By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Sports Writer

University of Hawai‘i football coach June Jones is now able to sit up for five minutes at a time, family spokesman Artie Wilson said yesterday.

Jones remains in guarded condition in the Queen’s Medical Center’s critical-care unit following last week’s single-car crash on the H-1 Freeway.

But Wilson said the precautionary neck brace was removed yesterday morning, and that Jones is now able to sit up.

Wilson said Jones, who can speak in short sentences, is aware of time and his surroundings. Wilson also said Jones knows that today is the first day of spring practice for the UH football team.

“When he’s awake, he’s much more alert,” Wilson said.

But Wilson cautioned that Jones still is in a great deal of discomfort and that recovery is “a slow process.”

“Even though he’s feeling better, these things take time,” Wilson said.

Wilson said the doctors will discuss today the time frame for when Jones will be able to eat food. He is being fed intravenously.