Starters Returning: None

Starters Lost: R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane, Blaze Soares

Letterwinners Returning: Po'okela Ahmad,Paipai Falemalu, Jake Heun, Mana Lolotai, Corey Paredes, Aulola Tonga

Squadmen Returning: Cory Daniel, Joseph Malabuyoc

Redshirts: Aaron Brown, George Daily-Lyles, Art Laurel

UH's top two linebackers and leading tacklers from last season–Blaze Soares and R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane–are gone but that doesn't worry new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. His new group of linebackers are fast, explosive, and can hit.

“They had a very good spring and it's a very intelligent group of guys,” Aranda said. “They're very hardworking and have a lot of pride. We're developing aggressiveness and taking on blocks, so they're going to be a fine unit.”

Three returning players have starting experience last season. Corey Paredes started four games and led the team with four sacks. The junior also tallied 54 tackles, including 6.0 for loss, and three forced fumbles.

The player with the most upside is Paipai Falemalu, whose speed and versatility allows him to also play end in certain situations. Falemalu accounted for 20 tackles, including 5.5 for loss and two sacks while primarily playing end.

“Corey Paredes is our leader and the guys look to him. He's an aggressive player and the guys really look to him,” Aranda said. “I've also got really high hopes for Paipai Falemalu as well. He is a weapon for us because he's a mismatch being a bigger linebacker and a smaller d-end. We're going to use him as a weapon and move him around. He's intelligent enough to do that.”

Converted safety Aaron Brown earned a medical hardship last season after playing in three games and making the switch from safety. He enters fall camp at STUB backer along with Falemalu, but is currently battling a nagging injury. Meanwhile, senior Po'okela Ahmad, who has been a key special teams player in the past, should see significant time while backing up Paredes at the BUCK position.

At middle linebacker, Jake Heun and Mana Lolotai both traded starts last season, a position which saw four different players in the starting rotation. Heun, whose off-the-field training includes mixed martial arts fighting, also saw time at defensive end while Lolotai started four games.

However, the man in the middle right now is redshirt freshman George Daily-Lyles, who had an impressive spring camp and heads into fall atop the depth chart. At 5-foot-11, Daily-Lyles makes up for his small frame with good instincts and speed that made him the league's defensive player of the year as a senior at Long Beach Poly High School.

“Right now we're pushing George,” Aranda said. “He's a freshman but he's really mature beyond his years and is one of those guys that really gets football and has great instincts. The most important thing to have at middle is instincts because in the middle of everything, things happen so much quicker there than on the outside. George has those instincts.”

The future at linebacker is bright for the Warriors as incoming freshmen Dustin Elisara and TJ Taimatuia bring impressive credentials.

“They both have a lot of ability and understand football,” Aranda said. “They're learning and the veterans have really taken them in and they are really improving. They'll both be fine linebackers pretty quickly.”