[ UH FOOTBALL ]
Oklahoma wants
a shot at HawaiiAD says the schools have
had 'no contact' since the Sooners
initiated discussions
Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione would like the Sooners to play a series of football games with Hawaii.
"We contacted Hawaii a few months ago and asked if they'd be interested in playing. At the time we made contact, they said they'd consider it, but we didn't get all that strong a response," Castiglione said in a telephone interview earlier this week. "Quite frankly, we've had no contact since.
"Having said that, it's not that we wouldn't entertain (playing Hawaii). We just haven't had the contact."
Jeff Long, OU's former senior associate athletic director, who is now the athletic director at Pitt, made the inquiry, Castiglione said.
UH athletic director Herman Frazier had no comment. An athletic department official said UH did contact Oklahoma about a game to replace an opponent that canceled, but that did not work out and was long before Frazier became athletic director in August 2002.
Frazier and Hawaii coach June Jones both have said they are eager to play Top 25 level teams.
Castiglione said he's open to the idea of playing two games at Hawaii in exchange for one in Norman.
"Obviously Hawaii is a special destination and a special place for football," he said. "There's a great deal of expense involved, but I don't think our fans would turn down a reason to go to Hawaii."
Castiglione came to Hawaii when he was an assistant athletic director at Missouri in 1994. The Rainbows and Tigers tied 32-32.
Castiglione said a report in The Sporting News last month saying Hawaii and Oklahoma would play in 2005, 2006 and 2007 was not accurate.
The report also said "Hawaii also is close to a deal with Florida." While there has been brief talk between the schools, Jones and Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley both said there is nothing anywhere close to an agreement.
Hawaii is 0-2 against Oklahoma, falling to the Sooners 7-0 in 1931 and 21-17 in 1983. UH has never played Florida.
