Chang's participation will be restricted to meetings

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Today, the University of Hawai'i football team begins its quest for answers with the opening of the fourth spring practice under head coach June Jones. Here are some:

• Who's the No. 1 quarterback?

For now, it is sophomore Tim Chang, although he will not participate in spring drills while recovering from surgery on his right wrist.

Chang will be allowed to throw May 1 — 16 days after spring practice ends — but is not expected to be at full strength until mid-summer.

Jones said Chang will attend all of the meetings. "That way he'll be on top of it," Jones said. "But mentally, after two years with us, he knows what we're doing."

Jason Whieldon, who transferred from Saddleback Community College in January, fifth-year senior Shawn Withy-Allen and redshirt freshman Jeff Rhode will be the only active quarterbacks in camp. Rhode, who is on the baseball team but is not expected to qualify for the travel squad, is expected to participate in the 15 football practices.

Graduate assistant Dan Robinson, assistant coach Tyson Helton and Nick Rolovich, last year's starting quarterback, will be the practice quarterbacks during receiving drills. Rolovich is at home in the Bay Area, preparing for a March 25 scouting combine, but will return to the Islands after that.

• Who are the graduate assistants?

Jacob Espiau, last year's starting strong safety, joins Robinson. But Robinson will have little time to work with the team. He is a personal banker associate at First Hawaiian Bank. He and his wife are expecting their third child May 10.

• Any transactions?

Linebacker Watson Hoohuli and offensive lineman Lyle Castro are not enrolled in school this semester because of personal reasons.

Wide receiver Omar Bennett, who did not attend UH last semester, has met the academic requirements to compete in spring practice. Bennett has only one season of eligibility remaining.

Defensive tackle Isaak Sopoaga is enrolled at UH, but will not be eligible to play until the fall. Defensive tackle Hiram Travis, who left the team in August to tend to family matters, is back in school and will compete in spring practice.

Also, all-state defensive end Darrell Tachibana of Kahuku High and Punahou School defensive back Jason Ching have indicated they will join the Warriors as non-scholarship players in the fall.

"He has the height — he's almost 6-3 — but he needs to put on some more weight," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said of the 205-pound Tachibana. "It might take him a couple of years. But he's a great player, that's for sure. He's a great pass rusher."

Ching received an offer to play for Division I-AA Brown, an Ivy League school that does not offer athletic scholarships. Instead, Ching has opted to join the Warriors as a walk-on.

• What is the status of Zac Wasserman?

Wasserman, a former Parade All-America quarterback who played for Penn State in 2000, has indicated he will transfer to UH.

But Wasserman, who committed to Penn State when he was a high school junior, wants to take his time before announcing his decision. He visited UH last week, and said he will not take any more recruiting trips.

Although he redshirted at Penn State in 2000 and played for a junior college last year, Wasserman received a special NCAA waiver that granted him four years to play three seasons. In addition, the NCAA said Wasserman can play in the fall. Wasserman left Penn State when his mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. She died last year.