Cougars’ Coach Sees Inagaki As Leader Of The Pack
By Jack Danilewicz
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As Kaiser High head football coach Pat Samsonas scans the weight room or the practice field in his quest to find leaders, there’s little doubt who sets the pace for his Cougars.
In junior running back/linebacker Jarrin Inagaki, the veteran coach has his man.
“The kids see how hard he works, and they want to follow his lead,” Samsonas said of Inagaki, who was the sixth-leading rusher among Division II backs last season. “He’s a hard worker who leads by example, and he’s grounded enough to realize how he can help us. He’s willing to do anything for the team.”
Inagaki will have double duty again this fall, manning a linebacker spot as well as getting his share of carries on offense. While the Cougars also feature returning starter Jesse Kauhola and up-and-coming running back Josh Gonda, who is moving up from JV, Inagaki still will be a big part of the spread offense.
“His primary position is linebacker, but he did such a good job at running back last year that we can’t afford not to use him there.We want the best athletes on the field, and he’s certainly included in that group.”
Inagaki took some time away from his schedule last week to answer some questions from MidWeek.
What is your earliest football-related memory? My uncle Charles started me off in flag football, and I got to like it, so he signed me up for Pop Warner (Waimanalo Warriors). I was a lineman until I got to Kaiser.
Who’s had the biggest impact on you in your life? My dad (Arnold). He’s always there for me. He pushes me to do the best I can, and he stresses academics. He’s been a positive role model.
Linemen often dream of being running backs,and you have actually made the transition. How did it come about? I had carried the ball a couple of times my last year of Pop Warner with the Midgets, and I started to like it. My uncle thought I should become a running back, so I trained real hard at it in the summertime. When I tried out (freshman year), I was pretty good at it.
With Jesse Kauhola back, and Josh Gonda expected to log a lot of carries, Kaiser should have one of the better backfields around. How does it feel knowing you’ll be one of the featured backs in Kaiser’s offense this season? It’s good. I’m going to do all I can to get us yards and score touchdowns. I’ll try my best every time out, and hopefully we’ll do good.
Do you look up to other running backs? Whose running style have you tried to emulate, if any? I mostly admire (current Idaho player and former Damien stand-out) Kama Bailey and (former Kaiser star) Isaac Saffery. I would like to be like both of them put together. Right now, I’m more of a power back.
What aspect of your game did you look to work on heading into spring football as well as your summer workouts? I’d like to have better awareness, and I’m working to get my speed up. I do a lot of agility stuff and work out with my legs every day of the week. I train a lot and run a lot at the Waimanalo Beach Park.
Who on the Kaiser team will surprise people in the fall? Basically, our whole team.We have a lot of talent, and we should wake up some people this year.
Who’s the hardest hitter amongst your teammates?
That would be (defensive lineman) Seth Keolanui. He doesn’t talk much - he’s a laid-back guy - but he’s a different person when he puts his pads on. He lets his football on the field do his talking.
What is your favorite pre-game meal? Spaghetti. The coaches bring it for us before every game. I think they pick it up from a restaurant (Duke’s in Waikiki).
You and your teammates will get first crack at Division II State Champion Iolani when your teams meet at Aloha Stadium Aug. 15. Since both teams are known for the spread offense, should a high-scoring affair be expected? It’s going to be a tough game if both teams perform (to their capabilities). They’re the three-time defending champs, so that game should give us a good point of view on how our season is going to go.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In the NFL. If that doesn’t work out, hopefully I’ll become a lawyer.
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