Alex Dunnachie Commits to UH (w/UPDATES)

Jason Kaneshiro writes that Australian punter Alex Dunnachie will become a Warrior.

Dunnachie's background is in Australian Rules Football, and he is still learning the American style of kicking. Dunnachie was on his way to California to attend the Ray Guy/Prokick.com Academy's camp in Walnut Creek yesterday.

"He looks like a major college tight end," said camp director Rick Sang, who has followed Dunnachie's development. "He's very talented. He's got natural power, he's got a really strong leg. ... He's a raw talent, and he's getting better."

Sang said Dunnachie worked under Nathan Chapman, who runs a kicking program in Australia, and his distance figures to improve as he refines his technique.

Stephen Tsai has some numbers on Dunnachie.

Dunnachie said he "consistently hit it 65, 70 yards."

Rick Sang, co-founder of the Ray Guy Academy, said Dunnachie has had several punts with hang times in excess of 5 seconds.

Holy moly.

As for choosing UH, Dunnachie said: "This place is paradise."

UH has reserved one more scholarship.

Congrats and welcome to Alex!

UPDATE: ProkickAustralia has video of Dunnachie working on some punting drills. He almost hits the cameraman standing 70 yards away starting at around 4:50 in. Bonus feature: The video has a somewhat out-of-place porno music soundtrack. Awww yeah.



UPDATE 2 (3/1/09): Here's Stephen Tsai's full article on Dunnachie.

While other schools have had an interest, Dunnachie said: "I've always been one-tracked on Hawai'i. I can't pass up this opportunity. It's unbelievable."

Dunnachie, who completed his UH recruiting visit Friday, made his commitment yesterday.

Dunnachie described Hawai'i as being "paradise."

"I'm not much of a surfer, but I love the water," Dunnachie said. "I'm pretty laid back. Hawai'i is perfect for me."

From the Blogs and Boards: Japan, Rings, HFS, ISM, Kiran

Dave Reardon writes about Greg McMackin and Jim Donovan leaving for Japan today.

It’s a four-day marketing trip for both the football coach and the athletic director. McMackin said he wants to try to find players in Japan, and that the level of competition has improved to the point where there are viable prospects. … It’s technically NOT a recruiting trip. Both will have speaking engagements, McMackin to coaches, Donovan to athletic administrators. … Donovan is hoping to make deals with at least two schools that want to come to Hawaii to learn more about football and would pay UH for the opportunity to do it at Manoa.

Stephen Tsai has pictures of the Warriors getting Hawaii Bowl rings.

Chad Owens' Hawaii Football School has an official blog that includes some pictures of ex-UH players who have been helping out with the kids.

Island Sports Media's spring issue will be out soon. Davone Bess is on the cover. Also featured in the issue are:

...Warrior John Fonoti, and newly committed Warrior quarterback Corey Nielsen. We also feature HPU basketball, Michelle Wie, Aunty G’s recipes, and more.

The last issue featuring David Veikune was excellent. Highly recommended!

And over on SportsHawaii.com, looks like quarterback Kiran Kepoʻo will be leaving UH, according to his dad.

Spring Games

HawaiiAthletics.com has some details about the just-announced spring scrimmage on Maui and the 2nd annual Warrior Bowl.

The University of Hawai‘i Athletics Department has announced plans for a football scrimmage on Maui and details for next month’s “Warrior Bowl,” which culminates spring practice.

On Saturday, April 11, the Warriors will fly to Maui to hold an intrasquad scrimmage at the War Memorial Stadium beginning at 11:00 a.m. (tentative), followed by an autograph session on the field.

No state funds will be used to pay for the trip and donations from McDonald’s and Oceanic Time Warner Cable, as well as support from Hawaiian Airlines and Panda Travel, and in-kind support from the County of Maui will cover the expenses.

The “Warrior Bowl” intrasquad scrimmage will be held at Aloha Stadium on Saturday, April 25, at 3:00 p.m. Prior to the game, McMackin and several UH football players will be available for autographs and photos from 1:00-2:30 p.m. on the South Endzone concourse. Fans are encouraged to bring their cameras and items to sign. Parking is $1 and fans can enter through Gate 4 beginning at 1:00 p.m. Admission is free.

New GA Mike Smith, Student Fees

Stephen Tsai writes that ex-Baltimore Raven Mike Smith will join UH as a graduate assistant.

"He was one of the toughest linebackers I've ever coached," Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach said of Smith. "He did it the hard way. He became a player through great determination, which, I think, says a lot about him. He'll be a good teacher. I can't say enough good things about him."

"I was his first recruit," Smith said of McMackin, who accepted the Tech defensive coordinator's job in January 2000.

"I've always been close to coach Mack," Smith said. "He believed in me since the very beginning."

It was McMackin who helped channel Smith's on-field aggressiveness.

Ferd Lewis writes that ASUH is opposing student fees to help the UH athletics department.

The Associated Students of the University of Hawai'i yesterday announced a resolution opposing the implementation of a student fee to aid the school's athletic department.

The resolution, passed by a 20-1 vote Feb. 10, opposes a fee without student feedback and, in any case, the resolution says ASUH "feels that no money from this fee should be used towards salaries, administrative fees or capitol improvement projects."

Donovan could take the issue to Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, whose approval would be necessary before it could go to President David McClain and the regents.

Here's part of Ferd's take on the issue:

Without a compromise, it is shaping up to be a battle that neither side will win and make both, to some extent, losers.

On one hand, UH benefits from student attendance at its events. The students help bring electricity and spirit to games, be it at Aloha Stadium or Stan Sheriff Center. In the longer term, students who are fans now are potentially UH's future season-ticket holders and donors.

If ASUH adheres to its resolution and athletics sticks to a timetable requesting a fee in time for this fall, the options are not encouraging. Athletics could ask the Manoa chancellor to back a request for the regents to impose a fee. Or, as Donovan has held out, athletics could put the best of the student seats up for sale to premium-paying customers and relocate students elsewhere.

Warriors in the Pros: Mouton, Veikune, Forney, Wilson

Jason Kaneshiro talks to Ryan Mouton about the hamstring injury he suffered at the NFL Combine.

The former Hawaii cornerback ranked among the leaders at his position in the vertical jump and broad jump before heading to the 40-yard dash. But he felt his hamstring "pop" early in his first attempt, ending his day prematurely.

"It was kind of disappointing. I just have to rehab it and get ready for pro day," Mouton said. "It makes (pro day) a lot more important. Hopefully I can get this thing healed."

Stephen Tsai talked to Mouton and David Veikune about their Combine.

Veikune bench-pressed 225 pounds 35 times, the fourth highest total among the combine participants. Veikune said NFL officials required the players to follow strict lifting guidelines.

"Anything that was a little off, they'd take off (the total)," Veikune said.

