CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Defensive back Keenan Jones is working hard to earn back a scholarship he lost last season.
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UH cornerback makes amends
STORY SUMMARY »
Keenan Jones arrived at Hawaii last year amid a flurry of hype that he didn't live up to at first.
The talented cornerback didn't help himself by doing poorly in school, missing team meetings and committing other transgressions after a 2006 season in which he rarely played, only partly because of a back injury.
It got to the point that coach June Jones pulled his scholarship.
Keenan Jones decided to return to UH, and has accepted the challenge and become a better teammate.
"Big time, his attitude has definitely improved," senior linebacker Timo Paepule said.
Keenan Jones, who worked his way up to second-string at right corner, intercepted a pass and blocked an extra point last Saturday against Northern Colorado. He's earned his way into the mix in a competitive defensive secondary for the 20th-ranked Warriors as they leave today on a 12-day road trip at LaTech and UNLV.
And now June Jones hopes Keenan Jones will get a medical redshirt to play another year at UH and possibly earn back his scholarship.
FULL STORY »
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Warriors ran sprints after practice yesterday to prepare for Saturday's game at Louisiana Tech.
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Keenan Jones is not the first Hawaii football player to make a statement with his hairstyle. But the image he's looking for is different than that of many other Warriors. The second-year junior-college transfer cornerback wears his hair in a close-cropped conservative fashion these days.
Hawaii (1-0) at LaTech (1-0)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Where: Joe Aillet Stadium, Ruston, La.
TV: Saturday, Oceanic 255 PPV. Rebroadcast, Saturday 9:30 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m., KFVE (Ch. 5)
Radio: Live, KKEA 1420-AM
Audio Webcast: Live, espn1420am.com.
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"I came back (to fall camp) with a new look, cut my hair," Jones said. "Not that there's anything wrong with long hair, but I wanted to show a symbol of my commitment."
He will be on the 64-player travel roster as the Warriors leave this afternoon for a two-game road trip at Louisiana Tech and UNLV. Some are surprised he's still even on the team.
Jones' new style is to try to not stand out -- except by making big plays, like his interception and blocked extra-point attempt in Saturday's opening night blowout of Northern Colorado.
Jones, now playing second-string right cornerback, was expected to produce big plays like that last year. But he got a late start due to transfer difficulties. Then Jones had his scholarship reneged for continually breaking team rules and not doing well academically.
"When you're a star in high school and JC people give you a lot of leeway," Jones said. "I did what I wanted to do instead of what I was supposed to do. Missing meetings, showing up late, childish things. That was a wake-up call when (coach June Jones) told me he wasn't going to sign me for this year. He gave me the choice of being a walk-on or going on my way. That's when the light went on."
Jones decided to accept the challenge. He said working his way up from the bottom has made him more responsible.
"He's a great kid, he just never had anyone hold him accountable," June Jones said. "He did great in summer school and made giant steps the last three weeks. Hopefully his life is changed. Plus he loves football and he loves to hit."
Keenan Jones knows he has to maintain his new habits to increase his playing time in what has suddenly become a deep Hawaii secondary.
"On the field's the easy part," he said. "I don't want to embarrass the program, and that's what I was doing."
Soares out
Sophomore linebacker Blaze Soares was removed from the travel list after he aggravated his hamstring injury in yesterday's practice.
Senior Brad Kalilimoku will start again. Kalilimoku led UH with 10 tackles in the 63-6 victory over Northern Colorado last Saturday.
Timo Paepule, another senior linebacker, has recovered enough from a bruised foot to make the trip.
Warriors climb in polls
UH matched its highest ranking in 15 years, as the voters in the Associated Press poll put the Warriors at No. 20.
The AP poll also listed UH at No. 20 at the end of the 1992 season when Hawaii went 11-2, won the Western Athletic Conference championship and beat Illinois in the Holiday Bowl.
Hawaii's highest-ever ranking in a major poll was 16th by United Press International (coaches) during the 1981 season. That team was ranked 18th by AP.
UH entered this season ranked No. 23 by AP.
In the USA Today/Coaches poll, Hawaii moved up from No. 24 to No. 22.
Travel plans
The Warriors leave at 5 p.m. and arrive in Houston tomorrow morning. They practice there and move on to Monroe, La., on Friday.
They return to Houston after the game Saturday, and then go to Las Vegas on Friday, Sept. 14 in preparation for Saturday's game against the Rebels.
