Tohara stands tall for Warriors

At first glance, Jinho Tohara looks like the neighborhood paper boy instead of the returning all-purpose yardage leader in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

"The roster says that I’m 5-foot-6, 165 pounds," the Midland Lutheran College senior running back said. "In all actuality, I’m 5-3 1/2 and 155 pounds. When people see me on the field, it probably looks like a Pee Wee or Pop Warner kid going against college athletes."

Concordia University learned the hard way last Saturday that looks can be deceiving. Tohara burned the Bulldogs with a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown during the Warriors’ 50-14 win in Seward. For his efforts, the Kailua Kona, Hawaii, native was named the GPAC’s Special Teams Player of the Week.

"I think that opponents see me and underestimate my strength and ability to do what I can do," Tohara said. "I think that gives me the upperhand. They’re thinking I will be easy to tackle and I’m thinking I’m going to run through this 250-pound linebacker. It’s given me a lot more confidence knowing I can do these kind of things at my size."

Tohara isn’t just a special teams standout. He has been a key component of the Warriors’ offense for four seasons. While he finished with 105 punt return yards against Concordia, he also had eight carries for 52 yards and caught a 20-yard pass out of his slotback position.

"Jin is always surprising to watch because you never know what might happen or what he can do," Midland quarterback Terence Maahs said. "He is so shifty. He can be here one second and completely down the field the next."

Tohara came to MLC in 2005. Although Hawaii is considered a paradise to many, the running back wanted to explore a different part of the country.

"I wanted to try something new and get out of Hawaii," he said. "I heard Nebraska had good football. I came up here to see if that was true and it is."

Tohara earned immediate playing time for the Warriors as a freshman in the backfield and as a kick returner. Midland compiled a 6-4 record that season, but then came a 2-9 season that resulted in the firing of head coach Bob Dzuris. Last year, Midland only scored 119 points during a 2-8 season.

"The last two years were tough with everybody in school laughing and telling you that you suck," Tohara said. "It wasn’t even that, though. It was not being able to move the ball or score. That was the No. 1 most frustrating thing in my life. Our defense scored almost as much as we did on offense last year."

During the offseason, Midland coach Casey Thiele brought in Kelley Lee from the New Mexico Military Institute to serve as offensive coordinator. Lee installed a spread option attack, which Tohara was skeptical about its effectiveness at first.

"When I heard ‘option’ I thought that was something we had been running and I wasn’t really excited about it," he said. "But after running it in the spring and seeing what it could do, I was excited to come back and work this season."

Veterans Maahs and Tohara have been joined in the backfield by New Mexico Military transfers Eric Hart (5-10, 185) and Brandon Brooks (5-10, 220). The latter, a fullback, scored four touchdowns in his Midland debut last week and was named the GPAC’s Offensive Player of the Week.

"Having Brooks and Hart – two guys I had never met before in my life – come in was great," Tohara said. "We’re a great package. They are two bigger backs who can run over people. I can complement them."

Thiele agrees that Tohara gives opposing defenses a different look.

"This is a great offense for him," he said. "He’s an explosive athlete who can take it to the house. Eric is very much a north-south runner and it gives us a great contrast."

Although the Warriors are encouraged by their opening-week performance, Tohara knows that one game doesn’t make a season. He said his senior class is making sure everyone realizes there is more work to be done.

"We’ve been nobodies in the conference the past few years," he said. "Winning one game doesn’t do us anything and it doesn’t get you in the playoffs. We have a high level of confidence now, but we’re not conceited or arrogant. We won a game, but let’s move on. Coach Lee was already talking about Grand View (this week’s opponent) right after we beat Concordia."

Tohara was happy that the GPAC recognized him for his opening-game performance, but the victory was more important than any type of individual honor.

"It’s a privilege to get that because it’s hard to get noticed sometimes at this size," he said with a laugh. "I think it makes my family back home proud, but I enjoy the win more than anything. I’ve got to the point the last two years that I’m sick of losing.

"A win for me is better than going to the beach right now. The team success matters that much to me."