Spring Day 1 Wrap-Ups

Jason Kaneshiro reviews yesterday's practice.

With the bitterness of season-ending losses to Cincinnati and Notre Dame still lingering for some Warriors, the first of 15 spring practices was devoted primarily to fundamentals and position drills. UH head coach Greg McMackin said tomorrow morning's practice will be more of the same, with the team scheduled to put the pads on and get into team situations at Saturday's session.

"It's definitely exciting to get back out here and play some real football again," quarterback Greg Alexander said. "I was excited for it. It's a long layover, a long time to think about some games we let slip away.

"There were a couple games that sit with you. You still think about those now and then so we have to fix our mistakes."

Stephen Tsai has a report with a bunch of news and notes.

In the 15 practices over the next four weeks, the emphasis will be on perfecting techniques and reducing mistakes.

"We can't have personal fouls," McMackin said. "We had too many last year. That's laziness, and a lack of technique. We've learned from last year. We're going to get better."

There's also quotes from Inoke Funaki, Leon Wright-Jackson, Malcolm Lane, Aaron Kia, Rocky Savaiigaea, Jovonte Taylor, Jake Heun and Vili Nauahi.

Brian McInnis talks to the new coaches, Gordy Shaw and Chris Tormey.

"When you've been doing it for as long as I've been doing it, my favorite saying is, 'Never rate potential over performance,'" said Shaw, a former center. "So, you might have a world of ability, but it's still about what you do out here between the stripes — that ends up being whether you play or not.

And Dave Reardon writes a Further Review column about the practice.

This year, it seems more like things are on a schedule that makes sense.

Will that translate into an improvement on last year's 7-7 record? Only with a major upgrade of offensive line performance, and if the defense can be rebuilt (especially a secondary that lost nearly everyone off the two-deep chart).

Five minutes into the first practice, and McMackin's voice was already hoarse. There's even more teaching going on than usual with so many new players.

The coaches need to figure out quickly who they can count on in the fall.

Rocky Savaiigaea said there's no easing in this time.

"This was the hardest first day we've ever had, very intense," he said.