Jones has yet to sign new 5-year contract

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	UH 2003 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Aug. 30 — Appalachian St. Sept. 6 — Open 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. 8 — Open Nov. 15 — at Nevada Nov. 22 — Army Nov. 29 — Alabama Dec. 6 — Boise State

"I'm sure and confident (the deal) will get done," Jones said.

At its monthly meeting June 20, UH's Board of Regents approved a new contract for Jones, whose current five-year contract was set to expire in January. The new contract, which takes effect upon his signing, calls for Jones to receive an annual base salary of $800,016, half of which will be paid through private donations. The athletic department's share comes from money generated through ticket sales and other football-related income. Jones also could earn an additional $125,000 in incentives.

Jones said he is leaving the details to his agent, Leigh Steinberg.

"I'm really not participating" in negotiations, Jones said.

But he said "some language" issues need to be finalized before he receives the contract. The Hawai'i Government Employees Association was reviewing the contract. "We're still talking about some things," Jones said.

Stennis back: Wide receiver Sean Stennis, who was expected to transfer to a junior college, will rejoin the team for next month's training camp.

Stennis was suspended for spring practice last March after violating team rules.

"He made some mistakes," Jones said. "Hopefully, he'll learn from them. He's stepped up and shown he's remorseful. He's worked out hard. Hopefully, he'll learn from his errors."

Stennis, who was raised in Los Angeles, is the nephew of former UH quarterback Mike Stennis. He redshirted last fall as a freshman, then earned a scholarship in January. Jones said Stennis will be a non-scholarship player in the fall.

Running back Jason Ferguson, Stennis' teammate in high school, said, "I'm glad he's sticking it out. He was the one pushing me to go to Hawai'i. I can't wait to share the field together."

Ferguson, who graduated last May, will join the Warriors in January. He said he is fully recovered from knee surgery last year.

Good to go: Defensive backs Andrew John "A.J." Martinez and Viliami Nauahi have met the requirements to play as freshmen this season.

Martinez, who was named as the Los Angeles Times' 2001 Orange County Back of the Year, did not attend UH last season because of an academic snafu. Nauahi, a 2003 Kahuku High graduate, was named to The Advertiser's All-State team last season.

Kahuku High graduates David Alisa and Tu Tui will begin two-year church missions and rejoin the Warriors for the 2005 season. Alisa, a linebacker, and Tui, a defensive back, will receive football scholarships when they return.