Football

If final details can be worked out, a truly big-time quarterback will visit the University of Hawaii football facilities next spring. Unfortunately, Russell Wilson’s college eligibility is expired. But Scott Pickett, the director of the Russell Wilson Passing Academy, has exchanged emails and had a phone conversation with UH athletic director Ben Jay about the QB of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks doing his popular one-day camp here. A tentative date is April 11, on the grass practice fields […]

Jesse Sapolu and Mark Tuinei — two of the greatest players in University of Hawaii football history — were announced today as members of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame’s second class, which will be inducted in January. In addition to shining at UH, Sapolu (San Francisco 49ers) and Tuinei (Dallas Cowboys) were important offensive line starters on two great NFL dynasties. They’re both also products of local high schools; Sapolu from Farrington and Tuinei from Punahou. Others in the […]

Some more thoughts regarding UH football’s quarterback change that didn’t make today’s column due to space considerations. Regarding the issue of the seven sacks against Rice: Those who have watched the game tape closely say most of them, if not all, were not the fault of the offensive line. Regardless of who is to blame it’s obvious that can’t happen again against Wyoming “It doesn’t matter who the quarterback is, we’re gonna block our asses off,” center Kody Afusia said. […]

Despite everything that has gone wrong for University of Hawaii football, the Rainbow Warriors (1-4) are favored to win their Mountain West Conference opener against Wyoming this Saturday at Aloha Stadium. UH is giving 3 points against the Cowboys, who are 3-2 including a win over Air Force that puts them in first place in the MWC Mountain Division. Don’t be surprised if that line changes some between now and kickoff. Wyoming is coming off a 56-14 pasting by Michigan […]

I’m back from vacation, but still on the road, here in Houston to cover the UH football team’s game at Rice. It was interesting to get insights from Rice president David Leebron about the changes coming in big-time college sports having to do with autonomy for the most powerful conferences (the SEC, Pac-12, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12). Leebron served on the NCAA governance committee that discussed and recommended changes like allowing for schools to pay total cost of […]

Hawaii’s defense did a very credible job and didn’t wear down at altitude in the 21-12 loss at Colorado today — in fact, it got better after intermission and shut out the Buffaloes following the break. It was the UH offense’s failure to get the ball into the end zone that cost it the game. That much is obvious … but what does coach Norm Chow do now at quarterback? Starter Ikaika Woolsey has turned in three consecutive underwhelming performances. […]