Veikune had set a goal of 35 repetitions.

"I reached it," Veikune said. "Anything after that would have been great."

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Former UH offensive lineman Kynan Forney has signed a 2-year contract with the Chargers.

After signing with the Chargers last year and not playing a game, Kynan Forney agreed Wednesday to a two-year, $4.8 million contract that will pay him $2 million in the 2009 season, according to a source.

With guard Mike Goff headed into restricted free agency, Forney might be given a chance to start at guard.

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And former UH defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson has signed with the Odessa Roughnecks of the Indoor Football League.

“Bringing Lawrence in gives us another high end lineman. At this level, anytime you can get a lineman on ether side of the ball that had NFL opportunities you are fortunate. He played in a great college program and we are excited to have him coming to Odessa.” stated Roughnecks Head Coach, Chris Williams.

Maui Scrimmage? / Catching up with Coach Mack

Stephen Tsai writes that the UH football team may have a scrimmage and autograph session on Maui.

The event would be part of the Warriors' spring practice. They still would play the Green-White game at Aloha Stadium.

"We're hopeful it'll all come together," said Donovan, adding the event is still in the proposal stage.

But Donovan said it was important for "Hawai'i's team" to connect with fans throughout the state. Maui has the second-most pay-per-view customers of UH sports.

And Dave Reardon talks to Greg McMackin about starting his second year as UH head coach.

He's pumped up again, like he was last year when he first took the job. His plans for the spring bubble out with the same enthusiasm -- scrimmage on Maui, a special day for high school juniors, another coaches clinic.

Spring practice doesn't start until the end of next month. It's February, and he and Ron Lee are already scratching out plays on napkins.

"I'm sitting down to lunch with my offensive coordinator," McMackin said. "We went through a bunch of cut-ups today. We see a lot of fun things we can do."

Warriors at the Combine: Mouton, Veikune

Ryan Mouton, who met with the Steelers and Patriots earlier, had a vertical jump of 39.5 inches at the NFL Combine today, which was tied for 3rd among cornerbacks, and a broad jump of 10'9", which was also third among cornerbacks. His 40 time is not listed.

UPDATE: Damn, Stephen Tsai reports that Mouton suffered a hamstring injury running the 40.

Ryan Mouton said he "popped" his left hamstring while running the 40-yard dash at today's combine. He suffered the injury at about the 30-yard mark, and did not complete the event.
Mouton said he does not believe he tore the hamstring, and he expects to compete at the April 2 Pro Day in Carson, Calif.

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David Veikune, who also had a great performance at the Combine, talked to Jason Kaneshiro about his experience.

Veikune also had a vertical leap of 33 inches covered and 9 feet, 2 inches in the broad jump. Although he was pleased with the numbers he posted, Veikune said the drills represent just a portion of the experience.

"The main thing was the interview process," Veikune said yesterday after returning to Los Angeles. "People like to focus on the physical stuff, but meeting with NFL teams and head coaches, that's the main thing you get out of it. ... I felt it was a positive experience."

And KGMB's Liz Chun has a report on the Warriors at the Combine.

2009 Season Tickets Commercial

The UH Athletics department put together a commercial featuring Colt Brennan, Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins asking you to buy some season tickets!



Via HawaiiAthletics.com.

UPDATE: Here's a link to the official video.

Warriors at the Combine: Veikune, Mouton, Ingram

David Veikune bench pressed 225 lbs 35 times on Sunday, which was one of the best performances at the NFL Combine. He also ran the 40 in 4.87 seconds today. Ryan Mouton should be lifting with the rest of the DBs today and running the 40 tomorrow.

Stephen Tsai has a recap of Jake Ingram's performance at the Combine.

Jake Ingram is back in Hawai‘i after participating in the NFL Scouting Combine.
He was interviewed by several teams, competed in a four-hour workout and took part in several drills. He bench pressed 225 pounds 15 times, but admittedly ran a disappointing 40-yard sprint. Those drills matter little, although Ingram, the perfectionist, wants to be proficient in all areas.

UPDATE: Veikune had the 4th best 3-cone drill time among defensive linemen, clocking in at 7.20 seconds.

Mouton at the Combine

Ed Thompson of Scout.com spoke to several players at the NFL Combine, including UH cornerback Ryan Mouton.

"I' m good in man-to-man coverage, and I think that will really help out in the NFL. I have a really good ability to jump that allows me to do well against the bigger receivers," Mouton told Scout.com during an exclusive interview.

The pesky cornerback has also developed a good reputation during his college career for his speed and field intelligence.

"I've been playing the game since I've been about six years old. So understanding what's going on in the game is one of my key attributes," he said. "I love the game of football. To me it's not about the money, I'd just like to get out there and have fun. Even in practice, I really have high spirits."

The East-West Shrine participant has also been successful as a blitzer out of the nickel position, another skill area that he believes will be an asset to him as he makes the leap to the pro ranks.

"It takes a lot of timing. You watch guys like Troy Polamalu, he times his blitzes really well," Mouton said. "You have to get in there and study their offense and the cadence of their quarterback. That helps you out a lot."

Warriors in the Pros: Combine News Sites, Newberry

With the NFL Combine underway, here are some links to get your NFL Combine news:

• NFL.com's Combine page


• DraftDaddy.com NFL Draft blog


• DraftCountdown's Combine page


• ProFootballWeekly.com


• Scout NFL Network


• ESPN.com's NFL Draft page


• NFLDraftScout.com (CBS)

I found some profile/analysis pages of the three Warriors participating in the Combine at that last link:

David Veikune

Veikune, not Hawaii's offense, drew scouts to the islands last season. He put himself on the draft radar with six tackles, one for loss, against Florida the first week of the season. The second-team All-WAC pick (2007 first-team) finished with 73 tackles, 16.5 for loss, nine sacks and four forced fumbles. Veikune may not look like a track star at the Combine, but he certainly earned scouts' respect with his strength, hustle and determination.

Ryan Mouton

This jack of all trades played on both sides of the ball at every level. Mouton was named a Junior College All-American because of his production as a defender and return man and continued the performance after transferring to Hawaii. He didn't make any big plays for the Warriors on offense (eight catches, 71 yards) but returned a kickoff for a touchdown and had six tackles for loss, one interception, eight pass breakups and two forced fumbles as a nickel back. His versatility, speed and attitude may land him a roster spot as a rookie.

Jake Ingram

A former defensive end switched to long snapper during the 2005 season, head coach June Jones believed Ingram was too valuable to be a reserve on defense. NFL scouts are likely to agree with Jones' assessment of Ingram as a long-snapper. Ingram is clearly the top prospect in the country at the vital, if underappreciated, position. He's not a big bruiser who could play center in a pinch but his accuracy and velocity will be valued by teams looking for a reliable snapper.

