Spring Game, Discipline

Dave Reardon writes about the revival of the spring football game.

The Warriors will be drafted into two teams to play each other at the Ohana Football Festival closing spring practice April 26, coach Greg McMackin told the Star-Bulletin yesterday.

"We're still formulating, but we'll have a game where we keep score," McMackin said.

While a spring game isn't unusual for most college football teams, UH didn't have them under former coach June Jones, who left for SMU in January after nine seasons with the Warriors. Jones worried about teammates injuring each other.

McMackin said there will be safety precautions: There will be no special-teams plays and the top players won't be put in harm's way of full contact for more than a few plays, if any. Same for quarterbacks, McMackin said.

And Ferd Lewis is encouraged by Greg McMackin enforcing rules and discipline.

As a defensive coordinator and head coach he's preached teamwork, responsibility and discipline to his players and his actions in these cases speak to that. They underline that players who wear the UH colors have a responsibility not to embarrass themselves, the team or their school. It is a point that McMackin insists upon.