Jones: Spartans
won’t trade tapes

The Hawaii football coach says
Michigan State hasn't returned
UH's calls requesting video

Coaches June Jones and John L. Smith didn't exchange videotape to prepare for the Hawaii-Michigan State football game Saturday at East Lansing, Mich. Christmas cards are probably out of the question, too.

At his weekly news conference yesterday, two days after the season-opening 63-17 loss to USC, Jones was asked if he'd seen tape of the Spartans yet.

"We just have to go by what we saw last year (when the Warriors beat MSU 41-38 at Aloha Stadium)," Jones said. "They wouldn't send us their tape. They also kind of put the word out. We've been waiting to send ours. They don't want to exchange tapes, which is fine, that's their deal."

Jones went on to say that when UH contacted Kent State to get a copy of the tape from its 49-14 loss Saturday to the Spartans, Kent State declined.

UH video coordinator Lopaka Ornellas is responsible for handling tape exchanges, Jones said.

Ornellas said he made several phone calls to Michigan State over the past two weeks and got no response.

"The Michigan State coaches asked the Kent State coaches not to send it to us. Because we wouldn't send them ours, that's what they told them," Jones said.

"We've been trying to reach (Michigan State to exchange tapes) for 10 days," Jones added. "I have no idea why they would lie to them. It's kind of a bad deal. But you do what you do to win, I guess.

"Usually someone tells you they're not going to send it, they tell you to your face, 'We don't really want to exchange.' But that's the way it goes. We don't have to exchange if they don't want to, they're not in our conference. Unreal," Jones said. "To not return a phone call and then tell Kent State a false statement. Kind of unreal, but that's life in the fast lane."

Michigan State and Kent State coaches could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Jones was asked if the disparity in penalties in last year's game (16 for 119 yards against MSU to 5 for 35 for UH) might have anything to do with the lack of the customary tape exchange.

"I don't have any comment on that," said Jones, who then had a lot to say. "You go on the road, it happens. It's going to happen to us up there and that's just the way it is. You're on the road, you don't get calls. ... We reviewed every one of their penalties, they were penalties. I thought the guys did a good job. But hey, they lost. ... It's hard to put the blame on themselves."

Jones said he doesn't know if Michigan State has tape from the USC-Hawaii game.

"We didn't call Pete (USC coach Carroll) and tell him not to send it," Jones said.

UH and USC did not exchange tapes before their 2003 game because of a communications mix-up. Jones said at the time it did not have to do with UH having played just one game and USC two before their matchup.

Nevada coach Chris Ault said yesterday his request for a tape of the Washington State-Idaho game was denied by Idaho. Nevada hosts Washington State on Friday.

"I don't know what agreement (Idaho) had with Washington State," Ault said on the Western Athletic Conference teleconference. "Sometimes schools make agreements. All I can tell you is we don't have the tape."

Peters pau?: Starting senior free safety Leonard Peters won't need surgery for an MCL tear in his right knee suffered in the fourth quarter Saturday.

UH medical personnel have Peters listed as "week to week," but Jones said he thinks UH's leading tackler from last year probably won't be able to play again this season.

Some players can return to action as quickly as six weeks after such an injury, UH team doctor Jay Marumoto said. But they are usually linemen who don't have to rely as much on their knees to make quick cuts in the open field, Jones and Marumoto said.

Lamar Broadway, Landon Kafentzis, Kirk Alexander and Michael Malala are the candidates to replace Peters.

Slotback Jason Ferguson is expected to undergo surgery for an ACL tear and is out for the season. Ryan Grice-Mullen or Nate Ilaoa will replace him in the starting lineup.

Patton banged up: Cornerback Kenny Patton played Saturday, less than two weeks after arthroscopic knee surgery, and said he should be fine for the Michigan State game.

He aggravated a shoulder separation from last year's Hawaii Bowl game, but is expected to start Saturday.

Ryan Keomaka retains his starting position at the other corner, despite being pulled early from the USC game.

"He missed a tackle, but he didn't play that bad," Jones said.

Huskies coming?: The Seattle Times reported that Washington is close to completing a deal with UH to play the Warriors here at the end of next season, with the possibility of a Hawaii game at Washington in a future season.

That would put UH within one game of completing its 13-game schedule for next year.