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And former UH cornerback Myron Newberry has joined the Amarillo Dusters of the AF2.

Foe no more. Welcome Coach Tormey!

Tombo must be busy today, so I'll fill in briefly and he can update later.

UH picks up former Idaho and Nevada head coach, Chris Tormey, as Special Teams coach. He replaces Ikaika Malloe. His most recent stint was at the Univ. of Wash. as LB coach and recruiting coordinator.


Coverage by the Advertiser's Tsai.

"It's not about how much money you make," said Chris Tormey, who will become the Warriors' special teams coordinator. "It's the people you're working with, and your chances to be successful. ... I'm looking to being part of a very bright future at the University of Hawai'i."

and the Star Bulletin

"He's a great person and a great coach," McMackin said. "I've known him a long time and really trust him. I think he's one of the best in the game so I'm really excited about him."

here's UH Athletic's official release

Welcome to the Warriors Coach Tormey!

UPDATE (2-21-09) by Tombo: Thank you CC. Here's the press release about Coach Tormey's hire, from HawaiiAthletics.com.

“I’ve known Chris for many years and he’s always been a first class person and excellent football coach,” McMackin said. “Even when he was the head coach at Nevada and Idaho, he worked with the special teams. He’s also one of the best recruiters in the country and his area included the state of Hawai‘i. His work ethic is second to none and I know he will be a great addition to our staff and I’m really excited about him.”

Warriors in the Pros: NFL Combine, Update

UPDATE: Here's a vid of Jake Ingram before he left Hawaii from KITV.



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Sorry, been super busy the past few days. Anyway, the NFL Combine is upon us! Scout.com's Pete Fiutak has some pre-workout rankings, and he has David Veikune as the #14 defensive end.

14. David Veikune, Hawaii 6-4, 255
Positives: Fast. Quick. Always around the ball … Could be a superior pass rusher if he has someone else of note on the other side … Productive
Negatives: An outside linebacker. He’ll likely have to be an end in a 4-3, otherwise he’s a 3-4 linebacker … Not big and doesn’t have room to get much bigger.

Stephen Tsai writes that Ryan Mouton will be running at the Combine.

Despite suffering a slight hamstring problem in East-West Shrine Game, Ryan Mouton believes he is healthy enough to compete in the 40-yard dash Tuesday.
Mouton and David Veikune arrive at the NFL Scouting Combine tomorrow. The defensive ends are scheduled to run the 40-yard dash Sunday. The DBs will run on Tuesday.
Mouton, who now weighs 187 pounds, is aiming for a 40-inch vertical jump and a 40-yard time in the low 4.4s.

Redskins coach Jim Zorn had some things to say about Colt Brennan. From Redskins 360:

Don't expect Colt Brennan to be the second quarterback this year. Zorn said the preseason will serve as Brennan's season but when pressed, he wasn't ready to say the No. 2 job is up for grabs between Brennan and Todd Collins. All Collins has to show in camp is that he hasn't totally lost it and he'll be the guy to fill in for Campbell if he goes down.

From the Washington Post:

Zorn indicated that young quarterback Colt Brennan will be given plenty of playing time in preseason games and perhaps could unseat Todd Collins as the club's No. 2 quarterback behind Jason Campbell. When pressed on the issue, though, Zorn seemed to indicate it might be a long shot for Brennan to take the backup job from Collins.

BOOOOOO!!!!!

Later....

On Brennan...
"His goal is to try to unseat Todd. Todd's goal is to try to stay as close to Jason as he can. It's gonna be a great competition. I look forward to it."

The Miami Dolphins may be looking for someone to replace Samson Satele as the starting center.

After the 2007 draft, then-Dolphins general manager Randy Mueller spoke of second-round pick Samson Satele having Pro Bowl potential. But after a postseason analysis, this Dolphins administration has decided it must upgrade at center and has interest in signing Baltimore free agent Jason Brown, according to two people in contact with Miami's front office.

The Dolphins want a center bigger than Satele (295 pounds) and one who will create more of a push on running plays.

And Timmy Tang interviewed Davone Bess, who was helping out at Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala's youth football camp.

Gordy Shaw Hired (w/UPDATES)

Stephen Tsai writes that Gordie Shaw has been hired to coach the UH offensive line.

Gordie Shaw, a veteran offensive line coach, has been hired as the University of Hawaii football team's offensive line coach.

Brian Smith, who was the offensive line coach last season, will be reassigned within the offense, UH head coach Greg McMackin said.

Shaw, who has more than 30 seasons of coaching experience, was the offensive coordinator at South Dakota this past year.

Before that, he was the offensive line coach at Minnesota and Wyoming.

Jason Kaneshiro has a quote from Shaw.

“I’ve never lived anywhere quite like Hawaii,” Shaw said. “The thing I’m excited about is working with the players there.”

Welcome to Coach Shaw!

UPDATE: HawaiiAthletics.com has an article on Shaw's hire.

“We had an extensive nationwide search and I feel we got one of the best offensive line coaches in the country,” McMackin said. “We have one of the top centers in the country coming out this year in John Estes and Gordy not only played the position but coached a Rimington Award winner at Minnesota so we feel it will only help John’s development. Gordy fits into our staff, he’s a student of the game and is one of the top offensive line gurus in the country.”

UPDATE (2/18/09): Here are more in-depth articles about Gordy Shaw's hiring, from Stephen Tsai and Jason Kaneshiro. Some excerpts:

"Gordy is going to be our offensive line coach," UH head coach Greg McMackin said. "There will only be one voice in the offensive line room. I brought him in to coach the offensive line. ... Brian still has a place on the offensive staff."

McMackin said the move is "not a knock on (Smith). Brian is a good, young coach. He's going to be in our offensive plans. He's going to become a better coach working with a veteran coach like Gordy."

Gordon "Gordy" Shaw has been hired as the Warriors' new offensive line coach and plans to bring a back-to-basics emphasis to the unit.

"In any system you have to have good fundamentals," Shaw said.

Size Wise

Episode 3 of Tsai's and Wai's Warrior Beat streaming live show extravaganza will broadcast today at noon HST. Mighty Mouse, aka Chad Owens, is the guest. You can ask CO questions at the WB blog. If you can't be there, they'll loop it afterwards. And speaking of a show involving Chad Owens, here's The Chad Owens Show:

WitP: More Veikune

Scout.com's Ed Thompson has an article about the NFL draft which includes some quotes from David Veikune.

Admired for his work ethic in the weight room and on the field, the 6-foot-2, 255-pound defensive end is a humble and quiet person who was quick to share the credit for his performance.

"It's really a tribute to the great coaching that I've gotten both in Hawaii and Colorado," he told Scout.com this week. "I've had four of five different position coaches, and I've just tried to take everything that I've learned from them and put it out there on the field."

