Pro Day Today, Spring Day 1, Update: Reports & Video from the Tizer

Update #1: The Advertiser's Princess Leila's first video (of 20!) is up. Colt video & interview, fresh from Cali. She'll probably have more up later. Keep checking here or the Advertiser's main sports page for more.
There's some pictures for the ladies as well.

Today is UH's Pro Day in Carson, CA. The Advertiser's Stephen Tsai and Leila Wai are covering the festivities. Be sure to check out the Warrior Beat for news later today. Speaking of which, Tsai writes that Colt Brennan will undergo surgery Monday to repair a torn labrum.

Brennan said he suffered the injury during a Senior Bowl practice in January. He said it led to what he termed as a “dead leg” effect in his right thigh.

The injury did not prevent him from working out at the NFL Scouting Combine last month.

Brennan will compete in passing drills at today’s Pro Day at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

“You won’t notice anything wrong with my passing,” Brennan said.

UPDATE: Here's a story about Colt's upcoming surgery, and how it may affect his draft stock, from SI.com.

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Dave Reardon talks to coaches and players about the first day of spring practice.

"For a first practice I was really happy with the organization," McMackin said afterward at the UH grass practice field. "We started at 7 and we finished at 9. Everything was according to the plan. We'll see a few bumps when we look at the tape, but I was very happy with the first practice. We have a long ways to go, but this is a good starting point."

Brian McInnis writes about the QBs working on their footwork.

Graunke and Funaki are experienced in the shotgun snaps favored by former coach June Jones, but haven't taken many snaps under center since their high school days in Tucson, Ariz., and Kahuku, respectively.

"Feels a little rusty today, actually," said Graunke, a senior. "First couple balls I threw were right in the dirt and ... I haven't done quarterback footwork drills in years. It's going to be tough, but I'm going to do it. I'm feeling better every day. I'm just excited about what we got going here."

Stacy Kaneshiro talks to the QBs about adjust to under-center snaps, and also talks to Kealoha Pilares, who is trying out at slotback after playing running back all last year.

"There's a lot more to learn," he said. "It forces you to think on your toes. You really don't know what you're doing right off the line. You have to take your steps, read and react after that. So overall, it's a harder position to play."

Kaneshiro also has an update on Kiran Kepo'o, who is still recovering from a head injury from a bicycle accident last year.

"It's always a good feeling to be back with the boys on the field, especially after missing all of last season. I kind of took multiple steps back, but I'm trying to work my way back into it. I'm not trying to rush it or anything, but basically I'm trying to get back into the motion of things."

Kyle Sakamoto writes about one change Greg McMackin made in his first practice.

When the Warriors gathered for a final team meeting, it was the offensive players who jogged across the field to join the defensive players.

It was always the other way around the previous nine seasons under June Jones, who left to take over at Southern Methodist University in early January.

"At the end of practice a new thing we did, the offense came to us finally," said senior defensive lineman David Veikune. "Every year we would always have to go to them. But this year, they came to us."

Added senior linebacker Adam Leonard: "The first day, instead of running down to the offense, he said just relax and let them come to us."

In fact, as Jason Kaneshiro writes, the defense, with its experience and depth, looks to be a strength of this year's team.

With McMackin's system in place for a full year, he could detect a difference in tempo as the team returned to the field for his second spring since rejoining UH.

"They were so much faster than last year, they knew what they were doing," he said. "We put four blitzes in today and we just had to tighten it up a little bit and make it a little faster. ... We're way ahead of last year."

Said Watson: "Last year it was a lot of thinking about where you have to be, this year it's all reaction."

And Brian McInnis have news and notes about Pilares, Kepo'o, Keao Monteilh, and a mini-reunion.

Members of that UH squad roaming the field were first-year assistant coaches Nick Rolovich (quarterbacks) and Brian Smith (offensive line), graduate assistant Craig Stutzmann and student assistant Chris Brown. Rolovich quarterbacked that 9-3 team with Stutzmann at receiver and Smith at center. Brown, a linebacker back then, led the Warriors in tackles that season.