Vacation does
wonders for
UH's Garner

Coaches and players walked past University of Hawaii defensive lineman Miles Garner without so much as a second glance.

"Hardly anyone recognizes me since I lost so much weight over the summer," the sophomore nose tackle said after yesterday's fall camp practice for the 41 newcomers. "The only coach who recognized me right away was Coach (Doug) Semones."

In fact, Semones went so far as to introduce Garner to UH defensive coordinator Tom Williams, who started laughing once he knew it was Garner behind the sunglasses.

"I looked across the field and wondered who that was," Williams said to Garner, who is a svelte 307 pounds. "Big man, you look great."

Garner lost nearly 30 pounds over the summer, shedding most of it while on vacation with his family.

"I watched what I ate and worked out in a really good weight room," Garner said. "I already know I'm quicker. The loss of weight should help me in this heat as well."

As a freshman, Garner weighed as much as 340 pounds last year. The anchor in UH's three-man front appeared in 10 games in 1997, finishing with 18 tackles.

"It's good to see Miles trimmed down like that," Williams said. "He's still big and strong. Now you add quickness to the mix, which can only help him down there in the trenches."

MEDIA STANDOFF: It didn't take long for Fred vonAppen to get agitated with the local media.

On Monday, the third-year head football coach for the University of Hawaii was angered when a television reporter questioned a couple newcomers about the eventual breakup of the Western Athletic Conference.

"How is a freshman expected to answer that question?" vonAppen said after yesterday's practice at Cooke Field. "It was an idiotic question, so everyone is going to pay for it."

No UH newcomers will be allowed to talk with the media until after an Aug. 18 orientation. Just how that will affect media day on Aug. 15 is anyone's guess.

"I haven't talked with Coach about it yet, but I will," UH sports information director Lois Manin said yesterday. "Coach (Tom) Williams called me yesterday about it because he saw the player being interviewed on TV about the WAC breakup."

For the past two years, vonAppen has conducted meetings between the local media and the players. No such orientation program has been scheduled for this fall camp.

COACHES ADDED: Brent Brennan and Lance Thomas were named graduate assistants for the UH football team for 1998.

Brennan is a 1996 graduate of UCLA. He played wide receiver for the Bruins for four years and was on the dean's list at UCLA while earning a bachelor's degree in history. This semester, he will begin work on a master's degree in sociology.

"Both Lance and Brent are as sharp as they come," Williams said. "Brent will work with the wide receivers and Troy will handle outside linebackers."

Thomas, 25, is a 1994 graduate of Fresno State. He was a starting free safety for the Bulldogs in 1993 and 1994. He played for Fresno State in the 1993 Aloha Bowl loss to the University of Colorado.

For the past three years he played in the Arena League. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in speech communication.

Former UH safeties Chris Shinnick and Eddie Klaneski will serve as student assistant coaches this season. Shinnick joined the UH staff last spring and Klaneski came on board late last week.

INJURY UPDATE: Rinda Brooks and Zeff Ah Quin are the only returning players not expected to suit up for the Rainbows at today's two-a-days.

Ah Quin is recovering from knee surgery to repair a torn ACL and Brooks will miss fall camp with a nasty hamstring pull.

The Rainbows also lost offensive lineman Gary Krug, who decided to retire after eight knee surgeries. Newcomer Serge Gudowski is battling a nasty case of shinsplints. The fullback from Saddleback (Calif.) Junior College won't be at full speed in fall camp.

Neither will Matt Scruggs, who had two shoulder surgeries in the off-season. Recruited as a tight end, Scruggs was moved to defense.

CELEBRATION SET: This Saturday, the general public is invited to attend a public relations session with the UH football team at Cooke Field.

Fans will join corporate sponsors, the band and the Rainbow dancers to kick off the coming season. It will also be media day. It begins at 9 a.m. and will last until noon.

NA KOA BANQUET: The annual Na Koa Club football banquet is set for Aug. 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Cost is $1,000 for a table of 10, which will include a UH player or coach. Cost for individual non-sponsored guests is $110. For more information, contact Ed Gayagas at 956-4513 or Cher at 592-4802. Those interested must contact the Na Koa Club by Aug. 14.

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By Paul Arnett