With the right coaching at the next level, he should continue to build upon his success.

"The NFL has the best coaches in the land, and I can't wait to start working with them," he said. " I know I'll learn some new techniques from them, and I'll continue to get stronger and faster.

"I'm a versatile player and a guy who just wants to keep getting better to help his team win."

Warriors in the Pros: David Veikune

National Football Post has an updated list of their Top 100 NFL draft prospects, and David Veikune is at #61.

61. DE David Veikune, Hawaii

An undersized end prospect with a deceptive first step. Showcases good leverage and bend around the corner and knows how to push the pocket outside.

Brad Wilbricht of AZRedReport.com ranks Veikune as the 8th best outside linebacker in the draft.

For more pre-draft rankings, check out this compilation from last week.

JoPierre Davis Arrested

The Honolulu Advertiser reports that defensive back JoPierre Davis was arrested earlier today, and has been suspended from the team indefinitely. I hope he's not guilty of what he's being accused of. Geez.

UPDATE (1/20/10): Davis reached a plea deal.

A former University of Hawaii football player had sexual assault charges against him dropped on Wednesday as part of a plea agreement.

JoPierre Davis hopes to clear his name and move on to a career in professional football.

Davis was originally charged with seven felonies. However, in consultation with the alleged victim, prosecutors agreed to seek no jail time, drop all the sexual assault charges and accept a plea to misdemeanor assault, trespassing and drug possession.

Davis apologized to the victims, his family and the university.

"I let a lot of people down by my actions and I should not have acted like that," Davis said.

Video: Super Games

You can call me the nannerpus, nannerpus, and guess what, Leila Wai has a video from the Super Games.

Pro Bowl News (UH-related) / Sigh... Why? / Recruiting

Chawan Cut has some UH-related Pro Bowl news from KITV and KHNL. Robert Kekaula interviews Miami Pro Bowler Jake Long about teammates Davone Bess and Samson Satele. Timmy Tang has some quotes from Colt Brennan about the Pro Bowl leaving Hawaii.



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Don't forget to watch Episode 2 of the Tsai & Wai Warrior Beat Show today at noon HST. UH basketball coach Bob Nash is the scheduled guest. You can leave questions for Nash at the WB blog up until 11am. If you miss it, they'll have it archived the rest of the week.

UPDATE: Chawan Cut got gonged! Haha.

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And CFN ranks UH as having the best recruiting class in the WAC this year.

Hawaii did a good job of keeping most of the in-state talent at home while doing a fantastic job of mining the JUCO ranks for depth and hole patching. Considering the lines lose several starters and the secondary is undergoing a wholesale change, the team needed bodies for right now. Overall, this class showed that the program can go back to business as usual when it comes to recruiting after the one year down period after June Jones left.

Jordan Loeffler

Bill O'Rear of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald profiles incoming offensive lineman Jordan Loeffler.

Loeffler, 17, a senior at Hilo High, has grown to almost 6-6 and 280 pounds since the Hawaii coaches first saw him. And they have been impressed enough by the young offensive lineman and his enormous potential over the past two years to award him with a football scholarship.

"I'm very excited about playing for the Warriors," Loeffler said. "I'm going to keep working hard and see what happens. The coaches want me to gray shirt this coming year and then red shirt a year. That will give me time to mature, and to get stronger and faster.

"I totally agree with coach Mack's decision. I think it's the best thing for me. I'll play in the 2011 season. But it gives me time to get better and I just want to help Hawaii win."

Loeffler chose Hawaii over Washington and Washington State. He praised Lee, who recruited him, for charting out his football future at Manoa.

"Coach Cal is a good coach and he makes a lot of sense when he talks," Loeffler said. "He speaks the truth."

Via dptwarrior13 on SportsHawaii.com.

Tough Times for the Newspapers

Both the Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin are undergoing pretty major transitions due to the bad economy and overall declining readership. All the best to the workers who provide us with the news.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin Announces Major Cuts

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin announced today that is laying-off at least 17 workers and changing its lay-out as the paper struggles against a worsening economy and changes in the way people are consuming news.

Hawaii's second largest paper made the announcement during a staff meeting today, and will eliminate 17 newsroom positions, along with an undetermined number of workers elsewhere in the company. It will also freeze current wages.

It will convert to a tabloid format, similar in size to Midweek, a trend seen in the suffering newspaper business nationwide.

Advertiser unions OK 2-year pay cut of 10%

Union employees with the Honolulu Advertiser ratified a new two-year contract yesterday that includes a pay cut of 10 percent to help the company weather the economic downturn.

By a vote of 248-40, members of the six unions representing employees of the state's largest daily newspaper accepted the agreement, which takes effect today and expires Dec. 31, 2010, according to the Hawaii Newspaper Guild.

"When (employees) looked at the economy and the industry in general, they believed that it was necessary to take this deal to keep this newspaper in operation," said Wayne Cahill, administrative officer of the Hawaii Newspaper Guild. "They're really dedicated to the newspaper and the industry and wanted to see it continue."

Videos: Signing Day, 100th Anniversary, Fundraiser

Chawan Cut has some additional coverage from KHON, KGMB and KITV of signing day and the 100th anniversary/recruiting celebration at Murphy's:



And here's some news about Colt Brennan's fundraiser at the Willows, along with some quotes from Redskins running back Clinton Portis about Colt and their plans to go into a shark cage.

The Warrior Beat Show

Check out Stephen Tsai and Leila Wai's new live streaming show, "The Warrior Beat", today at noon HST. Here's the description from the page:

Join us at noon today for the debut of "The Warrior Beat Show" with sports writer Stephen Tsai and Leila Wai. Friday's show features a live streaming interview and chat with Coach Greg McMackin, video highlights from this week's sports news and a ticket giveaway for the Pro Bowl. "The Warrior Beat Show" will live stream on Tuesdays starting Feb. 10.

Be there!

UPDATE: The show is over, but looks like it's repeating on a loop.

Videos: Aaron Brown, Chad Lopati, Deondre Powell

Here are some highlight videos of a few of the new Warriors.

Safety Aaron Brown:



LB/DE Chad Lopati:



WR Deondre Powell:





Lookin good!

Signing Day: The Day After

Long Beach Post Sports has photos from signing day ceremonies at Long Beach area schools, including this one of George Daily-Lyles giving a shaka. Nice.

Mike Guardabascio has an accompanying article with a quote from GDL. Looks like it was down to the wire for him.

"I decided like…the day before yesterday," said Daily-Lyles of his commitment to the University of Hawaii. "I really like it out there, and the head coach is great. It hasn't really hit me yet…I think when I'm on the plane, and we've landed, and the pilot has said, 'Welcome to Hawaii.' Maybe then it'll hit me."

Wes Nakama writes about some local players who took it down to the wire, including linebacker Chad Lopati.

