Tuesday, August 4, 1998

’Bows
battle
‘clock’

With the season a month
away, fall camp is crucial
for the Rainbow
football team

By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

The Western Athletic Conference might have suffered a compound fracture that currently leaves it limping along the side of the Division I highway. But that doesn't necessarily mean Fred vonAppen has to slow down to take a look.

The third-year head coach for the University of Hawaii has some major problems of his own as he prepares to welcome the 24 recruits of the 1998 class this week.

"We are all concerned about the future of our league, but we have a future of our own that's equally pressing," vonAppen said. "For now, it's business as usual for us.

"We have to start acclimating these young guys into our system, and in a hurry because we expect several of them to make an immediate impact. We don't have a lot of time to get a lot done."

NCAA rules allow teams 29 fall camp practices spread over a two-week period. Considering the Rainbows open camp next week without a No. 1 quarterback, an experienced offensive line, or an established secondary, it doesn't leave much room for rest and relaxation.

"We're all going to have to hit the ground running with our practices and evaluations," vonAppen said. "Each practice will mean a lot in the development of our players. We're just a month away from playing the University of Arizona, who has one of the best defenses in the country."

The first order of business is to make sure the incoming players are academically sound. VonAppen and his staff have been able to get most of the players through the NCAA clearing house.

Some early casualties of the academic wars were local quarterback Fred Salanoa, who will return to Snow Junior College in Utah this fall, and Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) Junior College running back Eric Shine. He will enroll in a local community college.

"So far, so good in terms of getting them in school and ready for the rigors of Division I football," vonAppen said at yesterday's Quarterback Club luncheon.

"We're hoping to have 102 guys in fall camp next week. The 6-foot-7 tight end (James Bessard of Houston) is already with us. You can't miss him because he's the biggest guy out there.

"We have five candidates at quarterback. We really can't settle that issue until we start practice, but we've got to get resolutions quickly. Right now, we're three steps to the right of a crap offense."

Over the summer, the Rainbows signed junior college fullback Kevin Shorter of Savannah, Ga., to replace Shine. The 6-1, 245-pound Shorter was recruited by the University of Georgia.

"We've got a lot to work on offensively," UH assistant coach Don Lindsey said. "We need an extra month to do all the things we need to get done. Fall camp is going to be very busy for us."

For the first time in two years, the Rainbows won't hold fall camp at Barbers Point. VonAppen dismissed that two-week practice trip because the dressing rooms on campus are much better and the two grass fields are in solid shape.

"I always liked the idea of keeping the players all together and thinking about one thing, and that's football," vonAppen said. "But we couldn't make it work this year."

VonAppen also responded to a Star-Bulletin editorial that Hawaii should drop Division I football, something he believes would drastically change the athletic landscape in Hawaii.

"You might have read in one of the garbage can liners that maybe football should all go away," vonAppen said at the QB luncheon. "Imagine if Northwestern or Kansas State had that same thinking, and how dramatically they improved over the years.

"If you take away football, you change the athletic complexion of the University of Hawaii. It would impact a lot of sports. Our main goals here should be trying to improve as a football team and get more of our fans involved in the games because our schedule is in the top 10 of real difficulty.

"We need that 12th man and woman to come out and to make a difference for the health of our program. It would give our players a real emotional lift to see a full stadium."

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Bill Kwon contributed to this story.

WAC defectors look to bring in consultant By Steve Carp Las Vegas Sun LAS VEGAS -- In an attempt to get things moving at a quicker pace, the eight schools planning to leave the Western Athletic Conference hope to bring former NCAA president and Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Gene Corrigan on board as a consultant. The yet-to-be-named conference, which hasn't made a major announcement since the blockbuster decree in late May that it was abandoning the WAC to form a league of its own, will have a transition committee meeting at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino Aug. 17. Corrigan is expected to be at that meeting. If all goes well, he will assist with guiding the fledgling league with decisions regarding day-to-day operations until a permanent commissioner is found. That isn't likely to happen until late December of early January. "He's someone we feel can help us with where we're going," Utah athletic director Chris Hill said. "He's a person who can point things out and allow us to draw upon his expertise." UNLV AD Charles Cavagnaro has known Corrigan a long time and believes Corrigan's experience will prove to be invaluable over the coming months. "I hope it makes a statement that this league is serious and intends to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics," Cavagnaro said.