Game On!, $200k, Fall Camp, WAC's Best

The Game On! party to celebrate the start of the JD and GM era raised $135,000 for the renovation of the coaches' offices in the athletics complex.

"It was a fantastic event and I was totally overwhelmed by the support from the entire community," Donovan said. "There was so much positive energy in the room and you could feel an incredible sense of togetherness and `ohana. UH Athletics belongs to the Hawai`i community and this event demonstrated what is possible when we work toward common goals. I am more optimistic than ever about the future of UH Athletics and I want to extend a warm mahalo to all those involved in making `Game On' a successful event."

Ferd Lewis writes that June Jones may be paying $200k to UH in the settlement over the disputed $400k.

An agreement in principle has been reached with some procedural issues remaining but an announcement on the terms could come next week, according to sources familiar with the case.

Speculation has been that Jones wanted the money to be earmarked for the athletic department or the football program. That may be among the details to be resolved.

Jason Kaneshiro writes about the UH players moving into the dance studios for fall camp.

McMackin said he considered having the players stay in the comparatively plush surroundings of the UH dormitories, but stuck with the studio setup after discussions with the team's veterans.

"We could have gone into the dorms, but really the seniors are the ones who really wanted to stay together to get to know the new players," McMackin said. "It's a good bonding experience."

The team is split into two studios, one for seniors and freshman with sophomores and juniors in the other.

"You get to interact with everybody," senior safety Keao Monteilh said. "Everybody's in one big room, you don't have to go door to door to get to know some of the guys.

Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman ranks his top 10 WAC offensive players and top 10 WAC defensive players. From Hawaii, he has John Estes at #8 on offense, with Adam Leonard at #1, Solomon Elimimian at #2 and David Veikune at #9 on defense. Here's an excerpt about the Manimal:

1. LB Adam Leonard, Hawaii

I want my defensive players to make big plays - and that's why Leonard gets the nod over his Warrior teammate. In addition to his 105 tackles, including 11 1/2 for loss, Leonard had four interceptions (two of which he returned for touchdowns) and eight pass breakups. The 6-foot, 235-pound senior also has five career fumble recoveries. Boise State has been spoiled in the past with defensive playmakers such as Korey Hall and Marty Tadman. Now Hawaii has its defensive game-changer.