Hawai'i Wayfinders 2051

[Guest]

Wayfinders Bid A Fond Farewell

HONOLULU - What an offseason it's been, from the very beginning.

OT Quentin Donaldson announced his retirement in February alongside fellow veteran lineman and homegrown Hawaiian son Marlon Raines following the end of the 2050 season. Donaldson spent his entire career in Hawai'i after being drafted by the Wayfinders (then the Pearl Harbor Defenders) with the 13th overall pick in 2041. He was the anchor of the offensive line for a decade, racking up an impressive 38.4% key run block rate and allowing sacks on only 1.3% of dropbacks. Donaldson was named 1st Team All League five times, first in 2044 and then four straight years in 2046-2049.

Donaldson's retirement came within just a few days of the league-wide announcement that another lineman who spent his entire career in Hawai'i--C Bryce Stoker--would be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. Naturally this raises the question of whether Donaldson will be enshrined alongside his former teammate in five years. It wouldn't be too big of a surprise: Donaldson was widely respected as one of the finest linemen in the league during his tenure in the islands.

With Donaldson no longer on the roster and their LT Jack Harrison having played out his contract, the Wayfinders found themselves with only one offensive tackle remaining on the roster: LT Ryan Hoover, a fourth-round pick in 2049 who was unable to garner any playing time in his two seasons in Hawai'i. Since then, Harrison has been re-signed, but Hoover was traded away to Port City, still leaving Hawai'i with one returning tackle (and an aging veteran at that). That particular need was addressed in the draft with the second-round selection of RT Gustavo Blume, who faces the unenviable task of replacing a legend. The Wayfinders also brought back a familiar face in LT Leroy Ljunghammar, another former first round pick by Hawai'i (16th overall in 2039). At this stage of his career, he figures into more of a backup/mentorship role, but his return brings the story full circle: Ljunghammar, Stoker, and Donaldson all played together from 2041-2046, and together paved the way for three of the four best rushing seasons in Hawai'i history.

Coming soon: more highlights from what can only be described as a whirlwind offseason in Honolulu.

[Guest]

Changes On Offense

The departure of OT Donaldson and his fellow lineman OG Marlon Raines, who was an important locker room presence, were significant events to start the offseason; but there wasn't reason to believe any significant changes were in store. Their departures, plus the expiration of OT Jack Harrison's contract, left the Wayfinders narrow at tackle, but otherwise set to return all the key personnel who turned in an outstanding offensive performance in 2050. Among them:

• RB Shawn Middleton, who earned his second OSFL rushing title with 1510 yards and scored a personal best 16 combined touchdowns;
• WR Peter Saucier and WR Willie Green, the young pair or receivers who caught a combined 155 passes for 1988 yards in their sophomore seasons;
• TE Connor Preston, who took advantage of generally single coverage to the tune of 947 yards;
• LG Brendan Peterson, RG Owen Fulton, and C Stanley Miiles, who return to form the middle of an excellent offensive line;
• QB Shaun Rogers and QB Burt O'Neil, a pair of solid signal callers who led the #4 passing offense in the league.

At the start of the offense, the team's needs seemed to be clear: offensive tackle would need to be addressed now, and quarterback would need to be addressed soon with Rogers and O'Neil both entering their 14th seasons. However, that all changed in the weeks leading up to free agency, when it became clear that several teams around the league were planning to move on from their current quarterbacks.

The Wayfinders found themselves in a position to address the quarterback need now, and they did, acquiring QB Frederick Adams from Lake County in a blockbuster trade that cost Hawai'i their first round pick, a future 2nd round pick, and--most critically--WR Peter Saucier, breaking up the league's best receiving duo after just two seasons. For the Wayfinders, however, this was an opportunity that could not be passed up. They have not had a young franchise QB at the helm since the team was taken over by GM nexttwelveexits in 2045, relying on a procession of aging signal-callers who tended to provide uneven results.

That blockbuster trade to kick off the 2051 offseason was the first of several for the Wayfinders. Hawai'i also sent LT Ryan Hoover to Port City in exchange for veteran LB Tanner Johannson and a future pick. They also traded into the top of the second round, and later traded out of the bottom of the third round to add more future draft picks.

The departures of Hoover and Donaldson left the Wayfinders would have left the Wayfinders with no offensive tackles returning from their 2050 roster. They solved that problem first by bringing LT Jack Harrison, who held down their LT spot the last four years, and by spending their first draft pick on RT Gustavo Blume out of Virginia Tech, whose massive frame (6' 6", 324 lbs) will be put to good use opening up run lanes and denying pass rushers access to Adams in the pocket.