Lopati also had made a verbal commitment to UH in November, but Oregon State made a late push through assistant coach Mike Cavanaugh — a former Hawai'i offensive line coach — and defensive coordinator Mark Banker.

But after much deliberation with family, Lopati stuck with his commitment to UH and signed yesterday.

"I decided at about 2 o'clock (in the morning)," Lopati said. "I was thinking about it a lot and I talked with my parents, my aunties and uncles. I decided it's best to stay home and play in front of my family and friends, and for the whole state of Hawai'i."

Glad they both decided to honor their commitments. Whew!

The Union has an article about Zach Masch signing his letter of intent to UH.

The former Nevada Union High School standout said he’s never signed his name with such a sense of satisfaction.

“It really just shows that all my hard work paid off,” Masch said, who continues to work out in preparation of reporting to the team in May. “I’m ready to go to the next level and I keep on achieving what I want to do. But this is quite an honor.”

Joe Davidson of The Sacramento Bee talks to QB David Graves about signing with UH.

Graves didn't have the 'gotta-have' size of Peyton Manning so many major colleges seek, but he fits the Hawaii system at 6-1, 190 pounds with the ability to make all the throws and improvise.

"I don't know if I would have gotten a scholarship to a lot of places at my size, but with Hawaii, it was a great fit," Graves said. "I am totally at peace with this. The Hawaii coaches were telling me to enjoy the day, to celebrate this, because it's something special."

Stephen Tsai has an article about the recruiting class.

The UH coaches felt they needed to use this recruiting class to restock the defensive secondary and bring in young quarterbacks who can be developed over the next couple of seasons.

Nine defensive backs, including six on scholarship, completed their eligibility after the 2008 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. The Warriors redshirted six defensive backs last season.

While remaining true to a four-wide offense, the Warriors also wanted to add a complementary running attack. They signed three running backs — speedster Chizzy Dimude, and bruisers Alex Green and John Lister.

Those additions create a ripple effect. Kealoha Pilares now can focus on being a full-time slotback, and Jake Heun can move to rush end.

The Advertiser has a list of all the new Warriors along with comments about each of them from director of player personnel Tony Tuioti.

Billy Hull writes that the 2009 class is balanced and deep.

The recruits are split almost evenly between offense (14) and defense (15). Nine of the 29 recruits are junior college players, a trend that the coaching staff hopes to slim down in the coming years.

"Slowly we're trying to get to the point where we're balanced out every year," UH director of football player personnel Tony Tuioti said. "Last year it was offense. This year it was defense.

"We tried to get a balance and we want to get to the point that we're going with all high school guys, because they get into the program and have four years to develop."

Paul Honda highlights the Kahuku players who signed with UH, Kamalani Alo and Aulola Tonga.

Tonga, at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, is a Star-Bulletin All-State first-team selection and could have an immediate impact.

"I feel relieved it's over. I feel good. My mom probably feels relieved, too," Tonga said shortly after talking with UH coach Greg McMackin. "Coach Mack said, 'We're ready for you, No. 3.'

New Warrior Corey Nielsen has been named a national player of the year by Old Spice.

As one of the 50 Red Zone Players of the Year, Corey will be honored in a full-page congratulatory announcement in USA Today on Thursday, February 5, 2009 along with the newspaper’s coverage of National Letter of Intent Signing Day. He will also receive an Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year awards package.

And KGMB's Tina Chau has a report from last night's signing day/100th anniversary celebration at Murphy's.

2009 Roster by Class

Now that signing day is over, here's the updated, unofficial and most likely inaccurate 2009 UH football roster sorted by class. A lot of the info is tentative as some players will change positions, some will unfortunately be cut from the team, new players will be added, etc. I also made some guesses about who redshirted this past year and what year some of the walk-ons are, so please let me know if there are any corrections or updates. Shooooots.

Video: Signing Day Coverage

Chawan Cut compiles the news from KHON, KITV, KGMB and KHNL about the UH recruits who signed with UH today. There's clips from Greg McMackin's press conference and some quotes from the recruits.



UPDATE: Via bowfan, Leila Wai has posted a bunch of highlights of the news recruits on HonoluluAdvertiser.com. And yes, I will embed them all. Thank you, Princess!

QBs:



Running backs:



Receivers:



Offensive linemen:



Defensive linemen:



Linebackers:



Defensive backs:

Sage Nua Joining UH

Jared Harmon of The Las Vegas Sun reports that linebacker Sage Nua will join UH as a preferred walk-on.

Liberty linebacker Sage Nua has already left his stamp on Patriots history as the six-year-old school's leading tackler (275).

On Wednesday he added another honor as the team's first player to reach a Division-I program.

A native Hawaiian, Nua will return to the University of Hawaii this fall as a preferred walk-on for the Warriors.

"It's nice to be going back home," Nua said. "Plus they have a good program where if you work hard you'll play. It's not just all about the guys on scholarship. I hope to contribute to a few wins and work my way onto the field."

Congrats to Sage!

Signing Day (w/UPDATES), Coach Mack talks about the recruits

Today's the day. Stephen Tsai writes about the last-minute recruiting battles.

"There are two minutes left in the game," UH coach Greg McMackin said last night, "and we're in the red zone."

The Warriors are optimistic that most of their recruits will turn pledges into written commitments. But how many? To that, they do not have a precise figure.

Wai'anae High defensive tackle Wade Keli'ikipi is leaning toward accepting a late-scholarship offer from Oregon. Kapolei High linebacker Chad Lopati is split between UH and Oregon State.

"Chad is taking it to the midnight hour," Kapolei coach Darren Hernandez said.

They just had a signing day ceremony at the Blaisdell, so I'm sure there will be lots of updates to follow...

UPDATE: Stephen Tsai has a list of players who have signed letters-of-intent with UH so far. Here are some of them:

• T.J. Alofipo, linebacker

• David Graves, quarterback

• Chad Lopati, linebacker

WOOOOOT!!!!

UPDATE 2: A few more names added. Visit the Warrior Beat for the full list, which Tsai is updating as he gets info.

• Zach Masch, defensive tackle

• Corey Nielsen, quarterback

UPDATE 3: Tsai writes that Jonathan Watts will not sign with UH.

By mutual agreement, it was decided that Jon Bon Watts will not attend UH. Watts gave a verbal commitment Sunday. But he lives in Florida and has two children, and it was decided it would be too much of hardship for him to play in Hawai‘i.

UPDATE 4: HawaiiAthletics.com has a Football Signing Day Central web page which has a list of all the shiny new recruits along with some background info.

