Jones: Grades
no worry
for bowl

The UH coach says he does not
expect any players to be
academically ineligible to play

Hawaii football coach June Jones said yesterday he doesn't expect academic eligibility issues to affect the Warriors roster for the Dec. 24 Hawaii Bowl against UAB at Aloha Stadium.

UH lost team MVP Travis LaBoy from last year's Hawaii Bowl against Houston because of the Western Athletic Conference's six-credit rule. Players must pass at least two classes from the fall semester to be eligible for bowl games.

Jones said he will find out if any players are ineligible "probably the day before the game."

The team has today off from practice, and the players have been taking finals throughout the week.

"They've been pretty much on top of it all year," Jones said. "I feel like every year they do a pretty good job."

Senior quarterback Tim Chang and several other players missed part of yesterday's practice to take finals. Chang was suspended from the opening game of the 2003 season because he played in the 2002 Hawaii Bowl while academically ineligible because of an incomplete class.

A computerized grade-processing system emplaced last year makes it easier to track who is eligible to play, Jones said.

Cornerback Kenny Patton said the fall semester is always a trying one because football takes so much time, especially with road trips.

"But my teachers have been very understanding," said Patton, who is taking two 300-level English classes, psychology and Spanish. "They're the reason I can be an English major, because they allow me to take tests at different times and make up for missed classes."

Patton achieved a 4.0 grade-point average last spring, but said that would be difficult to duplicate this semester because of missed time from school.

He is on track to graduate in the spring of 2006, and would still have another season of football eligibility after that. His plan is to take graduate classes and play as a senior, as defensive tackle Lui Fuga is doing this season.

No signings expected today: Today is the first day mid-year transferring junior college football players can sign with four-year schools. Hawaii coach June Jones and his staff are recruiting more than the usual one or two JC transfers this year, but Jones said none are likely to put pen to paper right away.

"We have some coming in this weekend, but I don't expect any signings (today)," Jones said.

Offensive lineman Laupepa Letuli is one of the top high school prospects coming in.

Oregon, Oregon State and UNLV are also pursuing Letuli, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound right tackle at North Torrance High in California.