Jones holds off naming starting quarterback

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones said he will wait until after tomorrow's practice to announce a starting quarterback for Friday afternoon's nationally televised game against Fresno State at Aloha Stadium.

Will June Jones pick Nick Rolovich or Timmy Chang? Advertiser library photo • Aug. 2, 2001

Chang practiced two days last week and appeared ready to return. But he apparently aggravated the injury Thursday, and he did not play in Saturday's 36-15 victory at Tulsa.

When asked if it would be disruptive for Chang to start against Fresno State, Jones said, "No. We were leading the nation in passing when he got hurt."

But Jones did not reaffirm his long-standing policy that a player will not lose his starting job because of an injury.

Even if Chang were healthy, Jones said, "I'll see how things go on Tuesday before making a decision."

Rolovich, a senior who transferred from City College of San Francisco nearly two years ago, threw three scoring passes against Tulsa. The outcome boosted the Warriors to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the Western Athletic Conference. Their final three WAC games are at Aloha Stadium.

"It's great to see the team playing well," said Rolovich, who watched a replay of the UH-Tulsa telecast yesterday. "Everyone's making plays for us."

Rolovich started the first two games last season, but struggled both times and eventually relinquished the job to Chang. Rolovich, who had considered redshirting, said he is more focused this season.

"Looking back," Rolovich said, "I saw so many things I was uncertain about."

Rolovich said the other offensive starters helped ease the way when he was summoned to replace Chang.

"I appreciate that," Rolovich said. "They made me feel comfortable."

Meanwhile, Jones said the Warriors will stick to their usual schedule of not practicing on a Monday, even though there is one fewer day to prepare for Fresno State.

"We need two good practices (on Tuesday and Wednesday)," said Jones, who was in Portland yesterday and will return to Honolulu tonight.

In the week leading to a game, players usually run sprints and watch videotapes with their position coaches on Monday, participate in contact drills Tuesday and Wednesday, and practice lightly on Thursday.

Jones said running back Thero Mitchell, who suffered a sprained ankle against Tulsa, is expected to play Friday. No other UH player sustained a significant injury Saturday.

Jones said he was not surprised that his players did not look past Tulsa.

"They knew that if we didn't play well against Tulsa, the Fresno game wouldn't have as much meaning," Jones said.

• Live debate: Despite protests from UH officials, Friday's game against Fresno State will be televised live across the Islands.

"That's my understanding," UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida told The Advertiser last night.

In the past, a college football telecast could be blacked out locally if attendance did not reach a set minimum.

"There are new rules now," Yoshida said of the ESPN-produced telecast.

Yoshida said he thinks the new contract between the Western Athletic Conference, of which UH is a member, and ESPN does not include a blackout clause.

Yoshida said he will seek a clarification from WAC commissioner Karl Benson today. Benson is scheduled to attend the game.

UH officials believe that the live telecast hurt attendance for the season opener against Montana at Maui's War Memorial Stadium.

Friday's 4 p.m. kickoff — usually the starting time of the week's busiest traffic — is expected to negatively impact attendance, said Jones, who opposed the move from Saturday night.

Benson, who helped broker the date switch at the request of ESPN, said the league will compensate UH for lost revenue caused by the date switch.