LATE UPDATE (2/22/09): I've appended Tony Tuioti's comments about each recruit to the end of their HawaiiAthletics.com background info profiles. The comments are in italics:

Kamalani Alo (S, 6-2, 200, Fr, Kahuku HS)
Named one of the top 100 players in the Northwest…ranked 82nd nationally at his position…multi-sport athlete at Kahuku, where he also played soccer and participated in track and field (100m, 110-hurdles, 4x100 relay, shot put and discus)…named to The Honolulu Advertiser Division I all-state first team and Honolulu Star-Bulletin all-state honorable mention….played in the H.U.B. Senior Bowl Goodwill Classic.

"He's kind of like a 'tweener. He might be a linebacker-safety-type of guy. He slipped through the cracks. He was a safety, but they had to use him as a linebacker. He'll be a big asset because he can run and he's an athletic player."

T.J. Alofipo (LB, 6-2, 240, Fr, Silverado [NV] HS)
Ranked 50th nationally at his position…rated as the state of Nevada’s No. 1 linebacker and fourth-best overall player…named to all-state and all-region teams in football and basketball…had 66 tackles and 11.5 sacks as a junior in 2007…heavily recruited by Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, BYU, Arizona, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin, Fresno State, Boise State, and Utah.

"T.J. has closing speed. He has a knack for the ball. With this attacking defense, he can excel. He played in (a similar) defense. Hopefully, the transition will be smooth. He's a basketball kid, he's an athlete. He has great hands, and great feet. He has natural instinct to know where the ball is."

Kalani Brackenridge (DB, 5-11, 165, Fr, Kapolei HS)
Played cornerback for Kapolei…a two-sport athlete who also played on the Kapolei baseball team…brother Tyron plays for the New York Jets…named to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin all-state honorable mention…also recruited by Washington State, Idaho, and Wyoming.

"He covers a lot of ground. He's a playmaker. He can run. He's athletic. I noticed he's around the ball every time. He's like an Ed Reed. He gets interceptions and he makes plays."

Rodney Bradley (WR, 6-1, 190, Jr, Navarro [TX] CC)
Played receiver at Navarro and caught 29 passes for 555 yards, an average of 19.3 yards per catch in 2008 in a run-oriented offense…picked UH over Arizona and Houston.

"He catches everything with his hands. Everything thrown at him, he catches. That's because he doesn't get a lot of passes, so he couldn't afford to drop any."

Aaron Brown (S, 6-1, 215, Jr, Saddleback [CA] CC)
Ranked one of the best junior college players in the country…named to first-team all-Mission Conference…as a sophomore had a team-high four interceptions and 59 tackles, including 15 for loss and six sacks…broke up six passes and forced two fumbles…had 65 tackles as a freshman, including seven for loss…also forced three fumbles, had three fumble recoveries, and an interception with a 60-yard return…also recruited by Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona, and Washington State.

"He plays fast. He's got the instinct. He's a football player. He looks the part. He's physical. He'll be a steal for us."

George Daily-Lyles (LB, 5-11, 220, Fr, Long Beach Poly [CA] HS)
Named one of the top 100 players in the Northwest…anchored defensive unit on a team that advanced to the Division I state championship game…named the C.I.F. Southern Section Pac-5 Division co-Defensive Player of the Year…also recruited by Arizona and Colorado State.

"I love the way he plays. He plays the game right. Every time I watch him, body-wise, he reminds me of Solly (Solomon Elimimian). He can find the football. He makes a lot of plays, a lot of tackles. He's a vocal leader. A lot of guys follow him. Any time you can get a football player who's a leader, that's a good gift."

Lametrius Davis (DB, 5-11, 180, Jr, Butte [CA] CC)
Team captured the national championship after a perfect 12-0 record…had 21 tackles, one interception, and 10 pass breakups in 2008…ranked seventh in the conference in pass breakups…runs a 4.45 40-yard dash…also recruited by Oregon, Oregon State, and Arizona.

"He's rangy, but he can cover and he can run. The advantage is he's in school now. He can play in spring ball."

Chizzy Dimude (RB, 5-9, 190, Jr, Laney [CA] College)
Led the team in rushing with 546 yards…averaged 6.0 yards per carry and scored five touchdowns…attended the College of San Mateo as a freshman in 2006…also recruited by California, Colorado State, and Marshall.

"Chizzy is explosive. He's like Michael Brewster. He's a scatback, and he can go the distance if he gets out there."

David Graves (QB, 6-0, 190, Fr, Folsom HS)
Named Sacramento’s Metro Player of the Year…in 11 games, threw for 2,771 yards, completing 72 percent of his passes and 40 touchdowns…rushed for 696 yards and 11 touchdowns…competed 18-of-22 passes for 397 yards and five touchdowns against Jesuit…passed for 314 yards and five scores and rushed 111 yards and one TD against Oak Ridge…played wide receiver during his junior season and had 32 receptions for 420 yards while also rushing for 315 yards and four TDs…picked UH over Nevada, Kansas State, and Utah.

"He's accurate and very smart. We're excited about him."

Alex Green (RB, 6-2, 220, Jr, Butte [CA] CC)
Team captured the national championship after a perfect 12-0 record…led the team in rushing with 1,037 yards and 14 touchdowns during the regular season…also scored two receiving touchdowns…rushed for 119 yards on 27 carries in national championship game against Mt. San Antonio…named to the all-conference first team…also recruited by Arizona, Washington, and Washington State.

"Alex has power and speed. He likes to be physical. He looks like Marion Barber when he runs the football. He's got a great attitude."

David Hafoka (DT, 6-1, 315, College of San Mateo [CA])
In 10 games as a sophomore, amassed 28 tackles, including 3.5 for loss and two sacks…also had three pass breakups and recovered one fumble….picked UH over Utah, Arizona, Washington, and Washington State.

"We need a guy like him. We need guys to help us stop the run, and David Hafoka is that type of player for us. He can clog those gaps, and let the linebackers make some plays."

Melvin Hopkins (DB, 5-9, 160, Navarro [TX] CC)
In 11 games during sophomore season, tallied 53 tackles, including 40 solo tackles…has excellent speed and explosiveness…runs a 4.45 40-yard dash and has a 38-inch vertical…picked UH over Arizona and Houston.

"Hopkins has that attitude where he wants to be physical. He can flat-out run."

Joey Iosefa (S, 6-1, 190, Fr, Fagaitua HS [American Samoa])
Considered one of the best recruits from American Samoa…played quarterback, free safety and linebacker during his senior season…named the offensive player of the year and led Fagaitua to the national championship in 2007…participated in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl.

"He played quarterback, and he has a quarterback's mentality. He's an athlete. His role coming out might be on special teams. That's an important role."

Brett Leonard (OL, 6-5, 305, Jr, Saddleback [CA] JC)
Named to the all-Southern Conference second team as a sophomore…team averaged 482.5 yards of total offense and 39.8 points per game…also recruited by California, Miami (Ohio), and Marshall.

"He's agile and he's athletic. We want to put some good weight on him."

