Head coach Greg McMackin said the Hawai'i football team's depth chart entering spring training is "a starting point" and that "nine-tenths of the (starting) jobs are open."

The first of 15 practices starts this afternoon at 4.

"This is an important spring," McMackin said. "There are a lot of jobs that are up for grabs this spring."

Last year, his first as UH head coach, McMackin held open the competition at quarterback until after junior-college transfers Greg Alexander and Brent Rausch arrived in town during the summer.

This spring, Alexander and Rausch enter 1-2 on the depth chart.

"That's the starting point," McMackin said. "Greg is going to get the majority of the reps this spring."

McMackin added that some positions "like John Estes at center and Greg Alexander at quarterback are based on what they did last season. I assume that everyone (listed as a starter) will work hard and maintain their position. But if they don't prepare themselves, we'd play the best player at that point in time. We're committed to playing our best players."

After spring training, another depth chart will be posted.

"New starting points," McMackin said.

Several recruits — including safety Aaron Brown, running backs Alex Green and Chizzy Dimude, and punter Alex Dunnachie — arrive this summer.

"We'll give some (of the newcomers) some shots," McMackin said. "We have to be ready for business. It's not P.E. football. It's a business. We want to have fun, but we want to get ready to play. We want to start the season strong."

McMackin acknowledges that he will have to cut players after spring training. There are 114 players on the spring roster. The NCAA limits the training camp roster to 105. The roster may expand on the first day of the fall semester, but UH only has about 116 lockers for the players. There are about 25 newcomers expected to join this summer.

"I hate to cut anybody," McMackin said. "That's the worst part of the game. But we can only go into camp with 105."

But sometimes there's a happy ending. Last spring, defensive tackle Quentin Beaver impressed coaches with his strength. But at 365 pounds, he was too heavy to play the point in the 4-3 alignment. Beaver was cut after spring practice.

He subsequently lost 60 pounds, and in January, he participated in the walk-on tryout. He earned a berth on the spring roster.

"We like 300-pound-plus guys, but they have to be able to run," McMackin said. "Now he can run."