Warriors kick off camp
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
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A more confident University of Hawai'i football team opens training camp today, officially triggering the countdown to the Sept. 2 opener at Alabama.
"That's all we're thinking about," quarterback Colt Brennan said.
Last year at this time, the Warriors had several concerns. There were openings at the six ball-handling positions on offense, including quarterback. Meanwhile, Jerry Glanville, in his first year as UH's defensive coordinator, was trying to convert the 4-3 defense into his pet 3-4 scheme.
By the season-ending team banquet, Brennan was the national leader in total offense, passing yards and touchdowns passes. Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins each had 1,000 receiving yards as freshmen. Nate Ilaoa emerged as a grind-it-out running back. The defense struggled to adjust, although Glanville believes the problems were addressed through recruiting and spring training.
Here's a status check:
This morning, the Warriors check into the so-called "University Hilton," two dance studios on the second floor of the athletic complex. The Warriors, who will sleep there during the two weeks of training camp, first used the studios in 2004 while a dormitory was being renovated. Now they stay there because of economics. UH coach June Jones said he was told it cost $40,000 to "rent" a dormitory for training camp.
Today, the players will undergo medical exams and participate in orientation workshops. The first practice is tomorrow from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
At the end of practice, the players must compete in the "220s" — a discipline in which each runs 10 sprints of 220 yards, with rest breaks and lap limits set according to a player's position. The 40 players who participated in every session of the summer conditioning program only have to run six 220-yard sprints.
Last year, Brennan threw up after completing his 10th sprint. He also had thrown up during several games. Brennan said he has been cured of that problem.
"I had bad sinuses," he said. "During the heat — it's only when it's hot — I would throw up. I've got some (medication) that clears my sinuses. It should diminish my sinus and nasal flow so I don't get as sick out there during the hot games. It would choke me. I would end up swallowing a lot of stuff that would make me sick. Once I swallowed enough, I would throw up. But after that, I would feel better right away. I've been doing good this summer. I haven't experienced anything like that yet."
The NCAA limits Division I-A training-camp rosters to 105 players. UH is not expected to fill all of those slots.
As of yesterday, the NCAA had not ruled on wideout Ian Sample's petition for an exemption that would allow him to play as a sixth-year senior in 2006. Without the NCAA's blessing, Sample cannot participate in training camp.
Linebacker Amani Purcell, who transferred from Penn State last year, also will not be allowed to participate.
Purcell needs to pass a summer-school class at Kapi'olani Community College before he can apply for admission to UH. The summer session ends Aug. 11. After that, his grade needs to be posted before he can apply. It is not known if he will be admitted before the Aug. 21 start of the fall semester.
Cornerback Keenan Jones, who played at Compton (junior) College last season, said he will report "no later than Tuesday."
Jones needs an associate degree to be eligible to play this season. He said he attended summer school, and earned enough credits to qualify. He said he is waiting for an official posting of his grades.
"Hawai'i doesn't want me to come down until I have the AA in my hands," Jones said. "I passed my requirements to get my AA. They don't release the grades until a certain point."
If Jones meets his timetable, he probably would not be able to practice until late next week. "I'll try to catch on quickly," he said.
Jones is an aggressive bump-and-run defender. He said he is 6 feet — "I might have grown; I might be 6-1" — and 192 pounds.
He said he received a copy of the Warriors' offseason conditioning manual, and has been working out daily.
Yesterday, Jones clarified the assignments for his assistant coaches. Jones said Wes Suan will continue to coach the offensive line and running backs, McKnight will coach the offensive line and assist with special teams, and Mouse Davis will continue to coach the running backs and coordinate special teams. Jones responded to questions about coaching assignments, reaffirming that Suan's role will not change.
McKnight recently rejoined the Warriors as a graduate assistant. He was UH's full-time special teams coach in 1999 and 2000. Last year he was an assistant at San Diego State, but wasn't retained when the Aztecs changed head coaches.
McKnight said he took his medical tests yesterday. "They wanted paperwork (before he could enroll), and when you're a 48-year-old graduate assistant, you don't have those papers around," he said. "I called my mom, and she said, 'I don't think they had those vaccines when you were young.' I went down to the student health center, and told them to give me some shots."
McKnight will assist Rich Miano in coaching UH's kickoff coverage and kickoff returns. He said they are discussing the possibility of using two deep returners on kickoffs. Last year, UH used only one when returning kickoffs.
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.