John Lister (RB, 6-1, 205, Fr, Thousand Oaks [CA] HS)
Named the Marmonte League’s Most Valuable Player and the All-Ventura County Offensive Player of the Year… rushed for 2,238 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2008…also recruited by Nevada, Utah, and UNLV.

"He's a young guy. But when his number is called, he'll come out of the gates. With his frame, it looks like he can hold 230 easy and still be a good running back. He doesn't have any fat on his body. He's a downhill runner. He's a legit 4.5, 4.6 runner."

Jordan Loeffler (OL, 6-5, 280, Fr, Hilo HS)
Named Division I all-state honorable mention by The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin…qualified for the state track and field championships in the shot put…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl…also recruited by Washington and Washington State.

"He'll be a project for us, but that's good. That's what you want to do sometimes. You want to bring him in, get him bigger and faster, and he'll pay off. He'll learn the system."

Chad Lopati (LB, 6-2, 250, Fr, Kapolei HS)
Named one of the top 100 players in the Northwest …rated the seventh best recruit out of the state of Hawai‘i…named to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin all-state second team and The Honolulu Advertiser all-state honorable mention… recorded 98 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks as a senior and 90 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks as a junior…finished his career as Kapolei’s all-time leader in sacks…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl…heavily recruited by Oregon State, Colorado, California, and Washington.

"Man, Chad is a good player. He's a big, physical guy. He also can play defensive end."

Benson Ma‘afala (OL, 6-3, 305, Fr, Damien Memorial School)
Named one of the top 100 players in the Northwest …named to The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin Division I all-state second team…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl…picked UH over Colorado and Washington.

"He'll be good for the line. He has a big body, and he can play."

Marcus Malepeai (DT, 6-2, 245, Fr, Radford HS)
Named to The Honolulu Advertiser Division II all-state first team and Honolulu Star-Bulletin all-state second team as a senior…anchored defensive line on team that finished state runner-up in the Division II championship…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl…also recruited by Washington.

"He's got a lot of talent."

Veni Manu (DE, 6-4, 230, Fr, Mililani HS)
Named one of the top 100 players in the Northwest…named to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin all-state honorable mention…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl….also recruited by Colorado and Utah.

"He can run. He's got long arms. He's another guy who can become a good player. He's got a lot of upside. And Ma'a Tanuvasa coached him, so you know he's had good coaching."

Zachary Masch (DT, 6-2, 285, Jr, Arizona Western CC)
Played two seasons for Arizona Western…in 10 games played in 2008, amassed 44 tackles, including 5.5 for loss and four sacks…as a junior had 33 tackles, including 4 for a loss…a graduate of Nevada Union High School, where he earned first team all-metro and first team all-San Joaquin Delta Region honors…helped lead NUHS to a Division I Section Championship and represented his school at the Blitz 3 All-Star Game...picked UH over UCLA, San Jose State, Nevada, and Idaho.

"He's physical. He can add depth to our tackles."

Corey Nielsen (QB, 5-11, 185, Fr, Gahr [CA] HS)
Ranked 60th nationally at his position…during senior season, threw for 3,032 yards and 30 touchdowns…threw for four or more touchdowns in five games…as a junior, led the state and ranked third in the nation in passing after throwing for 4,363 yards and 35 touchdown passes...completed 65 percent of his passes and had only five interceptions…threw for over 400 yards in five games, including a 453-yard, six-touchdown performance...named San Gabriel Valley League MVP and led Gahr to a 10-3 record and the CIF-SS Western Division semifinals….over his career, threw for 8,236 yards and 73 touchdowns which ranks 13th all-time in the state of California…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl…picked UH over Arizona, UNLV, Idaho, Utah State, Harvard, and Yale.

"He's a smart kid. He loves Hawai'i football. He wants to be here for the right reasons. Some people might have questions about his height. But he's smart, and he finds ways to make plays. He's a playmaker, and he's proved that. He has a big heart and a lot of confidence."

Deondre Powell (WR, 5-8, 160, Fr, Gahr [CA] HS)
As a senior, caught 54 passes for 736 yards and eight touchdowns following his junior season in which he had 73 receptions for 1,244 yards and 11 touchdowns and was named to the all-C.I.F. Western Division first team…also recruited by Arizona.

"He's a Davone Bess-type; he gets a lot of yards after catches. He's fun to watch."

Cayman Shutter (QB, 6-1, 180, Fr, Punahou School)
Ranked one of the top 100 players in the Northwest… passed for 2,403 yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior…named to The Honolulu Advertiser Division I all-state first team and Honolulu Star-Bulletin all-state second team…led Punahou School to the school’s first state football championship…threw for 400 yards and two scores and rushed for another in the championship game against Leilehua…led state in passer rating (186.1) and completion percentage (65%) as a junior in 2007…threw for 21 touchdowns in only 133 pass attempts…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl…picked UH over New Mexico.

"It's a great thing when you can get a quarterback who won a state championship. It shows what it takes to win. We need guys like that in our program. Hopefully, he'll be a leader for us."

Destin Stewart (WR, 6-4, 200, Fr, Douglass [OK] HS)
Named one of the top 35 players in the state of Oklahoma… named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association’s 2008 all-state team as a receiver, despite playing in a run-oriented offense…also named first team all-state by the Tulsa World…also played defensive back with more than 50 tackles and three interceptions…named to the Daily Oklahoman’s all-state second team as a punter…runs a 4.5 40-yard dash…member of the Douglass High School basketball team…picked UH over Missouri and Tulsa.

"He's big and he's physical. A lot of guys see him and think he's a senior (in college)."

Billy Ray Stutzmann (WR, 6-0, 160, Fr, Saint Louis School)
Named one of the top 100 players in the Northwest…ranked the sixth best recruit from the state of Hawai‘i…named to The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin Division I all-state first team…earned second team all-state honors from the Honolulu Star Bulletin and honorable mention all-state from The Honolulu Advertiser as a junior…finished his career with 115 receptions for 1,686 yards and 18 touchdowns…won the state title in the 100-meters and 200-meters in track…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl...also recruited by Oregon State, Washington, and Washington State.

"He's a player. He proved he can play at a top level. He's done everything the right way."

Aulola Tonga (S, 6-3, 200, Fr, Kahuku HS)
Named one of the top 100 players in the Northwest…selected to The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin Division I all-state first team as a senior…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl.

"He has a great attitude. He's a physical player. He can be a linebacker or a safety. He has a knack for the ball. He can jump. He's a basketball guy."

Michael Wadsworth (S, 6-1, 190, Fr, Silverado [NV] HS)
One of the state of Nevada’s top recruits….named to all-state teams during his junior and senior seasons…played both wide receiver and safety…as a junior, had eight kickoff or punt returns for touchdowns while leading Silverado to the Southeast Division title…also recruited by Arizona, Stanford, BYU, and Colorado State.

