ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pisa Tinoisamoa is one of three starting linebackers UH coaches will be looking to replace when spring practice starts today.
Jones trying to When you talk Xs and Os with Hawaii football coach June Jones, the Os -- for offense -- usually dominate the conversation.
simplify defense
Hawaii coach forced to be
more hands on since Kevin
Lempa left for Boston CollegeBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comBut as the Warriors prepared for spring practice, which began this morning at Cooke Field, Jones had defense on his mind.
UH went into camp without a defensive coordinator since Kevin Lempa left for Boston College last month. So Jones -- known for coaching one of the most productive offenses in the nation -- has worked directly with defensive assistants Vantz Singletary (line), George Lumpkin (linebackers) and Rich Miano (secondary) more than usual the past month.
"I spent more time with the defense, but I don't see it as being a real difficult thing," Jones said. "We just made some changes we wanted to make in the schemes, and now we hope to get those changes ingrained in the players. I think they're going to find it's less complicated and more just about playing football."
Although Lempa was often criticized by fans, Jones said he helped the defense improve.
"We got away from some of the rules and base things we did when (1999 defensive coordinator) Greg (McMackin) was here. Some things helped us. We went from 87th and finished 52nd in the nation in defense (yardage allowed) last year and hopefully we can get into the top 25 this year," Jones said.
Jones expects continued improvement by simplifying the schemes.
"(Lempa) did a lot of things he was comfortable with and the players latched on and played hard. But I think when you have those kind of changes to the system, it kind of changed some of our base rules and became a little more complicated than what we did in 1999," Jones said.
Jones wants to streamline what basically became a hybrid system, he said.
"Kevin brought the influence of playing more man-to-man. We were a man-to-man team with the Chargers (where Jones and Lempa worked together)," Jones said. "Within the system of trying to combine the principles of man-to-man with zone blitz you have to compromise some of your rules. So we went back in and cleaned up the rules so the man and zone blitz can tie together better. We are a difficult defense to get ready for. But because we tried to worship two or three kinds of systems we became predictable at times."
One legacy of Lempa that will remain is the "robber" package he implemented last year. Basically, it's a defense with an eight- or nine-man front and man coverage for use against teams that run the ball and don't pass well. It worked very well in victories against Texas-El Paso and Southern Methodist last year.
"We want to build on that," Jones said. "Having an offseason allows you time to do that."
It also gives you time to work with new players. Linebackers Chris Brown, Pisa Tinoisamoa and Matt Wright were two-year starters, and Brown and Tinoisamoa were all-conference performers. Jones and Lumpkin need to find their replacements.
Keani Alapa, Chad Kalilimoku and Ikaika Curnan start the spring atop the depth chart, but the coaches feel there are close to 10 potential starters.
"They're going to be real good. When one guy moves on that gives another guy a chance to show his greatness," Lumpkin said.
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