UH defensive
lineman off rosterCoaches don't expect Maldonado
to return, but the Warriors
are still loaded on the line
Defensive end Reggie Maldonado, who worked out with Hawaii in spring football practice, is no longer on UH's roster.
"It's up to him, not me. But I don't really expect him back," defensive coordinator George Lumpkin said.
Maldonado, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound junior, is a 2000 graduate of Kamehameha Schools. He competed for Saddleback College (Calif.) in 2001 but did not play last fall.
UH loses a good athlete in Maldonado, but the Warriors are loaded with experience and talent at end and tackle.
Seniors Travis LaBoy, Isaac Sopoaga, Lance Samuseva, Houston Ala and Kevin Jackson have 12 letters and all started at times last year. A second tier including Kila Kamakawiwo'ole, Abu Ma'afala, Darrell Tautofi and Kealii Aguiar has defensive line coach Vantz Singletary excited about his unit's depth.
Tautofi (6-3 1/2, 290) is a JC transfer who sat out last year while getting his academics in order. Singletary said he is cleared to play this fall.
"He gives us a lot of versatility," Singletary said. "He has the physical ability of a linebacker and can play tackle or end. He can play in any of our packages. He brings luxury to the table."
Aguiar (6-0, 310) adds depth to the tackle positions. The former Waimea standout started out on the defensive line after transferring from Dixie College. He tried the offensive line briefly before returning to the defense last year.
"We'll play him a lot this year," Singletary said. "He worked really hard and got after it after the offense gave him back to us."
QB gone: Freshman quarterback Preston Maloney has decided to transfer to Santa Barbara (Calif.) City College.
Maloney (6-1, 186) redshirted last year. He was one of six quarterbacks at spring practice -- plus wide receiver Se'e Poumele, who got quite a few plays at QB in the camp-ending scrimmage.
But Maloney said moving on had nothing to do with the traffic jam at his position.
"The football part was awesome. They don't get better than Coach (June) Jones. And I'm going to miss all my buddies on the team," Maloney said. "But I wasn't enjoying myself other than football. I guess I got that island fever."
Maloney said he hopes to transfer to San Diego State after a season at the JC.
"He liked the program and he's a great kid," quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison said. "We'll really miss him."
Goals: Jones said the Warriors aren't paying much attention to the preseason prognostications that pick them to win the Western Athletic Conference.
He said he has discussed goals for the season with his staff, but does not plan to disclose them publicly, even after he announces them to the team before the season starts Aug. 30.
"We keep those things within our group. We really don't care about expectations from others," Jones said.
He also said his new $800,016 per year contract doesn't add pressure.
"Nothing's different for me. The job's the same," said Jones, who is waiting for final details to be worked out between UH and his agent, Leigh Steinberg, before he signs the contract.
The new guy: It's a relatively slow time for the coaches, except for new linebackers assistant Cal Lee. Lee, who joined the staff July 1, is also head coach of the arenafootball2 Hawaiian Islanders. He left last night for an Islanders game tomorrow at Tulsa.
At UH, it is a dead period when coaches aren't allowed to initiate contact with players. But Lee's days have been full with learning the Warriors way of doing things.
"The past couple of days we've had several defense meetings," he said. "I'm having a lot of fun learning different techniques and terminology."
Lee, the former athletic director and football coach at Saint Louis School, said he is no longer the manager of the Saint Louis Alumni Clubhouse, known as "Crusader Lounge."
In an unrelated matter, Lee declined to comment yesterday on a pending lawsuit against him, former Saint Louis assistant athletic director Georges Gilbert and the school. The suit, filed by the parents of former Saint Louis football player Michael Houar, accuses Gilbert of kicking Houar at Lee's direction.