"He's smart, a 4.0 guy. And he can play."

Chauncy Winchester Makainai (OL, 6-4, 325, Fr, Kailua HS)
Named one of the top 100 players in the Northwest…named to The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin Division I all-state first team…played in the Hawai‘i/Polynesia-Mainland Bowl…also recruited by California, Oregon, Arizona, and Washington.

"He's big and athletic. He can help us in a lot of different ways."

There's also video of Coach Greg McMackin talking about the recruiting season on the UH Football front page.

UPDATE 5: Paul Honda has a report from today's signing ceremony at the Blaisdell.

Some of UH’s signees flew thousands of miles to seal their deals. Corey Nielsen of Gahr High School (Calif.) was right there in the second row with his future teammates.

“I wanted to sign with my family — everyone here,” said Nelson, who was honored as an Old Spice player of the year.

Nielsen chatted with Kailua guard Chauncy Winchester-Makainai, who committed to UH early and never wavered. In fact, the whole procedure was somewhat dull for Winchester-Makainai. Only one thought prevailed for him during the press conference.

“When do I start practice? I want to work hard and get a starting spot — try and get a starting spot,” he said.

Honda's article has more comments from UH commits.

UPDATE 6: The front page of HonoluluAdvertiser.com is currently (2:07pm HST) streaming Coach Mack's press conference discussing the recruits.

UPDATE by Chawan Cut: Honolulu Advertiser's Signing Day site <-- press conference done but the audio is cached and ready to re-listen (make sure you un-mute the video) Audio on KKEA - Audio done. Tune in later this afternoon for the SportsAnimals show 4-6pm HST. they'll do a broadcast from Murphy's Bar & Grill at the Recruiting/100th Football Birthday celebration.

Video: Ching Field, Colt

Chawan Cut awakes from his slumber to compile news coverage of the Ching Field dedication and Colt Brennan speaking about tonight's fundraiser at the Willows.

Warriors in the Pros: LaBoy, Veikune

UPDATE: LaBoy link fixed...

Travis LaBoy will need surgery to repair his torn biceps tendon, according to his coach Ken Whisenhunt.

David Veikune is getting more notice in mock drafts and rankings:

• National Football Post has him going in the 2nd round to the Bucs.


• DraftDaddy.com lists him as their 9th ranked defensive end.


• NFLDraftScout.com ranks him 10th out of 211 DEs and 109th overall (out of 2606).


• Draft Countdown ranks him as the #16 DE.

And here's the official NFL Combine invite list, which includes Veikune, Ryan Mouton and Jake Ingram.

More Decommits?

Sure looks that way...

Wade Keliikipi to Oregon.

Pierce Burton to SJSU.

Is it tomorrow yet?!?

Recruiting, Ching Field, Evening w/Colt

Stephen Tsai writes that Kahuku's St. John Lessary will walk-on to UH as a punter.

Lessary, who is 6 feet and 190 pounds, can play running back or receiver. But he will be used as a punter, a vacant position on the Warriors' spring roster, when he reports this summer. Tim Grasso, the punter the past two seasons, completed his NCAA eligibility at the end of the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

"He can run, and he can catch," Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said. "They're getting the whole package. He brings versatility to the program."

Torres said Lessary boomed a "few 60-(yard)-plus punts — not rolling, but in the air."

Lessary's punting earned him the Most Valuable Player honor for a victory against Farrington.

Tsai also takes a look at some of the recruits and how the overall recruiting season has gone for UH.

Palo Verdes (Nev.) High's Liloa Nobriga, a defensive end who attended 'Iolani School as a freshman and sophomore, is split in deciding between UH and Colorado.

Wai'anae High defensive tackle Wade Keli'ikipi, whose older brother West Keli'ikipi was a UH running back, is now mulling a late offer from Oregon.

Still, the Warriors, who started their recruiting drive last spring, appeared to have weathered challenges from several prominent programs.

Paul Honda talks to Kalani Brackenridge about committing to UH to play both football and baseball.

::::::

Stanley Lee writes about the ceremony to dedicate Clarence T.C. Ching Field.

Hawai'i football coach Greg McMackin said the field is "the staring point of what we want to do in the future."

"For us in football, it's going to allow us to come down when it gets rainy and won't ruin the grass fields," McMackin said. "And we'll always practice on Fridays down here. It's going to be a great addition for us."

Aside from UH sporting events, Donovan hopes high school football teams could use the new field in the fall and track teams in the spring.

"Our intent is to get other people to come in here to use it," Donovan said. "It's good for them, it's good for us because you're bringing athletes onto our campus. In the very least it'll encourage high school kids to consider going to college, and if they're really good athletes maybe it'll help them decide to come to UH."

::::::

The Advertiser has some info about tonight's Evening with Colt Brennan charity fundraiser at the Willows.

Dave Reardon lists some of the former UH players who will be in attendance.

Plenty of other former Warriors will be in attendance, including Davone Bess, Ryan Grice-Mullins, Samson Satele, Jake Ingram and Tim Grasso.

Warriors in the Pros: Colt Back in Hawaii

KGMB talks to Colt Brennan about tomorrow night's benefit for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, which he'll be hosting at the Willows. Later tonight, KGMB will talk to Colt about his rookie season in the NFL.

Clarence T.C. Ching Field

Ching Field was dedicated today and is now open for use.

“It’s great to have the Clarence T. C. Ching Field completed,” Donovan said. “This will help all of our sports programs, especially football. Other UH programs will also benefit like the band, kinesiology and leisure science, intramurals and ROTC. I appreciate all of the parties who helped make this possible.”

“Today we move closer to the creation of the Ching Athletics Complex - a multi-purpose center of student activity for athletics, physical education, recreation, band, cheerleading, and a facility to host community-wide events,” said Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw.

Ching Field, which has not been used for football practice since 2003, will host the Warrior football team’s opening of spring practice on March 30.

Woot woot!

First and 10 with Jim Donovan

UH athletic director Jim Donovan is answering questions over at SportsHawaii.com's First and 10 with Jim Donovan forum. Here's the live chat thread.

UPDATE: Chat is over. Here's part of an answer to Hawkpeter's question about appealing to foreign markets:

However, we are in the process of trying to build a bridge to Japan in regards to our football program. Currently, Coach Mack and I are planning to travel to Japan in the next month or two to see if we can establish contacts and relationships that might provide the Warrior football team with one or two walk-on players (possibly a place kicker, punter or even a receiver or defensive back). If we are successful building this bridge, the long-term possibility of building a fan base in Japan that would be supportive of UH football would be enhanced. If someday a Japanese walk-on player were to become a starter, and possibly a scholarship player, we might enjoy some of the promotional glow and fan support that is being shown in major league baseball for their Japanese players.