HAWAII FOOTBALL
Hawaii depth chart far from cemented
Jones relaxes by watching baseball, but his mind never strays far from Warriors football
June Jones was watching the San Francisco Giants against the Houston Astros on Monday -- in person.
"I'm hoping Barry (Bonds) plays," he said in a phone conversation from the fourth row of AT&T Park.
Jones didn't catch baseball history, or even a Bonds foul ball. But the Hawaii football coach took a minute between pitches to talk about his own team's future.
The Warriors -- optimistic with nearly the entire offense back after last year's 5-7 campaign -- open fall practice for the 2006 season on Friday, Aug. 4, one day after players report Aug. 3, Jones said.
"We'll still do the NCAA orientation meetings, and the young kids will have their academic orientations in the morning," Jones said.
The Warriors will also have their heights and weights measured, and undergo physical examinations upon reporting.
"And the rest of the schedule is pretty much official," Jones said.
The first two days of practice at the UH grass field will be helmets only, with shoulder pads being added Aug. 7. The first full-pads practice is scheduled for Aug. 14.
Four two-a-days are scheduled, and Sundays will be off days.
Fall camp officially ends with the start of classes Aug. 21. UH then reverts to its regular practice schedule of 7 to 9 a.m. daily. Practices are open to the
public and free of charge.
The Warriors leave for their opening game, at Alabama, on Aug. 29. They will spend two days in Atlanta before a Sept. 1 walk-through at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The season opens the next day with the first road game against the Crimson Tide in UH history.
Hawaii beat Alabama 37-29 in 2003 and lost to the Tide 21-16 in 2002.
Jones also said the post-spring-practice depth chart released last week could change quickly.
Junior Brad Kalilimoku is listed as the starting strong safety, but could end up back at inside linebacker, where he played in 2004 and 2005, or at outside linebacker.
"We have a lot of new kids coming in, especially at that position," Jones said. "Someone might be able to play right away, and we could move Brad back."
While the lineup could quickly change -- especially if free safety Leonard Peters and running back Nate Ilaoa are not granted additional eligibility by the NCAA -- Jones said the coaching staff remains the same.
"Nothing's changed," Jones said, referring to the coaching staff and the appeals.
Jones was scheduled to meet with new Kahuku coach Reggie Torres today, and will leave with assistant coach Jeff Reinebold on May 18 for a recruiting trip in Samoa.
