Sports Notebook
Star-Bulletin staff
|
WARRIOR FOOTBALL
Warriors turn out for summer workouts
Hawaii football coach June Jones follows the rules that don't allow him to initiate contact with his players at this time. But he can see them working out at Cooke Field from his office window. The turnout for voluntary player-run practices is good, as far as he can tell.
"I see them right now," Jones said. "It's just as many as past years."
A few starters and other key players did go home to the mainland for various reasons, and won't return to Hawaii until close to the Aug. 2 reporting date for fall camp.
Cornerback C.J. Hawthorne is in Mississippi and running back Reagan Mauia is in California, both for family reasons.
"I don't worry about them," Jones said of the two players who will be counted on heavily this fall. "They both did well in the spring and they're motivated."
Starting sophomore inside linebackers Adam Leonard and Solomon Elimimian are in Seattle, where Leonard lives. Jones said they're working out with former NFL star Eric Metcalf.
Healthy again: Slotback Ryan Grice-Mullins, UH's leading receiver with 1,228 yards last year, is among those who is staying in Hawaii for the summer.
The Rialto, Calif., resident suffered a pulled hamstring muscle toward the end of spring camp. He said it is "95 percent better."
"It's pretty much all healed," Grice-Mullins said. "I've been doing a lot of jogging but not too much sprinting yet. There's time to let it get totally healed. I spent the time off lifting and watching film, and a little 'me-time,' in my head, thinking about how I could be a better player and teammate."
Any conclusions?
"I think one thing is I can be more of a leader this year," the third-year sophomore said. "I think the guys respect me enough where I can help with some of the leadership roles. As for as a player, I'm focusing on after-the-catch, going full-speed ahead instead of juking around."
Grice-Mullins, who had 12 of his 85 receptions go for touchdowns, combined with Davone Bess last fall to become the first freshman teammates in NCAA history to both receive for at least 1,000 yards.
Still in limbo: UH got the good news it wanted when it learned last month that safety Leonard Peters and running back Nate Ilaoa received an additional season of eligibility because of injuries.
But running back Bryan Maneafaiga and receiver Ian Sample have not had their appeals resolved yet. The NCAA will render its decisions later this month, UH athletic department officials said.
Fore a good cause: A few individual slots remain open in the June Jones Foundation QB Golf Classic. The event is June 25 and 26 at Hokuli'a Golf Course on the Big Island.
Each group of golfers will have a current or former NFL player. Celebrity players include Jones, Steve Bartkowski, Chris Chandler, James Harris, Dave Kreig, Jack Thompson, Doug Williams and Jim Zorn.
The event benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii. Call 888-599-4483 for more information.