All together, the Wayfinders offense will be similar to the solid unit they fielded in 2050, but different enough to bear watching closely moving forward. There's no question that the receiving group will suffer from the departure of Saucier; it'll be up to Adams to prove that the Hawai'i front office put their faith in the right guy to lead their team going forward.

[Sharkn20]

Great writte and awesome off-season.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[Guest]

2051 Wayfinders Draft Rundown

Fans always love sexy offensive picks on draft day: a stud playmaking receiver to just drool over, or a big-time running back who broke big run after big run on Saturdays. Hawai'i did not have that kind of draft. While many expected them to reach for a receiver to replace the one they traded away, the Wayfinders front office remained disciplined and looked for the players who would most improve their team. Right tackle and fullback aren't the flashiest positions, but they're important, and what this draft class lacks in sexiness it more than makes up for in talent.

Round 2 Pick 8 (40th overall)
OT Gustavo Blume
6' 6" - 324 lbs
Virginia Tech


Gustavo Blume was a terrific right tackle for the Hokies, and he will be bringing his massive 6' 6", 324 pound frame to the islands after the Wayfinders took him with their first pick in the draft. After a collegiate career spent largely in the shadow of fellow offensive bookend Melvin McKnight (selected fourth overall by New Orleans), Blume now finds himself in an unusual position where he will draw considerable scrutiny: he has some very big shoes to fill, as he is replacing a guy who could very well be in the Hall of Fame in a few years, and even though he was drafted on day 2, the Wayfinders spent a first round pick to acquire him. Not that he won't live up to a lofty standard--Blume is technically sound and has a terrific mean streak when it comes to run blocking, traits that will help him fit in nicely with a team that likes to lean on an effective ground attack. Blume is set to receive a degree in engineering this spring before reporting to mini-camp, where he is projected to step into the starting role right away. The biggest question mark about this pick is how quickly Blume will be able to adjust to the speed of NFL defenses.



Round 2 Pick 24 (56th overall)
CB Herb Sampson
5' 10" - 185 lbs
Kansas


Some pundits were surprised by this pick, as several mock drafts had Sampson going in the fourth round, but the Wayfinders front office wasn't about to mess around when this pick came up. "Sampson was't just the top corner on our board when the pick came up; he was the top player, period," said Hawai'i GM nexttwelveexits in a press conference after making the selection. "We weren't going to risk losing out on him. Some of the analysts don't agree with our assessment, and we don't care. Our scouts said Sampson was our guy so we took him, and now we're thrilled to welcome him into the Wayfinders ohana." Clearly the front office thinks they've pulled off the heist of the year by drafting him at the end of the second round, and the fact that Sampson also happens to fill the Wayfinders' biggest defensive need is just icing on the cake. The coaching staff says they expect him to play a prominent role in the secondary from day one.



Round 3 Pick 24 (88th overall)
FB JJ Summers
6' 0" - 243 lbs
Wisconsin


Fullback is perhaps as unsexy as a draft pick can get, outside of maybe punter, but the Wayfinders front office perceived a lack of talent at the position around the league and settled on Summers as the only likely candidate in this year's draft class, making him a higher priority than he might have been otherwise. That's not to minimize Summers' talent: the former Badger balances solid run blocking skills with a knack for catching the ball out of the backfield, a talent that is highly prized by a Wayfinders coaching staff that loves to spread the ball around to as many targets as possible. Summers looks to be an ideal fit as an H-back type of player, operating as a security blanket for the quarterback and a legitimate scoring threat in the red zone. A third-round pick might be a bit high for a fullback in the modern OSFL, but Summers went there for a reason and he should see plenty of playing time in the upcoming season.



Round 4 Pick 19 (115th overall)
CB Jeremy Sinclair
6' 0" - 203 lbs
Iowa


Sinclair was the second corner taken in the draft by the Wayfinders, who picked him up after dropping out of the late third round. When asked about the pick, nexttwelveexits said, "He would have been our guy at 3.31 if we'd stayed there. To get him in the middle of the fourth round? That was a steal." While he is listed at the same position as Sampson, Sinclair's bigger frame makes him a bit more versatile, and the Hawai'i coaching staff thinks he has the skill set to succeed as a nickel corner or a free safety. Between Sinclair, Sampson, and last year's first round pick Kris Page, the Wayfinders are clearly going out of their way to improve what has been an inconsistent secondary in recent years--a must-have considering the quarterbacks Hawai'i will face in the NC West.



Round 6 Pick 24 (184th overall)
LB Jim Henson
5' 9" - 243 lbs
LSU


The front office in Honolulu believes that the league overlooked Henson due to his lack of ideal height, but the former Tiger's short stature didn't prevent him from punishing some outstanding SEC running backs year in and year out. Henson earned a glowing reputation in Baton Rouge for his tireless work ethic and excellent locker room presence. He's a good fit for the Hawai'i defensive philosophy and he should get some time to develop his skills behind the Wayfinders' veteran linebackers.



Round 7 Pick 24 (216th overall)
LB/DE Norbert Gunn
6' 5" - 256 lbs
Penn State


At the other end of the height spectrum from Henson is Norbert Gunn, who played outside linebacker at Linebacker U but may transition to DE in the Wayfinders' 4-3 scheme if he can add some bulk to his long frame. Word is that Gunn impressed the Hawai'i scouts with his physical strength and his football IQ, which is why they believe he could have a future as a role player on the defensive line. Gunn is a polished football player who should not be intimidated by the transition to pro ball, but he still has work to do if he's going to carve out a long-term spot for himself in the OSFL.

Overall, Hawai'i leaned heavily on the Big 10 conference, with three of their six 2051 draftees hailing from the Midwest's power conference.

[Guest]

Great write up :)

[Guest]

What a finish to the regular season! After a disastrous 1-3 start, the Wayfinders went on an incredible 10-1 run to force a critical showdown in San Francisco with the division on the line. The Hawai'i defense showed up big, stalling Aaron Wagner and co. in drive after drive and overcoming several costly turnovers to secure the Wayfinders' third straight postseason berth and second division title in three years. San Francisco will have to settle for an away contest for their first postseason appearance in 16 years.

Unfortunately for the Wayfinders, an early season loss to Huntsville means that they are stuck with the 3 seed. While a home playoff game is a coveted commodity, Hawai'i could really have used the bye to try to get healthy after a grueling stretch run. Four defensive backs appear on the most recent injury report, including second-year safety Kris Page, who many experts consider to be the Wayfinders' most talented defender. Rookie Jeremy Sinclair, a surprise fourth-round find who has seen a lot of playing time at corner and safety, is also being held out of practice this week with a ligament strain in his foot.

The injury woes don't end there: star running back Shawn Middleton is expected to miss Saturday's game, and without him on the field the Wayfinders' running offense simply isn't the same. It will be up to Elias Anderson and late-season acquisition Ronald Hanson to keep the ground game going. On a positive note, Hanson has been another unexpectedly terrific pickup for Hawai'i. Reports are that he ingratiated himself to the team immediately with his work ethic and willingness to take on any role and do any job. He has immediately taken on an unofficial leadership role with this team and I wouldn't be surprised to see the front office go the extra mile this offseason in an effort to make Hanson a long-term presence in Honolulu.

Now the team is preparing to host Morgantown in the wild card round this weekend. The coaching staff is doing a great job of making sure the focus is going to be on the players who will be playing, and not those who will be forced to stand on the sidelines. Player-led voluntary throwing sessions have taken place after each practice this week, with nearly every offensive skill player in attendance. Players are fighting for the good seats in the film room, which is packed at every available opportunity. Every single night this week, the parking lot at the team's training facility in Aiea has remained full until well after midnight. The Wayfinders may very well lose tomorrow, but if they do, no one will be able to say it was because they didn't work hard enough during the week.

Before we go, a few notes on the Wayfinders' terrific run: in Frederick Adams' first 45 starts (37 in Lake County and the first eight in Hawai'i), he posted a passer rating over 100.0 precisely three times. During the second half of this season, he hit the century mark in five out of eight games. His worst passer rating in that time was 86.4, which is significantly better than his current career rating of 75.8. In fact, Adams set new career bests in virtually every passing category this year. It looks like the Wayfinders may indeed have found their franchise quarterback at long last.

It seems that it took a while for Adams to get into a rhythm with his top receiver. WR Willie Green posted 71 catches for 958 yards, both respectable numbers but also lows for his young career. However, 784 of those 958 yards--as well as all 7 of his touchdown catches--came in the second half of the season, when Green was finally healthy and Adams settled into the offense. Hawai'i missed the complementary receiving threat provided by Peter Saucier, who was traded away to acquire Adams last offseason, but Green showed during the final half of the season that he was more than capable of bearing the responsibility alone.

One last random tidbit: The Wayfinders had five different receivers gain at least 400 yards for the first time in 30 years: Willie Green (958), Kris Osborne (650), Connor Preston (633), Glenn Wright (469), and the venerable Karl Willis (457), who is still going strong in his 11th year with the Wayfinders. Willis was drafted in the 6th round out of Mississippi and has been a full-time starter ever since.

[Sharkn20]

Terrific read as usual!