IKAIKA ALAMA-FRANCIS

'Ikaika Alama-Francis' is a defensive end for the Detroit Lions. He was selected 58th overall in the second round from the University of Hawaii in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Contents

Early years

College years

Lions years

References

External links

Early years

'Brent Ikaika Alama-Francis' was born on December 4, 1984 to former Green Bay Packers back-up quarterback and former high school football coach Joseph "Joe" Francis^[1] and Rolenda "Ku'ulei" Alama-Francis. He has three older half brothers from Joe Francis's first wife and two older brothers from Joe's second wife, Kuulei. His much older brother is Jon Francis, who played running back for the Los Angeles Rams.^[2] Another child, Leya, joined the family after Ikaika went to college.^[3]
Ikaika played Pop Warner Football as a child, but did not play football in high school.^[4] While playing basketball and volleyball for Kalaheo High School, he made the All State High School basketball and volleyball teams his junior and senior years.

College years

Even though he as recruited to play basketball for New Mexico and Portland State, he started his career at Hawaii after graduating from high school in 2002 as a walk on to the Warrior basketball team.^[5] He played forward mostly at the end of games that were already decided.^[4]


Alama-Francis decided to try out for the football team during spring training after his first and only season with Warrior Basketball. The elder Francis was a bit skeptical due to Alama-Francis relatively small size and lack of experience with football physicality as a basketball player. Even though Warrior coach June Jones offered Alama-Francis a scholarship coming out of high school with no high school playing experience, Alama-Francis and his father, Joe Francis, refused the offer because they did not feel that Alama-Francis was ready. The elder Francis told the coach that his son needed to earn the scholarship. ^[7], ^[8]


Alama-Francis gained 70 pounds over the years to build his 190 pound frame to 260 pounds. He also worked on building his strength and football defensive end knowledge to become a starter his junior and senior years. At the beginning of Alama-Francis' senior year, he was chosen by Coach Jones to represent the University of Hawaii at media day for the Western Atheletic Conference at the start of the 2006-2007 season.^[4] In his 26 starts at Hawaii he had a total of 112 tackles (62 solos) with 10 sacks.^[10]

Lions years

During the 2007 mini-camp, Alama-Francis could not participate in team organized activities due to a pectoral muscle tear suffered during the Hula Bowl. ^[11] Instead he worked with head Coach Rod Marinelli and the defensive coaching staff on developing his skills. Alama-Francis impressed the coaches and team mates with his work ethic and positive demeanor.^[12]

References

1. http://starbulletin.com/2005/08/18/sports/index2.html
2. http://www.midweek.com/content/columns/curranevents_article/a_bigger_stronger_alama_francis/
3. http://www.midweek.com/content/columns/Print_Story/alama_francis_bigger_stronger/
4. http://starbulletin.com/2006/07/23/sports/story01.html
5. http://www.uhathletics.hawaii.edu/Player/player.html?pid=8&aid=12051
6. http://starbulletin.com/2006/07/23/sports/story01.html
7. http://starbulletin.com/2003/04/09/sports/index6.html
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK7HOYIFMzY
9. http://starbulletin.com/2006/07/23/sports/story01.html
10. http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/alama-francis_ikaika
11. http://starbulletin.com/2007/01/15/sports/story06.html
12. http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=457987

External links

★ University of Hawai'i - Office of Intercollegiate Athletics (Football College Profile)

★ University of Hawai'i - Office of Intercollegiate Athletics (Basketball College Profile)

★ Ikaika Alama-Francis Fan Club at University of Hawai'i Athletics

★ Alama-Francis blog at Yardbarker.com

★ Ikaika Alama-Francis page on the Official Detroit Lions site