The Rainbows' athletic director could make a statement as early as today with the final decision likely falling in UH head coach Fred vonAppen's lap.
If Yoshida reaches the conclusion that senior quarterback Glenn Freitas and Stanford transfer Quincy Jacobs were not involved in any violent acts during the fracas, then vonAppen will dole out the punishment for breaking a team rule by leaving the bench area.
VonAppen confirmed yesterday that a snippet of videotape does show Jacobs throwing several punches, but they were in defense of vonAppen's wife, Thea, who received a bloody lip during the melee.
"I can't find fault with that," Fred vonAppen said. "The person who should have been arrested is the one who hit my wife. Quincy was trying to protect her.
"I think this thing has been blown way out of proportion. If I'm the one who will ultimately decide what happens, then I'll make the decision. But otherwise, let's lay this thing to rest."
Yoshida would like to do just that, but was deluged yesterday with telephone calls and faxes from people who were in the section right behind the bench where the fights took place.
Some say senior safety Doe Henderson's friend verbally abused Freitas after his fumble gave BYU a 45-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter.
Others claim Freitas turned and flipped off Henderson's friend (who has since returned to Los Angeles), causing him to renew his verbal assault. Freitas then motioned to his family several rows back to say something to Henderson's friend. That's when the fights ensued.
Freitas appears to be in the clear because he threw no punches, and only went into the stands to see how his family survived the pepper spray.
Jacobs' situation isn't quite as clear-cut. Because he's on probation for his part in a fight with UH volleyball player Moses Goods, Yoshida might have to involve an athletic committee to determine Jacobs' fate.
The three people on that committee recommended earlier this month that Jacobs be put on probation until May for the dorm fight involving Goods.
Even though, by most accounts, he was serving as peacemaker in the Aloha Stadium altercation, UH officials believe he used poor judgment for leaving the field and getting involved. The one saving grace is he rendered aid to the coach's wife.
A UHofficial said Jacobs has about a 75 percent chance of avoiding suspension.
The one good thing coming from this is Aloha Stadium officials are looking for ways to protect the fans at the game. Ultimately, their safety comes first.
It's possible a high Plexi-glass fence will be put into the stands and extend from each 30-yard-line to protect the bench area, and keep players and fans from interacting as easily.
Alcohol consumption also may be reviewed since that is often the reason fights break out.