Hope you liked that transition season, Hawaii football fans.

You've got another one coming up.

Technically, every year's a rebuilding year. But this is going to be a doozy, more of one than the just completed 7-7 campaign.

The Warriors lost a lot more than the Hawaii Bowl the other day. They lost 35 seniors—most of whom were in three bowl games and were on teams that went a combined 23-4 in 2006 and 2007. Many played major roles in the greatest two-year run in UH football history.

That's more than one-third of your team, 35 seniors.

One year, the offense. The next year, the defense—with many questions remaining on offense.

The best player in school history, Colt Brennan, completed his career last season. Solomon Elimimian was the most productive defensive player in UH's century of football competition, and now he's done, too.

You lost the high-profile, eye-catching, record-breaking offense after last season. Now you've lost a core of hard-hitting, turnover-inducing defenders.

They didn't perform well against Notre Dame, but you know overall that David Veikune, Ryan Mouton, Solomon Elimimian, Adam Leonard and Keala Watson were great the last two and three years and will be missed.

Oh, and don't forget kicker Dan Kelly, punter Tim Grasso and long snapper Jake Ingram. Their talent and experience won't be easy to replace, either.

To his credit, coach Greg McMackin has taken recruiting head on. But the cream of a strong crop of local players is, as usual, mainland-bound.

A quick infusion of game-ready JC talent must make an immediate impact in 2009, the way Mouton did in 2007. UH had hoped that would be the case this season, but none of the new receivers from junior college did anything this fall.

And Kainoa LaCount—perhaps the most vital member of McMackin's first recruiting class—didn't make it into school in time. One player does not an offensive line make, but this prototype tackle could have helped a group that set an NCAA record for sacks allowed.

Then there were two veterans that were counted upon, quarterback Tyler Graunke and linebacker Blaze Soares. Off-field issues and injuries kept Graunke out of action before and after he bailed UH out against Weber State. The hard-hitting Soares has at least one season left, but is a question mark after missing a season-and-a-half with injuries.

UH's penchant for penalties was troubling enough when the Warriors were winning. Now they look like sore losers with more personal fouls than personal bests against Notre Dame. Not a good way to go out.

There will be at least one coaching change with the departure of Alex Gerke, as some fans clamor for more.

My nephew is on the East Coast, serving in the Navy. He bleeds UH green and doesn't have a 48-hour rule. He and other Warriors fans are left with a 28-point loss for eight months.

“;So sad, Uncle,”; Joey said. “;I stopped watching after the third quarter.”;

Unless a lot of pukas get filled with good players, he won't have to worry about seeing the Warriors lose a bowl game next season.