Warriors’ game at
UNLV moved for ESPN2The football team may stay on
the mainland after playing USCThe Hawaii football team lost a day, but the Warriors also likely lost the hassle and expense of two trans-Pacific flights when their game at Nevada-Las Vegas was changed yesterday from Sept. 20 to Sept. 19.
The game will be played Friday instead of Saturday to accommodate ESPN2, which will televise the game nationally.
That means the Warriors will likely remain on the mainland after their Sept. 13 game at USC. Before the move, coach June Jones was considering returning to Hawaii between games. It would probably cost more to lodge and feed a traveling party of more than 75 people for three extra days than to fly back and forth.
But the extra flights could take a toll on the players' ability to perform.
One fewer day on the road makes remaining on the continent more feasible economically, Jones said.
"I'd say there's a pretty good chance of us staying now. We're still waiting to find out what the best deal will be with the charters," Jones said.
He said UH is looking into filling out the charter flight with fans who want to go to both games.
"We've been talking about that possibility. That's one of the main things we've been waiting for to decide what we will do," he said.
In another matter, Jones said he's pleased the Western Athletic Conference athletic directors are voting to streamline the grade certification process for NCAA postseason competition. UH was reprimanded and fined $5,000 by the league for not certifying its players because grades were not available in time for the Dec. 25 ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl.
The new rule would allow schools to use grades from the previous semester when the new semester's grades are posted three days or less before the event.
"We self-invoked that (new) rule last year and it worked," Jones said.
2003 schedule
Aug. 30: Appalachian StateSept. 13: at USC
Sept. 19: at UNLV
Sept. 27: Rice*
Oct. 4: at Tulsa*
Oct. 11: Fresno State*
Oct. 18: at Louisiana Tech*
Oct. 25: Texas-El Paso*
Nov. 1: at San Jose State*
Nov. 15: at Nevada*
Nov. 22: Army
Nov. 29: Alabama
Dec. 6: Boise State*
*WAC game
UH Athletics