BACK TO TOP
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The Associated Press Top 25 Poll
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept. 3, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
|
Record |
Pts |
Pvs
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1. Southern Cal (59) |
1-0 |
1,619 |
1
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2. LSU (5) |
1-0 |
1,542 |
2
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3. West Virginia (1) |
1-0 |
1,449 |
3
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4. Florida |
1-0 |
1,346 |
6
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5. Oklahoma |
1-0 |
1,275 |
8
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5. Wisconsin |
1-0 |
1,275 |
7
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7. Texas |
1-0 |
1,221 |
4
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8. Louisville |
1-0 |
1,152 |
10
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9. Virginia Tech |
1-0 |
1,085 |
9
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10. California |
1-0 |
1,080 |
12
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11. Georgia |
1-0 |
959 |
13
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12. Ohio St. |
1-0 |
940 |
11
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13. UCLA |
1-0 |
736 |
14
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14. Penn St. |
1-0 |
662 |
17
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15. Rutgers |
1-0 |
659 |
16
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16. Nebraska |
1-0 |
541 |
20
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17. Auburn |
1-0 |
519 |
18
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18. Arkansas |
1-0 |
450 |
21
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19. TCU |
1-0 |
384 |
22
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20. Hawaii |
1-0 |
335 |
23
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21. Georgia Tech |
1-0 |
278 |
--
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22. Boise St. |
1-0 |
267 |
24
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23. Texas A&M |
1-0 |
217 |
25
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24. Tennessee |
0-1 |
210 |
15
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25. Clemson |
1-0 |
195 |
-- |
Others receiving votes: Boston College 126, Missouri 116, Miami 91, Oregon 90, Alabama 74, Oregon St. 41, Michigan 39, South Carolina 39, BYU 27, South Florida 27, Florida St. 22, Arizona St. 19, Southern Miss. 9, Wake Forest 7, Kansas 1, Washington 1.
How Star-Bulletin sports editor Paul Arnett voted: 1. USC; 2. LSU; 3. West Virginia; 4. Wisconsin; 5.Florida; 6. Texas; 7. Louisville; 8. Oklahoma; 9.California; 10. Ohio State; 11. Virginia Tech; 12. Rutgers; 13. TCU; 14. Texas A&M; 15. Arkansas; 16. Georgia; 17. Tennessee; 18.UCLA; 19. Boston College; 20. Nebraska; 21. Hawaii; 22. Wake Forest; 23. Auburn; 24. Boise State; 25. Clemson.
BACK TO TOP
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USA Today Top 25 Poll
The Top 25 teams in the USA Today college football coaches poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept. 3, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:
|
Record |
Pts |
Pvs
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1. Southern California (49) |
1-0 |
1,486 |
1
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2. LSU (4) |
1-0 |
1,417 |
2
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3. Florida (7) |
1-0 |
1,341 |
3
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4. West Virginia |
1-0 |
1,275 |
6
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5. Wisconsin |
1-0 |
1,183 |
7
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6. Oklahoma |
1-0 |
1,146 |
8
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7. Texas |
1-0 |
1,136 |
4
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8. Louisville |
1-0 |
995 |
11
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9. Virginia Tech |
1-0 |
988 |
9
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10. California |
1-0 |
985 |
12
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11. Ohio State |
1-0 |
977 |
10
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12. Georgia |
1-0 |
796 |
13
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13. Auburn |
1-0 |
644 |
14
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14. UCLA |
1-0 |
607 |
17
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15. Penn State |
1-0 |
585 |
18
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16. Rutgers |
1-0 |
576 |
16
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17. Nebraska |
1-0 |
512 |
19
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18. Arkansas |
1-0 |
455 |
20
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19. TCU |
1-0 |
351 |
22
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20. Boise State |
1-0 |
315 |
23
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21. Georgia Tech |
1-0 |
311 |
NR
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22. Hawaii |
1-0 |
269 |
24
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23. Texas A&M |
1-0 |
214 |
25
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24. Tennessee |
0-1 |
162 |
15
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25. Boston College |
1-0 |
153 |
NR |
Others receiving votes: Clemson 145; Michigan 132; Miami (Fla.) 61; Brigham Young 49; Oregon 41; South Carolina 34; Missouri 29; Texas Tech 25; Oregon State 24; Alabama 21; South Florida 20; Southern Mississippi 16; Florida State 14; Kentucky 4; Arizona State 3; Iowa 1; Wake Forest 1; Washington 1.