UH WARRIOR FOOTBALL
Warriors building foundation in summer
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The 13 or 14 games in the fall are just the end result of a year of activity for a college football program.
Hawaii is still 0-0 after six months under Greg McMackin, but the first-year UH coach said yesterday he is pleased with the foundation being built in Manoa, one he hopes will provide stability for years to come. Camps for young future Warriors and Warrior fans are a part of that.
Yesterday, McMackin spoke to hundreds of aspiring young football players at the Hawaii Football Skills Camp, and he passed around his Sugar Bowl ring for them to see what hard work can do.
McMackin talked to the youths about how the Warriors came back to beat San Jose State and Washington to keep alive their unbeaten regular season last year against daunting odds.
"You have the power inside you to make it happen," McMackin said. "Don't ever let anyone tell you you don't."
DAVE REARDON
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There really is no college football offseason.
"That's what I've found," Hawaii coach Greg McMackin said yesterday, as he walked toward his office from a morning on the practice field with hundreds of teenagers.
"But it's fast and fun. Just like this camp. The most important thing is we wanted the kids to have fun."
After next week's segment for linemen, around a thousand youngsters will have gone through the paces at the UH grass practice field - the same site where the Warriors officially begin preparing next month for Florida and the rest of the 2008 schedule.
"The attitude has been outstanding from the kids."
Greg McMackin / UH head football coach, on working with isle youngsters in football clinics this week and next
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McMackin has been on the job as head coach just over six months. He said he is pleased with the foundation built since June Jones left for SMU a few days after the Sugar Bowl.
"I feel really good as far as we've accomplished a lot of things," McMackin said. "Getting Jim Donovan as athletic director has been a big plus. I've been meeting with Under Armour the past two days. We've recruited a staff, recruited players, spring ball, summer school, raising money. On Aug. 19 we have a women's football clinic, hosted by my wife, Heather.
"And then we have our own camp. And then we play Florida."
McMackin meets the WAC media next week in Salt Lake City. But it isn't all public relations between now and the start of fall practice. His schedule up to Aug. 4 includes continuing to fill in the game plans for the first few games and building the identity of his coaching staff.
"I want to go over philosophy, our coaching routine, fundamentals and drills for our camp. We have a lot to do," he said. "The staff has been breaking down Florida, Weber State and Oregon State."
Yesterday, however, the coaches had their eyes on some players that might be Warriors far into the next decade.
The camps are much more than giving young players a chance to run around on their heroes' field, they also allow UH to evaluate - and secure - talent, especially from the local crop.
The Warriors made several offers this week, attaining commitments from Saint Louis School receiver Billy Ray Stutzmann and California quarterback Corey Nielsen. Another could be coming from Punahou quarterback Cayman Shutter.
Shutter committed to New Mexico last month, but that was before he knew the Warriors were interested in him.
"I still consider (the New Mexico commitment) solid," Shutter said. "But this is something I've really got to look at. UH is the one school I would consider de-committing for."
The skill camp ended yesterday with 7-on-7 drills. On the final play, Shutter lofted a beautiful long pass to the speedy Stutzmann, who gathered it in behind the defense despite having to run up a hill to get it.
"He has a nice release. The ball just floats," said Stutzmann, who added that he would try to recruit his Interscholastic League of Honolulu rival. "I'm going to talk to him about (signing with UH)."
McMackin is not allowed by NCAA rules to speak on individual recruits. But he did say 24 scholarship offers are out for the incoming class of 2009. Jones had begun to recruit earlier in his last year, but nothing of this scale (which is standard procedure at most schools).
McMackin credited camp director Rich Miano for the organization of the events. He also emphasized the camps are not just a recruiting tool.
"We wanted to do our fundamentals and techniques that we teach here. The assistants that aren't on our staff, our staff taught them what we want to do. We wanted to have (student-athlete consultant) Doris Sullivan come over and teach them about drugs and alcohol awareness and also what you have to do to get into college. Academics is important, we wanted to stress that.
"The attitude has been outstanding from the kids."