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Tuesday, January 18, 2000

HULA BOWL NOTEBOOK

Former UH coach might
be out of options

WAILUKU -- Former Hawaii offensive coordinator Paul Johnson would like to draw up a few of his spread option plays to use in the Hula Bowl, but he's not sure Tennessee head coach Phil Fulmer will go for it.

Recently named the Division I-AA coach of the year after leading Georgia Southern to a national title last fall, Johnson and Arizona head coach Dick Tomey will serve as assistants on the Aina team. "It's great to be back in Hawaii again,'' Johnson said after yesterday's practice. "We've had a great run at Georgia Southern the last couple of years. To win a national championship was truly special.''

The American Football Coaches Association awarded Johnson this trip at its recent convention. It's the first time Johnson has been back in Hawaii since the Naval Academy upset California in the 1996 Aloha Bowl.

That was the last game Johnson served as offensive coordinator for Navy. He moved on to be the head coach at Georgia Southern, which has gone 27-3 in the two years he's been there.

In 1998, a bevy of turnovers cost Georgia Southern in the national title game. But this time around, Johnson's squad didn't fumble away the opportunity.

"I was proud of our kids because they knew what was at stake,'' said Johnson, whose only losses this season were to Oregon State and Appalachian State. "Greg Hill became the first Division I-AA quarterback to pass for at least 3,000 yards and run for 3,000 in his career. He was our leader.''

As for the spread option, Johnson believes it could work well against the Kai squad. "But I don't think the coaches here are going to let me run it,'' Johnson said, then smiled.

He left the UH program two years after the Rainbows won the 1992 Holiday Bowl. But he still checks in from time to time to see how they are doing.

"June Jones came in and did a great job turning that team around,'' Johnson said. "You can't say enough about the way he coached. I was happy for the team and the fans of Hawaii.''

We're surrounded

Hawaii offensive lineman Andy Phillips looked around at the players taking part in the Hula Bowl and could only shake his head.

"How many of these teams have we faced the last few years?'' Phillips asked UH teammate Tony Tuioti. The fellow fifth-year senior responded, "A lot.''

In fact, Phillips and Tuioti lined up against a dozen teams represented on the Kai squad alone. The teams are Air Force, Brigham Young, Michigan, Minnesota, Navy, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Texas-El Paso, Utah, Washington State, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Hawaii beat four of those teams while Phillips and Tuioti played for the Rainbows. They were UTEP, Oregon State, Minnesota and Navy. But hey: What about the other side of the football?

The Rainbows played nine of the schools represented on the Aina squad during Phillips' and Tuioti's five-year stint at UH. They are Arizona, Colorado State, Oklahoma State, Rice, San Diego State, Southern California, Texas, Texas Christian and Tulsa.

Of that group, Hawaii only beat Tulsa, prompting Phillips to say, "We played some pretty tough programs while we were here. I just wish we could have faced more of them when June Jones was our coach.''

Anchors away?

Navy center Terrence Anderson was named third-team All-America by the Associated Press and The Sporting News, but he may not be granted any shore leave unless he can convince the Secretary of the Navy to grant him special dispensation.

"If I don't get drafted in the NFL, I'll probably have to serve my five years in the Navy without getting to play pro ball,'' Anderson said. "And even if I do get drafted and get permission to play with that team, I'll still have to do two years of special duty.''

It's likely Anderson will be drafted by an NFL team. The 5-foot-11, 285-pounder from Stillwater, Okla., is considered one of the best prospects in this year's Hula Bowl. He took part in the Navy's 48-41 loss to Hawaii in late November.

But the thing he remembers most about Hawaii is defensive lineman Doug Sims.

"That guy ripped off my helmet during the game,'' he said. "I just remember him coming up, grabbing my face mask and yanking off my helmet. My mouth piece went flying. It was something. That's a big man.''

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By Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin