FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

New UH coach
a Lindsey fan

New University of Hawaii assistant coach Troy Thomas couldn't make it through the day without hearing Don Lindsey's voice at least once.

That has become a problem lately because Thomas is coaching outside linebackers and Lindsey is the offensive coordinator.

But if he has the time, Thomas sits in during the offensive meetings with Lindsey just to have the chance to hear what Lindsey has to say.

"The difference between this spring and last spring is I don't have Coach Lindsey telling me exactly what to do," said Thomas, who served two years as a graduate assistant before being hired full-time in February.

"I learned a lot from him," Thomas said. "He has been a great mentor for me and still is to this day. I owe him so much. Whenever I can, I go down to the offensive meetings so I can listen to what his philosophies are.

"I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to not only coach at this level, but to work for two years under one of the greatest college coaches of our time."

Thomas first joined the UH program in 1996. He was coaching at Crespi Carmelite High School in Elcino, Calif., when he got a call from his old high school coach -- Doug Semones.

"I kept in contact with Doug during my whole playing career at Moorpark College and Cal State Northridge," said Thomas, who played defensive back. "I was the defensive coordinator at Crespi when Doug called and wondered if I wanted to come out to be a graduate assistant."

For two years, Thomas struggled to make ends meet. A graduate assistant doesn't exactly earn the big bucks.

"But I learned so much the last two years, that was really my pay," Thomas said. "It's great to be a member of a Division I program. If Doug hadn't contacted me, I would still be coaching high school ball."

The 29-year-old Thomas is coaching one of the stronger aspects of the Rainbows. Outside linebackers Kamuela Cobb-Adams, Rinda Brooks, Yaphet Warren and Mark Mollner figure to make a big impact on the team in the fall.

"Coach Thomas is doing an excellent job of relating what he knows to the players," UH defensive coordinator Tom Williams said. "He's a young guy who played the game and our guys respect that."

UH head coach Fred vonAppen also likes what he sees in Thomas. When he decided to fire former offensive coordinator Wally English, he only had to walk down the hall to hire his new coach.

"I didn't want to lose Troy and we were about to because his G.A. job was coming to an end," vonAppen said. "He's my kind of coach. He's young and receptive to ideas.

"Once he's done with the defensive meetings, I sometimes find him sitting in with the offense, so he can learn that phase of the game as well. Our guys are lucky to have him."

ROBINSON COMING BACK: Robbie Robinson attended his first spring practice and said yesterday he needed only 15 hours to get his degree in sociology.

"I want to come back and play one more year," the senior cornerback said. He was a proposition athlete coming out of Los Angeles and can earn a fifth year of eligibility if he graduates this summer.

"We would welcome him back because we don't have that much experience in the secondary," Williams said. "He has some work to do in the classroom, but he believes he can get it done."

Robinson said yesterday he wants to play basketball as well. He spent the past season as a walk-on and believes he can earn some playing time at guard.

"I want to be a part of Midnight Ohana if the coaches will let me," said Robinson, who came back from a bad ankle sprain last year to finish with 11 tackles and four pass breakups. "I also wanted to take part in football this spring, but the coaches told me to work hard in the classroom and report to fall camp. Hopefully, I'll get the opportunity to play another year."

INJURY REPORT: Running back Afatia Thompson, tight end Zeff Ah Quinn and cornerback Donnell Williams missed yesterday's practice with hamstring pulls.

Ah Quinn said he will be back on Monday, but the other two players are listed as day-to-day by the UH training staff.

Linebacker Stephen Gonzales returned to action after suffering a mild ankle sprain on Tuesday. Quarterback Josh Skinner remained sidelined with a concussion. He hopes to be back early next week, but vonAppen doesn't want him to rush it.

"Whenever you get knocked silly like he was, it's best to make sure the cobwebs are cleared before you play again," vonAppen said. "We know what he can do. There's no point him rushing it."

---

--By Paul Arnett