Few players get a chance to start four years for their college football team, and even fewer have a chance to be an impact player all four years. Senior center John Estes is one of the rare student-athletes who can make that claim.
He is the heart and soul of this offense, said offensive coordinator Ron Lee. He is right in the middle and makes all the calls. He is really patient in his assignments and he shows great leadership - I cant say enough about him. We really are counting on him to lead us into the season.
Earlier this year, Estes was named to the Rimington, Outland, and the Rotary Lombardi Awards watch lists and is already a two-time All-Western Athletic Conference member. But Estes hasnt relied on his natural abilities to achieve these honors; he earned them by mixing in hard work and dedication.
You have to work the whole year; you cant just work when football comes around, especially in the weight room, Estes said about his preparation. You have to work on your lower body and staying low. You have to become a student of the game, watching your opponent on tape and knowing their tendencies.
You have to be your own worst critic. You have to watch tape everyday of yourself and write down what you have to work on the next day and look back on it ... and have a checklist to see if you did that and if you didnt, ... try to do it again, Estes continued.
learner to leader
Estes didnt step on campus his freshman year with all the knowledge he needed, but he has been an astute observer in his time at Manoa.
I have had a lot of coaches on the offensive line; Ive just taken bits and pieces from them and their knowledge of the game, said Estes. Every coach brings something to the table that I never knew before.
Although Estes has learned from his coaches, his former mentor and Warrior legend helped him quite a bit as well.
When I was first here, there was Samson Satele, and I just watched him because he was the best, said Estes, And now he is playing in the NFL, and I still watch him and try to emulate him because he was kind of my mentor.
Hopefully Im in that similar role for some of these younger guys, Estes added.
Estes has taken his role of team leader and mentor of the younger players very seriously in his time as the elder statesman of the offensive line.
I feel like the old man, Estes said. I have to be the leader on and off the field and lead by example.
Estes coaches already believe he is doing a great job, with Lee citing his leadership as one of the most important things Estes brings to the team.
He started here since he was a freshman; hes one of the top centers in the country; he understands what we are doing; he makes all the calls; and he just brings that experience and leadership that the guys all rally around him, said Lee.






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