"We'll make the adjustment at midstream, and we'll go on, and we'll be better for it," UH coach June Jones told The Advertiser last night.

Chang, who is being promoted by the school as a candidate for the Heisman Trophy as the nation's best football player, was not available for comment last night because of a late team meeting.

UH athletic director Herman Frazier, who is vacationing in Greece, also could not be reached for comment.

Last year, the WAC, of which UH is a member, implemented a rule that requires its football players to earn at least six credits during the fall semester to be eligible to play in a postseason bowl game. The Warriors played in the ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl last Christmas, losing to Tulane, 36-28.

UH did not certify any of its players, claiming there was not enough time between the end of the 2002 fall semester Dec. 20 and the Dec. 25 game.

Despite suggestions from league officials, Frazier did not file for a hardship waiver, which almost certainly would have been granted.

The WAC fined UH $5,000 for not certifying its players and issued a public reprimand.

After the fall semester's final grades were submitted Dec. 28, Chang was found to have not attained the minimum of six credits by the day of the game.

UH reported the violation to the NCAA, which determined Chang was ineligible for the Hawai'i Bowl. The NCAA agreed to reinstate Chang every game but the season opener.

Although the players were told of Chang's suspension yesterday morning, UH associate athletic director Thomas Sadler, in charge of the department's day-to-day decisions, did not announce the NCAA's decision until last night.

In a written statement distributed to the media, Sadler said: "This is an unfortunate situation for Timmy and our football program. As a member institution, we are obligated to comply with the WAC and NCAA rules, but it was clearly impossible for us to do so for purely technical reasons."

Jones said he believes Chang should have been found eligible. Jones said Chang received extensions from his professors for unfinished work.

According to Jones, Chang completed the outstanding projects — although not before Dec. 25 — and earned passing final grades on all of his fall semester classes.

"It is not fair, but that's the way it goes," Jones said. "It's unfair to Timmy, but he'll handle it, and it will make him a better man. He'll be OK."

Jones defending UH's decision not to certify its players, insisting that with the short time frame, "there was no way we could have certified anybody. And as it turned out, nobody (who played for UH in the game) failed any classes, not even Timmy. The NCAA isn't always fair. Nobody was asked to do what we were asked to do."

The WAC's other two bowl teams in 2002 — Boise State and Fresno State — certified its players, although both schools had more time between the end of their semesters and their bowl games.

Still, Fresno State withheld seven players from the Silicon Valley Football Classic, even though five of them completed makeup work and passed their fall classes.

At the time, Fresno State coach Pat Hill told The Advertiser: "If they have a rule, everybody should abide by it. (The rule) was applicable to three teams in the conference. We followed it. I don't know why everybody else didn't."

Jones said he received approval from school and league officials to play all of the players who projected to earn at least six credits during the fall semester.

Chang suffered injuries to his knee and thumb during the Hawai'i Bowl and did not play in the second half.

Jones said he did not learn until yesterday afternoon that the NCAA agreed to reinstate Chang if he sat out the game against Appalachian State, a Division I-AA team.

Jones said it was coincidence that he instructed Chang not to compete in contact drills yesterday. After the morning practice, Chang said he didn't compete because Jones wanted to give more work to backups Jason Whieldon and Jeff Rhode.

Jones said Whieldon, a senior who transferred from Saddleback Community College (Calif.) last year, will start in the opener.

"Jason is a gamer," Jones said. "He'll do a good job."

Rhode, a third-year sophomore from Oregon, will be the top backup.

Ryan Stickler, a second-year freshman from California, took several snaps yesterday. Stickler's practice time was reduced this week when the Warriors focused on giving repetitions to the players near the top of the depth chart.

After the opener, the Warriors have a bye, before playing consecutive road games against Southern California and Nevada-Las Vegas.

Neuheisel sues NCAA

Associated Press

Rick Neuheisel contends he was wrongly fired as Washington's football coach, and his lawsuit blames the NCAA for igniting the whole process.

The former coach sued the university and the NCAA yesterday, saying the school fired him in an effort to avoid an NCAA investigation.