Veikune, JJ, Gilmore, Etc.

The Star-Bulletin continues their Sunday profiles with a feature on defensive lineman David Veikune.

Veikune played at 250 pounds a season ago and is trying to get to 270 by the start of camp. He says his bench press is up to 500 pounds, but his ability to keep his speed and agility while adding strength is what makes him such a dominating force.

"It's surprising he can keep his mobility with the strength he has," Watson said.

"He's probably one of our most versatile guys on the line. He can play defensive tackle, defensive end and he's even the nose guard in our 3-4 packages. He contributes everywhere coach asks him to."

Stephen Tsai has an interview with June Jones. He talks about life in Texas, recruiting Hawaii, possible game(s) between UH and SMU, and a little about his decision to leave.

"(New UH coach Greg McMackin) is a great football coach, and a good person, and he is perfect for the job. He will win, and he will get it done his way. I think the commitment people are making to the program right now is what I'm talking about. People are stepping up and realizing that if they want to have a top program, everybody has to do what they've got to do. I've been watching what's happening with people stepping up to do things. It looks like those things are going to get done.

"If I had stayed, I don't think that the sense of urgency would have been what it is right now to get things done. In the long run, (leaving) will be the best thing for the school."

Tsai also writes that former UH safety David Gilmore is joining the team as a graduate assistant.

Ferd Lewis has a column about what UH can offer local recruits that they couldn't back in the day.

UH, back then, had never been to an NCAA bowl of any kind, had but two TV appearances in its Division I-A history and was often overlooked in the draft and for postseason awards.

But the Warriors have now been to five bowls in six years, including the rousing BCS breakthrough. They regularly appear on TV four or more times a season, annually have players taken in the draft and had a third-place finisher for the Heisman Trophy.

Since June Jones' arrival and, now, continuing with Greg McMackin, they have coaches with NFL backgrounds and contacts.

Of course, the Warriors find themselves competing in a vastly more crowded marketplace, too.

Jason Kaneshiro has an article and timeline of this past year in UH athletics.

And Dave Reardon has a good Press Box column about the grown-up issues that stole some fun from an amazing year in UH athletics.

This was a year best to be viewed through 10-year-old eyes. When you're a kid, all you care about is your heroes and their stats and getting them to sign something. It doesn't matter to you if the athletic department makes money or not, you just live and die on whether the teams win or lose.

But the supposedly grown-up sports world interfered with the fun. Budgets, incompetent business management, lawyers (four court cases at last count), people firing and quitting and over-analysis of it all sucked out plenty of the joy of what should have been pure celebration.