Flag shouldn’t
have been thrown

Bill Leavy, head of Western Athletic Conference officials, gave Hawaii head coach Fred vonAppen a call yesterday morning. Leavy asked how things were on the Pacific Rim and how vonAppen's family was doing. And oh by the way, he said, no flag should have been thrown.

"I've always found Bill to be understanding of how a coach feels," vonAppen said after yesterday's practice. "That call came at a critical juncture for our team.

"Would it have made any difference in the outcome? Who knows? But with our fragile mental health, we weren't able to overcome it. Some teams can. Ours obviously didn't."

Umpire John Bradley ruled about 20 seconds after upback Daniel Ho-Ching completed a 37-yard pass to receiver Wesley Morris off a fake punt that walk-on Bo Espinoza was illegally down field.

Replays show he was not. And even if he had stepped beyond the 1-yard plane before Ho-Ching let the pass fly, it took too long for Bradley to reach that conclusion.

"We knew he wasn't down field, but what can you say about it?" Ho-Ching said. "They robbed us of a chance to get back into the game. The momentum was gone."

Espinoza didn't really want to talk about it. He said, "It doesn't change anything. We already knew that."

At the time of the flag, Hawaii trailed, 16-13. The Rainbows would never get any closer in last Saturday's 30-13 loss.

COLLINS' WIFE DIES: Donna Collins, 32, wife of former UH defensive lineman Sam Collins, died yesterday morning in Independence, Kan., of complications from breast cancer. The team was told before practice at Cooke Field.

"I feel badly for their family, especially the two children (Sam and Nathan)," UH running back Avion Weaver said. "That's what I'll remember the most; his two kids and her coming out to practice every day to watch their father."

Collins was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 1997. Several fund-raisers were held around town to help the family fight the high cost of her treatments. Last spring, Sam Collins said the funds had exceeded $65,000.

Those treatments gave her several additional months with her husband and children. She was in remission in the spring after returning to Kansas with her husband. But she became ill again late in the summer.

"It's a sad day for this football team," vonAppen said. "Our prayers go out to the families. What they dealed with and were able to overcome with two children is an inspiration to us all."

The funeral services are pending. Sam Collins can be reached at 212 N. 25th Street in Independence, Kan. Any card or letter should be sent in care of Bertha and Homer McIntosh.

INJURY REPORT: There are so many people out of the lineup for this Saturday's game with San Jose State, not even the trainers can keep them all straight.

The latest casualties are defensive lineman Joseph Correia, whose dislocated finger won't stay in place, and Tony Tuioti, whose back went into severe spasms after practice.

"Every time it gets hit, it pops back out," Correia said of the finger he injured at Texas-El Paso. "It's real sore right now."

Linebacker Yaphet Warren (hamstring) went down again in Tuesday's practice, and will not play this weekend.

Offensive left tackle Adrian Klemm (knee) is out and center Keith Tomomitsu (knee) is doubtful with a sprained knee.

Cornerback Donnell Williams (neck and strained thumb) will be sidelined on Saturday. So are safety Phil Austin (knee), quarterback Josh Skinner (hamstring), and linebackers Stephen Gonzales (stinger), Joaquin Avila (ankle), Rinda Brooks (concussion), Steve Dietschy (knee) and Jeff Ulbrich (knee).

"We have more people out than in," vonAppen said, then smiled. "Some of the guys we have on the field now didn't even make our two-deep chart after fall camp. "But it's just one of those things you have to deal with."

AH QUIN RETURNS: Senior tight end Zeff Ah Quin returned to practice on Tuesday after missing a little more than three months with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.

The injury occurred a couple of weeks before fall camp, and was so bad, Ah Quin opted for surgery. He won't be able to play this weekend, but could make the trip to Fresno State.

"It's quite a comeback for him," vonAppen said. "We were glad to see him out there and he could see some playing time before the season is done."

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By Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin