Chang says he let teammates down

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Quarterback Jason Whieldon knows the drill as he will be called upon to replace starter Tim Chang in Hawai'i's season opener against Appalachian State. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser UH 2003 SCHEDULE Aug. 30 — Appalachian St. Sept. 13 — at USC Sept. 19 — at UNLV Sept. 27 — Rice Oct. 4 — at Tulsa Oct. 11 — Fresno State Oct. 18 — at La. Tech Oct. 25 — Texas-El Paso Nov. 1 — at San Jose State Nov. 15 — at Nevada Nov. 22 — Army Nov. 29 — Alabama Dec. 6 — Boise State

"I feel I let my teammates down," said Chang, who is being promoted by the school as a candidate for the Heisman Trophy as college football's best player. "It was selfish on my part."

The NCAA suspended Chang for one game because he did not meet the Western Athletic Conference's six-credit rule last fall. The WAC, of which UH is a member, requires its football players to earn at least six credits during the fall semester to be eligible to play in the ensuing postseason bowl. The Warriors played in the inaugural ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl last Christmas, losing to Tulane, 36-28.

Chang said he took four three-credit classes last fall. He said he requested — and received — extensions from his professors for unfinished work.

"I've done that (before)," said Chang, a fourth-year junior. "When you have big things due, but you're traveling a lot and you have other things to worry about, especially in your athletic season, those things come up. There was a lack of time here and there."

Chang said he completed the outstanding work and received passing grades — although not before the Dec. 25 game, as required by WAC rules.

Chang said he "feels remorse," but "there's not a thing I can do about it now. I had control over (the situation), but I don't have control now. I feel I let the team down in my own selfish way."

The WAC requires bowl teams to certify that their players met the six-credit rule. Despite suggestions from WAC officials that UH seek a waiver to the rule, the school did not certify any of its players. UH officials claimed that there was not sufficient time between the end of the 2002 fall semester Dec. 20 and the Dec. 25 Hawai'i Bowl.

When the fall grades were posted Dec. 28, according to UH associate athletic director Thomas Sadler, it was discovered Chang did not earn the six credits needed to play in the bowl game. UH notified the WAC, and Chang was declared ineligible for an indefinite period.

Although Chang violated a WAC rule, because he was declared ineligible, jurisdiction of the case moved to the NCAA.

UH then filed an application to reinstate Chang. The NCAA agreed, with the stipulation he not play against Appalachian State next week.

Although Chang was suspended from NCAA competition since Dec. 25 and, according to Sadler, "we all knew there was a tremendous possibility that he would have to sit out one game," the UH coaches prepared as if Chang would not miss any games. This past week, Chang worked exclusively with the first team, taking twice as many snaps as backup Jason Whieldon.

Of the possibility of Chang missing the opener, UH coach June Jones said, "I didn't know anything until (Thursday) afternoon."

Sadler said: "We were going to go about our business until we heard officially he wasn't going to be the starter. Once we heard officially, we let him know."

Sadler is handling the day-to-day decisions in the absence of UH athletic director Herman Frazier, who is in Greece. Sadler said UH has decided not to appeal the NCAA suspension.

"We basically determined that the appeals, at this point, would be pretty much fruitless," Sadler said. "We're going to take our medicine and move on down the road."