Jones to hit Lingle
with stadium issueOn the morning of a historic inauguration, June Jones took the opportunity at his weekly news conference to re-launch his campaign for the University of Hawaii to take control of operations at Aloha Stadium.
"Well, I would like to comment on it," he said of the occasion of Linda Lingle stepping into office as Hawaii's first Republican governor in 40 years and what that could mean for UH's arrangements at the stadium.
"I think that we're making some strides in the right direction," with the stadium, Jones said yesterday. "Some of the business community people that are now on the (stadium) board understand the importance of what it is for our school to have that stadium. And hopefully the new administration understands that, too."
Jones said he had not yet briefed Lingle on the issue, but said that he hoped to do so in the future.
"I have not spoken with Linda about it," Jones said. "But I plan to and I'm sure that we'll have an opportunity to discuss it, the positives.
"And hopefully she's with us on that."
Jones did not offer any specific plans or reasons why UH should take control of the stadium.
"I have some pretty strong ideas on what will happen, and whether it will or not I don't know," he said.
Go, stay, go?: After an eye-popping effort in Saturday's 21-16 loss to Alabama, further attention turns to the future plans of UH linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.
"He was everywhere, no question about it," Jones said. "I think that speed-wise, for a linebacker running, I'd not seen that kind of level of acceleration."
Tinoisamoa, who was a partial qualifier upon his admission to UH, will earn another year of eligibility if he can graduate by this spring. Jones said Tinoisamoa has told him the linebacker will return if he gets those credits.
But the potential pro prospect is listed among those players who will take their final Senior Walk after Saturday's game.
"I stay out of it," Jones said. "Just try to list the positives and negatives and let them make their own decisions."
When pressed why he wouldn't convince a player to come back, Jones said, "What if I talked him into staying and he tore his knee up the first game?"
Here come the Aztecs: Hawaii resumes its rivalry with San Diego State in Saturday's regular-season finale, a tough task in light of last week's game, Jones said.
"It's going to be all we can do to get emotionally ready to play this (Saturday) after a big emotional game like that and the way we played," Jones said. "And we're going to have to play that way to beat San Diego State."
Jones praised SDSU's overall athleticism, defense and passing game.
"They had Fresno beat at Fresno," Jones said. "And they beat Air Force at Air Force. I mean, they can play football."
Still hurting: Hawaii lost offensive lineman Lui Fuata and safety Hyrum Peters to knee injuries last week, and Fuata is officially listed as "out," Peters as "doubtful" for this week's game.
"I know for sure they'll miss San Diego State," Jones said. "We're hopeful for Christmas Day. That's going to be right to the wire. But we're hopeful for that."
Defense, offense: Jones said that Hawaii's defense played well enough to beat Alabama.
"The defensive line, Lance (Samuseva) and Houston Ala were incredible," Jones said. "They played very, very well. Isaac (Sopoaga) played very well. La'anui (Correa) did some great things against the option. I mean everybody played good. Hyrum Peters was having a great -- a Pisa kind of game, until he got hurt."
The news on offense was less encouraging, but Jones chalked it up to simply dropping passes and missing open receivers, missing opportunities to make plays. Quarterback Tim Chang took a pounding, but that was no surprise, Jones said.
Gambles again: Jones said that Saturday's controversial plays -- an onside kick, a fake punt, a trick play -- were all in the playbook from the beginning, and not last-second wagers.
"I told the team on the punt we're going to fake inside our 25 sometime during the game, and we were going to get it. We guessed wrong. Had we not had the penalty, we would have got it," Jones said. "Stuff like that."
The onside kick was a given as well.
"We did everything we said we were going to do," Jones said. "Some of them worked, some of them didn't."
Smart guy: Junior safety David Gilmore was one of six Western Athletic Conference players named to the Verizon Academic All-District team.