WAC wants to be
ready for replay

The conference is considering using
digital technology to do the job

KAANAPALI >> The Nalu Capture has captured the imagination of the Western Athletic Conference leadership.

Developed by Hawaii-based company Nalu Technologies, the Nalu Capture is a computer-based concept that proponents think will change the way football games are recorded, disseminated, analyzed and -- in the WAC's case, possibly as early as 2006 -- officiated.

The technology, which has been put into experimental use in recent years by the Denver Broncos, is one reason the WAC Board of Directors decided to table the proposal regarding use of instant replay in officiating at its meetings yesterday on Maui.

The board will discuss the topic again in 30 days, WAC commissioner Karl Benson said.

One attraction of the technology is that it does not require a large number of cameras in order to get a variety of looks at plays; the WAC faces a dilemma in the use of instant replay because not all league games are televised.

"It's a digital approach," Idaho president Timothy White said. "You get angles from computer video and you can thread a game much faster and in many different ways."

Hawaii coach June Jones suggested the WAC look at the Nalu Capture technology.

"They showed it at our (WAC council) meetings. It's probably going to be pretty revolutionary stuff, in two or three different ways," Jones said. He declined to elaborate, for fear of "stealing their thunder."

Nalu Technologies has been publicity-shy about the progress of its product. Nalu president Richard Schiavi declined an interview request last summer about the Nalu Capture. He did not return phone calls yesterday afternoon.

"It's a very good idea," Hawaii-Manoa chancellor Peter Englert said. "I think the technology will be available for everyone in about a year and affordable. I don't think this year. So we are getting ready for it and want to determine how to test it and where."

UH athletic director Herman Frazier thinks the concept is promising, too.

"It's going to allow you to view plays from a lot of different angles," Frazier said. "It includes breaking down film easier and faster."

Benson did not want to talk much about the Nalu Capture, other than acknowledge the WAC is researching it.

"It's an experiment," he said. "Conferences around the country are doing different experiments (with instant replay). We're confident within a couple years (instant replay review) will be mandatory, so we want to be ready."

The proposal from the WAC council involves allowing coaches to challenge officials' calls using instant replay, NFL-style, only in televised nonconference games. The Big Ten tried it last year, and other conferences are expected to this year.

"There's an equity issue," said White, whose school's games are not always on TV, unlike those of Hawaii and Fresno State. "We want everyone on the same 100-yard field and we want similar game-day experiences for all the league's players, coaches, fans and media."

Said Benson: "Our biggest challenge is games that are not televised."

Also yesterday:

>> The board voted to amend the six-credit rule pertaining to eligibility of student-athletes in competitions after semesters end, such as football bowl games. The rule will now only apply to players in their last year of eligibility. The rule, which was originally instituted to prevent seniors from skipping classes because eligibility consequences would not catch up with them, requires that schools verify that athletes have passed at least two classes in the just-concluded semester.

"The board felt it was important to maintain the rule and put some teeth in it," Benson said. "This is a compromise. There was strong support to keep it as is, strong support to rescind it."

UH was fined $5,000 for not verifying its players' eligibility for the 2002 Hawaii Bowl. UH officials said it was not done because it was impossible to in the short time span between the end of the fall semester and the Christmas Day game.

"This is middle ground," Frazier said. "At one point we had to certify all our players. Now we have a smaller number to deal with -- it should be manageable."

This is the second time in three years the WAC council (athletic directors and other department officials) proposed rescinding the six-credit rule.

"Maintaining the rule gives us a tool to remind coaches and others of academic obligations," Englert said. "To some degree, I desire the six-credit rule to apply to all students. But this is an acceptable compromise."

The NCAA also has a six-credit rule, which applies to events at least 14 days after the end of a semester.

>> The $50,000 payout to schools that have football games moved from Saturday for television and the $50,000 bonus for NCAA Tournament basketball appearances were both increased to $100,000, beginning this year.

That means UH gets $50,000 more for its home game against Wisconsin being switched from Nov. 26 to Nov. 25 to accommodate ESPN2.

"Part of (the WAC's) strategic planning is to provide incentives to performing better," Englert said.

Benson said other performance-based issues were discussed, but not acted upon.

>> Fresno State's John Welty replaced Boise State's Robert Kustra as board president. Kustra's term had ended.

Welty and Kustra both said neither school plans to leave the conference.

"We're the WAC and our job is to build a strong WAC," Welty said.

There was no discussion about adding schools during the three days of meetings, Benson said.

>> Benson said the league's strategic plan, which he presented Monday, "received positive reaction but is definitely a work in progress."

Neither he nor board members supplied details, except to say the plan covers academic, athletic, scheduling, budget and finance and attendance issues.

>> Benson's marketing plan was approved.

"The whole idea is to generate recognition of the WAC," Benson said. "I'm not prepared today for specifics. It will begin in 30 to 60 days."

He said it includes a new logo.

UH-USC game will be played at 1 p.m. Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier announced yesterday that ESPN2 will televise the season opener between two-time defending national champion Southern California and Hawaii at 1 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. "We are proud to have our opening game selected for national television," Frazier said in a release. "This game, while not in our traditional time slot, will bring great exposure to our state and our program all over the country." Hawaii will appear in a regional broadcast on ABC-TV in its Oct. 29 home game with WAC rival Fresno State. ESPN2 will also broadcast Hawaii's nonconference game with Wisconsin. That game was moved to Friday, Nov. 25. Star-Bulletin staff