Part #1 Secondary  |  Part #2 Defensive Line  |  Part #3 Linebackers  |  Part #4 Special Teams  |  Part #5 Quarterbacks  |  Part #6 Running Backs  |  Part #7 Wide Receivers/Tight Ends  |  Part #8 Offensive Line
 
With fall camp underway, HawaiiAthletics.com will breakdown the 2014 Rainbow Warrior football team, position-by-position. UH's season-opener against Washington is less than a month away. Today's feature is the UH linebackers.
 
 VIDEO: Coach Gouveia on the Outside Linebackers & Coach Clune on the Inside Linebackers
 
Starter Returning: Jerrol Garcia-Williams
Starters Lost: Brenden Daley, Art Laurel
Lettermen Returning: Benetton Fonua, Tevita Lataimua, TJ Taimatuia, Lance Williams
Others Returning: Jeremy Castro, Austin Slade-Matautia
Redshirts: Julian Gener, David Manoa
Newcomers: Tevarua Eldridge, Marquis Fairchild, Rashaan Falemalu, Malachi Mageo, Simon Poti, Jamie Tago, Jahlani Tavai, Tumua Tuinei
 
The linebacker corps may have lost two starters from last year's squad but there's still reason for optimism heading into the 2014 season. The group returns five lettermen and two redshirts and welcome two FBS transfers and six incoming freshmen and JUCO transfers.
 
But the biggest additions may be on the coaching staff where former NFL veteran and Wai'anae High School graduate Kurt Gouveia and new defensive coordinator Kevin Clune joins the staff to coach the linebackers. Gouveia will handle the outside backers while Clune, who came to UH after spending the past five seasons at Utah State, will coach the inside unit.
 
The team's long returning starter is Jerrol Garcia-Williams, a junior from Las Vegas, Nev., who is also the team's top returning tackler with 67. Garcia-Williams, whose father Jerrol was a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, has 12 career starts in two seasons at UH and can play both inside and outside.
 
Also penciled in at inside linebacker is Tevita Lataimua, a senior from San Bruno, Calif., who saw most of his playing time last season as the year progressed. The San Mateo College transfer totaled 23 of his 25 tackles on the season in the team's final five games. He finished the year with back-to-back eight-tackle performances and posted his lone sack against Army.
 
Junior Benetton Fonua and redshirt junior Julian Gener are also in the rotation at the two inside backer spots. Fonua, a native of Kahuku, O'ahu, spent the majority of last season on special teams while Gener was primed for a breakout year last season before suffering a season-ending injury in the team's third game. Fonua made two starts as a true freshman in 2012 while Gener posted 11 tackles, including a sack and a pick six against Oregon State before an ACL injury against Nevada derailed his season.
 
Atop the depth chart at the two outside backer positions are UCLA-transfer Jeremy Castro and three-year letterman TJ Taimatuia. Castro was a heralded recruit out of Vista Murrietta High School who grayshirted at UCLA in 2012 before transferring to UH last fall. Castro was a four-star recruit who was rated the No. 17 weak-side defensive end in the nation as a senior.
 
Taimatuia, a senior from Fagasa, American Samoa, has nine starts over the past two seasons, including five last year, when he finished with 38 tackles, including 4.0 for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The three-year letterman has seen extensive action on special teams since his true freshman season on 2011.
 
Lance Williams, a junior from Honolulu, and David Manoa, a redshirt freshman from San Mateo, Calif., will also roam the outside. Williams made one start last season and finished the season with 16 total tackles.
 
Among the newcomers are Oregon State transfer Austin Slade-Matautia, a sophomore from 'Aiea, O'ahu, and mid-year enrollees Rashaan Falemalu, a freshman from Hau'ula, O'ahu, and Jamie Tago, a freshman from Pago Pago, American Samoa.
 
A number of top linebacker prospects were among this year's recruiting class, including Marquis Fairchild (North Lauderdale, Fla.), Malachi Mageo (Carson, Calif.), Simon Poti (Fullerton, Calif.), and Jahlani Tavai (Redondo Beach, Calif.).
 
Fairchild was rated as one of the state of Florida's top defensive end prospects out of Chaminade-Madonna Prep. Mageo, a two-time all-league pick out of Serra High School in Gardena, Calif., recorded 115 tackles, including 21.0 for loss and three sacks during his senior season.
 
Poti comes to UH from Fullerton Junior College, where he was rated the No. 15 JUCO outside linebacker in the country by Rivals.com. Tavai, a graduate of Mira Costa High School in California, played nose guard and tight end during his senior season.
 
Gouveia is a 13-year NFL veteran who spent the majority of his career with Washington. His previous coaching stops include the NFL Europe and UFL. Clune helped the Utah State defense rank among the nation's best, including seventh in scoring defense in 2012 and 2013. The Aggies also ranked 15^th in total defense in 2012 and 12^th in 2013.