Sports Watch
JUNE is busting out all over. Or, along came Jones. The University of Hawaii athletic program isn't big, compared to the super powers of collegiate sports. And so, for the Rainbows to be successful in any endeavor, everyone on the athletic department has to be hands-on. Even the football coach. UH football needs a
good springboardThat's why I'm glad to see that June Jones is a hands-on kind of a guy despite his background as a former National Football League head coach with the San Diego Chargers and Atlanta Falcons.
Need him to speak to some people in order to persuade them to buy a few more season tickets for football? He'll show up and glad-hand people.
Heck, he'll even gladly sit down with Gov. Ben Cayetano, if you ask him. OK, I'm just kidding on that one.
Jones will be doing whatever he can to muster support for UH sports in general and his football program in particular. He's already got one more bonus point in my book of reckoning than outgoing Rainbow football coach Fred vonAppen.
Jones loves golf, vonAppen couldn't care less about it. Believe me, you can get a lot of corporate cooperation if you play a round of golf with CEOS.
Of course, that's all fine and dandy. You've still got to be a winner in this town. And Jones knows it'll be an imposing task to restore a football program that has sunk to an all-time low.
It all starts Monday afternoon when the football 'Bows begin spring camp. It'll be the first of 15 total practices with the Green-White spring game tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. on April 25 at Cooke Field. The practices will be open to the public.
USUALLY, spring football is no big deal, except maybe in Texas, where it's the second favorite sport after football. After all, you can only really evaluate your football team in the fall camp when the new recruits show up.
"There's no real way to gauge the team until everybody is here," admits Jones. But spring football is definitely necessary with this coaching change, according to Jones.
"We're anxious to start on Monday. The coaches have been meeting for the last six weeks. Now it's the actual, on-the-field stuff. That's the fun part," Jones said.
"It's important to get a feel for what is out there right now," added Jones, who realizes some players who performed well under the previous regime might not do as well under his system.
"Getting all that evaluated is our priority," Jones said. "The first few days, I'm sure everybody's heads will be swimming." Undoubtedly, even that of his brand-new coaching staff.
There will be even more sense of urgency in the fall, says Jones, since even the new players will have only two weeks to prepare for the Sept. 4 season opener against Southern California.
But he's looking forward to the coming season after seeing all the enthusiasm shown so far by the community.
"We're going to win some games. But it's going to take time to turn it around.
"Good players make good coaches, no matter what level it is - high school, college or pros. And I think we've improved our talent pool. Now, we've got to build on it."
The Rainbows will be without star running back Charles Tharp, who was suspended for the spring. "After spring ball is over, he'll be back on the roster," Jones said.
And, as a hands-on kind of a guy, Jones plans to call his own plays on offense.
Chalk up anther bonus point for Jones in my book of reckoning.