Two months ago, weighing 249 pounds at the start of the University of Hawai'i football training camp, 5-foot-9 Nate Ilaoa's paunch was a punch line.

Now, having lost more than 20 pounds of excess weight and attitude, Ilaoa is fulfilling the promise he had teased in his first four injury-filled UH seasons.

Last Saturday, in his second career start at running back, Ilaoa rushed for 76 yards, including a 37-yarder for a touchdown. UH coach June Jones said Ilaoa had played to exhaustion.

"Hopefully, he can go the whole game once he gets into shape," Jones said. "He's learning how to block, and he's learning his assignments better. Every week he'll get a little better. He needs to push and shove to get into shape."

Asked if it was possible to gain endurance at this stage of the season, Ilaoa said: "Anything is possible. Me being back, to a lot of people, was supposed to be impossible. I kept working. Coach Jones took a shot on me, and it happened. Nothing is impossible."

After earning Jones' public wrath by reporting overweight to training camp, Ilaoa was ready to be filed under "what if ..."

Jones' barbs stung, and Ilaoa recalled fighting off the urge to walk away from the sport.

"I was close," he said, "but it's not in me to quit. I knew I had to dig deep and remember what I love, and football is something I love."

Ilaoa said his surgically repaired right knee made it difficult to train during the offseason, "but I can't blame the injuries. It's not just the injuries. My attitude wasn't right. ... I was out of football for a while. You have a lot of time to do other things. You get lazy. You put things off. I wasn't constantly working out like I was supposed to do."

As for Jones' criticism, Ilaoa said: "He has his own opinion. I'm here to do a job, and I didn't come through on my end. That's how relationships go. He felt I let him down, and I felt I let him down. He had a right to be mad or disappointed. That's the past. I'm working on getting better."

Jones said Ilaoa is skilled as a backfield blocker or tackle-busting runner. On the 37-yard scoring run, Ilaoa displayed quickness in racing through the hole on the misdirection play and the strength to escape two would-be tacklers.

"He's got the talent to play on the next level," Jones said. "He has to decide if that's what he wants to do."

Ilaoa said: "I'm not going to sit back and be happy with what I've done so far. I'm going to keep on pushing. It will help out everybody in the long run for me to get back to what I've been doing my whole life."

ON THE SLYE

Nobody was more surprised by wideout Jordan Slye's appearance against Boise State than Slye. He caught two passes for 29 yards, blocked on several of Ilaoa's runs and grabbed a conversion pass.

"I didn't know I was going to play," said Slye, who spent the practices leading to the game wearing the scout team's yellow jersey. "Like coach Jones said, 'You've got to be ready when your name is called.' "

Slye was told last Thursday he "might" play. During the non-contact, walk-through practice last Friday, Slye received instruction on running hitch and fade routes.

"It was mental reps, basically," Slye said.

Quarterback Colt Brennan said: "He stepped it up. He did everything right. I mean, things he didn't even do in practice he got right in the game."

Slye said the key was to "find the holes in the defense. You have to know where the quarterback wants to throw the ball. Being a former quarterback, I had a grip of where (Brennan) wanted me to be."

Slye played at Washington as a freshman before transferring to Compton (Calif.) College last year. Brennan said Slye's college experience eased his transition to UH's four-wide offense.

"He's a little more mature than a freshman," Brennan said. "He was playing football last year against college players. That maturity has to help. He pays attention, and he does the little things."

At 6 feet 4, Slye is UH's tallest receiver. "It's nice to have a big target like him on the outside," Brennan said.

Slye was raised in a football environment in Seattle. His father was the high school coach of All-Pro running back Corey Dillon. "When I was little, I watched Corey all of the time, and I knew that's how you have to play," Slye said.

Slye said he chose UH because of the four-wide offense and the coaching staff's NFL experience. "If they can't help me," he said of the coaches, "then I don't know where I should be at."

As for his limited play this season, Slye said: "I wasn't worried. I know it's a long season. You have to work hard and be ready for whenever they throw you in the fire."

ON THE MEND

Slotback Patrick Olchovy, who suffered two broken back ribs during training camp, competed in contact drills yesterday. "I feel ready to go," he said. "Everything is coming back to me."

Running back Bryan Maneafaiga, who is recovering from a pulled left hamstring, will be included on the 60-player travel roster for Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech. "It's pretty much healed," he said.

Free safety Leonard Peters, who suffered a knee injury in the season opener, said he still is experiencing some pain. There is a possibility that Peters may be eligible for a special medical hardship, allowing him to play as a sixth-year senior in 2006. Asked if he would seek the exemption, Peters said: "I don't know yet. I'm waiting for the doctor to tell me what to do."

Meanwhile, Jones said it is unlikely freshman running back Mario Cox will be on this week's travel roster. Cox, who was cleared to play by the NCAA three weeks ago, is adjusting to the offense.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.