UH camp pays off

Wait a minute ... another quarterback?

Yes, that's the position Kimo Makaula played at Punahou last year. But the multi-talented athlete agreed to accept a football scholarship from Hawaii yesterday as a defensive end.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound senior-to-be received an e-mail from UH coach Greg McMackin after yesterday's Big Man's Camp, offering him the scholarship. Makaula conferred with family members and quickly committed.

"It has been a dream to play at home and I am thankful Coach McMackin and his staff have made this possible for me," said Makaula, who also had an offer from UNLV. "I can play on both sides of the ball, but Coach wants me as a defensive end, so that's what I'm going to focus on at UH. Whatever the coaches want."

He joins wide receiver Billy Ray Stutzmann and quarterback Corey Nielsen as the third oral commitment to the UH recruiting class of 2009. Close to 30 other players have received offers, including three of Makaula's Punahou teammates: linebacker Manti Te'o, running back Dalton Hilliard and quarterback Cayman Shutter.

"We've talked about how fun it would be if we all went to the same school, if it were UH or another school, that would be something," Makaula said. "But everyone has to go their own way."

The Warriors want two high school quarterbacks in their next class. Several offers are also out to linemen, including Kailua's Chauncey Makainai and Damien's Benson Ma'afala.