected to move to running back or slotback, Austin is projected to be the No. 3 quarterback entering spring practice.”

About how Austin has worked hard to improve and boosted their scout team, Rolo said:
“As a walk-on, he’s really worked hard and paid his dues. He pays attention even when he’s not getting reps. That’s why he’s so good on the scout team.” (HA)

About how the coaches hold up a diagram of a play and the scout team runs it, Austin said:
“All you have to do is look at the cards. It’s like playing Madden, really. You look at the plays, and you go off what the cards say.” (HA)

About how he studies videotapes of the QBs he will represent, Austin said:
“I try to imitate all of the little things. If a quarterback claps his hands before the snap, I try to imitate that. Even if it comes down to a dropback, I try to make it as realistic as possible for the defense.” (HA)

About how Austin learns from facing their first-team D, Rolo said:
“That’s a quarter of a game every time you go down there and play against those guys. You start to get the pocket feel. You start to learn how to play against really good defensive players.” (HA)

About how he benefited from training in Hawaii this past summer, participating in their conditioning program and unsupervised passing drills, Austin said:
“You get a lot of 7-on-7 work. You get to see what different guys can do. You get the timing down with the receivers. You know which guys break where, and where to throw. I look forward to doing that this offseason, too.” (HA)

About how he’ll focus on leg-strengthening workouts before spring practice in April, Austin said:
“I’m trying to get faster. Inoke kind of inspired me to work on my speed. I’m working on my footwork so I can have better scrambling ability.” (HA)

Shane Austin said that his father (Dave Austin, a sports psychologist for several MLB pitchers) taughthim techniques involving:
“goal-setting and visualization. Those are the keys. If you see it in your head what you’re trying to do, and you see it over and over, then you can do it. It becomes second nature. It definitely helped me.” (HA)

Three JC players (Leonard, Hopkins, Hafoka) commit to the Warriors

Not bothered about how it rained almost the entire time during his recruiting visit to UH, Brett Leonard said:
“Your bad weather is almost as good as the nice weather here.” (HSB)

About how his friendly practice rivalry with Nararro CB Hopkins will continue since both committed to UH, WR Rodney Bradley said:
“We like to go against each other in 1-on-1s and 7-on-7s. We bring out the best in each other during the week and it carries over to the game.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Hafoka (6-2, 310) will also have a connection to the Warriors. He played with Roberts, defensive lineman Francis Maka and offensive lineman Ray Hisatake, who served as his host over the weekend, in junior college.”

Feature story on Calvin Roberts

HA Note: “A Cowboy scout contacted the coaches at the College of San Mateo, where Roberts played before transferring to UH, seeking extensive information. The scout told the San Mateo coaches that, at the least, Roberts would be a player the Cowboys would be interested in bringing in for a private workout before the draft.”

About how it is a good thing that a CB like Calvin Roberts has not been noticed much this season, DB coach Rich Miano said:
“It’s either going to be you do your job and nobody notices you, or you don’t do your job and you’re on ESPN. It’s one of those deals where he’s been like George Ariyoshi, quiet but effective.” (HSB)

About how he takes pride in his consistency, Roberts said:
“Just staying consistent is really what the game is about. I pride myself on that, showing up every day for work. All year long that was my mind-set, lock the receiver down and if they throw my way, try to make a play on the ball.” (HSB)

Praising Roberts, Ryan Mouton said:
“He may not make one of the biggest plays, but he consistently plays very well. That’s all you can ask for, especially as a cornerback. If a team knows that you’re a technician and they know you’re disciplined, they’re going to stay away from you.” (HSB)

About how he enjoys being 1-on-1 with a WR, Roberts said:
“I’ve been playing football since I was 7 and it’s always been competitive. Every day is a challenge. I take it personal, that that’s my job on the field and I have to go get it.” (HSB)

About how he works against Roberts in practice, Greg Salas said:
“He knows his assignments and likes to disguise his coverages and play with you a little bit. It’s hard to get a read on him. He’s physical, he’s quick, and he does his job.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “Roberts’ fellow DBs do give him some ribbing over some of the noise he generates on the field (“He makes these grunting noises,” Mouton said.) But he isn’t the type to mouth off at opponents during a game. But Miano notes Roberts has “that swagger” so often evident in cornerbacks, who play a position where confidence is a key.”

About how Roberts doesn’t talk much during games, Mouton said:
“Nah, he doesn’t talk trash. I’ll do some trash-talking for the rest of us.” (HSB)

About being away from his family in the Bay Area, including his 3-year-old daughter Layla, Roberts said:
“It’s been hard. But I just have to stay focused and keep ballin’ out and going to school.” (HSB)