Spring Preview

In his spring preview, Dave Reardon writes that UH will probably go back to the 4-3.

Greg McMackin -- the UH defensive coordinator in 1999 -- appears to be the prime candidate to take over the defense, and he prefers the 4-3 alignment. McMackin will be an observer when camp starts, the way Glanville was two years ago before state hiring requirements were met and he officially became an employee.

Head coach June Jones could not comment on the opening, but did not deny that McMackin is a candidate to fill the job.

I'll miss the 3-4, but the Warriors intensity isn't going anywhere! But what does this mean for Jeff Reinebold?

Jeff Reinebold can't say who will be the defensive coordinator to replace Jerry Glanville at Hawaii. No one can -- officially, anyway.

But he can say who it isn't.

Reinebold, the Warriors' defensive line coach, was pegged as a possibility to become the DC when Glanville left for Portland State last month.

But Reinebold said yesterday he is no longer a candidate for the job.

Greg McMackin, the UH defensive coordinator in 1999, appears ready to resume his former post.

The position is still officially open, but with Reinebold out of the running, McMackin is clearly the top candidate.

"When this first came up, I went to June and told him to put me where he wants me to be, where I can help the team the most," Reinebold said. "Was I disappointed when I didn't get it? Obviously. But the bottom line is I want to be here with these kids."

What an awesome guy. We're very lucky to have him.

Back to Dave's spring preview, he writes:

There will be the usual amount of position switching. C.J. Hawthorne moves from cornerback to receiver, and Erik Pedersen shifts back from linebacker to safety. Ray Hisatake, a defensive tackle in junior college, will try offensive tackle this spring.

Defensive backs coach Rich Miano said Pedersen is among a slew of potential replacements for four-year starter Leonard Peters. A new scheme could figure in here, too, as UH might be moving away from the free and strong safety paradigm back to left and right safety.

"Jake Patek's the No. 1 guy, and I think he'll do a great job," Miano said. "We've got Dane Porlas, Kirk Alexander, Desmond Thomas and Erik Pedersen. (Freshman) Kenny Estes is big, fast and athletic, but very raw. I don't know if we can expect him to play right away, but he's a Leonard Peters kind of guy."

In his spring preview, Stephen Tsai writes about Colt Brennan and Tyler Graunke golfing together. And like Reardon, he breaks the preview down by position. Here's an excerpt regarding the defensive line:

The switch to a four-linemen front should benefit defensive ends Noa, Fonoti and Amani Purcell. Each was undersized as defensive tackles in the 3-4 scheme. Noa should excel as an off-the-edge pass rusher. In team testing, he produced wideout-like results: 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 4.05 seconds in the pro-agility shuttle, 11.90 seconds in the long shuttle, and team highs in the vertical jump (36 1/2 inches) and broad jump (9 feet 6). "From a testing standpoint, he might be our most outstanding athlete," defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold said.

Veikune would be a close second, with a 4.75 time in the 40 and a team-high bench of 455 pounds.

In the 3-4, the ends have to control two gaps. In the 4-3, they have one-gap responsibilities. "Our ends are much better suited for this (4-3) system," Reinebold said.

And as the D-line gains one position, the linebackers lose one.

The Warriors did not lose any linebackers from last year and have one fewer linebacker position. If Leonard or Elimimian goes to the outside, that would mean five players with starting experience (Soares, Kafentzis, Lau, Allen-Jones, Kalilimoku) would compete for one spot. Satele also will join the mix.

For now Kalilimoku, who can bench press 425 pounds and run 40 yards in 4.62 seconds, remains at linebacker. He opened last season at safety.

It'll be interesting to see all this play out in the spring.

And finally, congratulations to Brian Kajiyama. Dave Reardon writes:

Volunteer assistant Brian Kajiyama will be promoted to graduate assistant.

"Brian will be official in the fall," Jones said yesterday. "He'll be a GA. He'll do all the stuff he's been doing, working on the computer, preparing scouting reports."

Kajiyama, 30, has never played or coached football. He's confined to a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy. But he has been a source of inspiration for several years as a fan.

Last year, his contributions became more tangible. At the urging of defensive line coach and Kailua neighbor Jeff Reinebold, Kajiyama volunteered to do a tedious task often handled by full-time coaches; he began doing "cut-ups" of opponents' game tape on his laptop computer, aiding in scouting.

He received a game ball for his work in helping to prepare the UH defense when the Warriors beat Eastern Illinois 44-9.

Jones was also impressed by Kajiyama's work ethic.

"Sometimes I go to the office at 4:30 in the morning and he beats me there," Jones said.

We're very lucky to have him as well. Spring practice starts tomorrow. And maybe we'll hear something about the schedule this week? One can hope.