UH may turn to NFL to fill defensive job
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones yesterday said he probably will fill the Warriors' vacancy at defensive coordinator by promoting an assistant coach or hiring a former National Football League associate.
The two options likely eliminate Cal Lee, Saint Louis School's athletic director and Hawaiian Islanders' head coach, as the successor to Kevin Lempa, who resigned last month to coach the defensive backs at Boston College.
"Right now, we're locked into where we're headed," Jones said.
But Jones said there is a possibility Lee will be invited to join UH as an assistant coach.
Jones and Lee are close friends, and the two "have talked for four years" about strategy and job openings, Jones said. Last year, Jones offered Lee a job as recruiting coordinator, a non-coaching position.
Jones declined to identify the NFL associate, only saying, "the one person I'm thinking about, he already has been with me. He knows what I want."
Meanwhile, the Warriors will revise the defensive schemes they used in 1999, Jones' first season as UH's head coach. Jones and Greg McMackin, who resigned as UH defensive coordinator after that season, co-designed that attacking defense.
"The stuff that Greg did was exactly the same as what I wanted to do," Jones said. "After Greg left, Lemp came in and tried to learn that system. In learning that system, you do some things differently. You kind of fine-tune."
Under Lempa, Jones said, the defense "became a little more complex than we needed to be. We'll go back to simplifying it, and go back to the things we did in '99. We're going to let the players play."
Jones said the three assistant coaches on defense — Vantz Singletary (line), George Lumpkin (linebackers) and Rich Miano (secondary) — have been instructed on how to implement the revised schemes.
"I feel pretty good about the changes we're making, the things we're doing," Jones said. "I think we're going to be pretty damn good."
Bonus year?: Defensive end Travis Laboy, one of the Warriors' best pass-rushers, was listed as a junior in the 2002 media guide and subsequent news releases.
But the coaches insist that Laboy's eligibility clock should not have started in September 1999, when he was at Utah State, and that Laboy, who redshirted in 2000 after transferring to UH, actually has two years of eligibility remaining. If so, Laboy can play through the 2004 season.
Laboy, who is suffering from an undisclosed injury, will not be ready for the March 31 start of spring practice.
Warrior updates: Jones said that wide receiver Sean Stennis, who redshirted last season, has decided to transfer. Stennis, the nephew of former UH quarterback Mike Stennis, was awarded a scholarship in January.
Running back Pesefea Fiaseu Jr. will skip spring practice to focus on academics. He is expected to compete in training camp in August.
Sophomore Uriah Moenoa, who has started 26 consecutive games, will move from right tackle to right guard.
Backup guard Phil Kauffman will audition at center.
Slotback Britton Komine will try out at left wideout in spring practice. Brown Faavae, a transfer from West Virginia, will work out at both safety and linebacker in the spring.
