Rainbows head coach Fred vonAppen released the list of 103 eligible players yesterday afternoon, but couldn't elaborate on why that talented threesome won't be participating in two-a-days.
"All I can say is they're having academic difficulties and won't be participating in fall camp," vonAppen said. "You have to declare up to 105 players for camp. Once school starts, you can add guys back to the roster."
Academic problems also will sideline two highly regarded freshmen. Linebacker Likaki Malaki of Los Angeles and defensive back James Polk of Fort Worth, Texas, didn't make it through the NCAA clearing house.
VonAppen said he hopes to place both players in a junior college so they have the chance to gain their eligibility in two years.
Californians Matt Paul and Ricky Lumford recently signed scholarships, and will replace Malaki and Polk on the roster. The 25 freshmen and junior college transfers checked in last night.
"As far as I know, everyone is here," vonAppen said. "They'll have to undergo drug testing and physicals, but I expect all of them to be at practice (this afternoon)."
As for Salavea, Aina and Vitale, all three could rejoin the program in time for the opener against Boston College if they get their grades in order.
Vitale missed last year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but made it back in time for spring drills. VonAppen held him out of the last half of spring because of academic problems.
Aina and Salavea appeared in 22 games between them. Aina, who graduated from Damien High School in 1993, had 78 tackles and one interception last year.
Salavea finished with 38 tackles. The freshman from St. Louis School would be the ninth player from the 1995 UH recruiting class to leave the program.
"Hopefully, this is the last time we'll have to go through something like this," vonAppen said. "And there's still the possibility we could lose even more players once the summer school grades are in next week."
The Rainbows also lost Shawn Harris, Gavin Hess and Sione Fuluvaka to grades.
The next three practices will be with only the newcomers at Cooke Field. Veterans report on Saturday. VonAppen said the team will leave for Barbers Point Saturday at 6:30 p.m. It was recently decided that practices will not be open to the public for security reasons, according to Barbers Point public affairs officer Sandy Miller.