"That's their decision," UH slotback Chad Owens said. "If they feel that's going to make their program better, best of wishes and good luck to them."

The departure of UTEP, which joined the 42-year-old WAC in 1967, will leave UH, which signed up in 1979, as the league's senior member.

"Now we're the dean," said UH defensive coordinator George Lumpkin, who has been affiliated with UH for more than three decades. "They've always been a challenge to us. But they've got to do what they've got to do."

UH coach June Jones said: "We knew somebody was going to leave. We thought it would be Louisiana Tech. I'm sure our conference has somebody in mind to add. I hope it's somebody on the West Coast."

When told that Idaho was the nearest geographically among the candidates, Jones said, "If that's the closest, that's where I want to go."

Jones said the WAC will remain as a viable football conference if it retains UH, Fresno State, Boise State and Nevada. He said those four have been the most successful since he was named UH head coach in 1999.

• Ilaoa clarification: UH spokeswoman Lois Manin said while the NCAA granted slotback Nate Ilaoa a medical hardship for the knee injury he suffered in the 2003 season opener, he was not granted an extra season of eligibility. She said the school was mistaken in announcing he will have three years of eligibility remaining.

NCAA rules allow Division I football players five years to play four seasons. Ilaoa redshirted in 2001 and played as a second-year freshman in 2002. He was limited to one game in 2003. Manin said Ilaoa will have two seasons of eligibility left. The medical hardship will allow him a third year to play the two seasons if he suffers a severe injury in the next two years.

• Moving on up: Four days after moving from safety, Paul Lutu-Carroll is challenging to start at weakside linebacker.

"He has great quickness," Lumpkin said. "If you watch him blitz, he accelerates past our offensive linemen."

Lutu-Carroll, who is 6 feet and 200 pounds, and Lincoln Manutai will alternate with the first team during tonight's controlled scrimmage at Aloha Stadium.

Lutu-Carroll, a distant relative of former Isle standout Leroy Lutu, is a Damien Memorial High graduate who attended a junior college in South Dakota for 2ý years and Wayne State in Nebraska for a year. He joined UH as a walk-on last year.

He was a safety until this past Monday. "I think he can be a contributor," Jones said. "I wish he had more time with us."

Lutu-Carroll, who has one season of eligibility remaining, has wasted little time in learning the defense. "I'm trying to watch as much video as I can," he said. "Going from safety to linebacker is a big change."

Not as big an adjustment as his grandfather moving from Tennessee to Wai'anae. Or Lutu-Carroll adapting to South Dakota's bone-chilling winters.

"I think it's easier to keep warm than to cool yourself when it's hot," he said. "I learned a lot going there. I don't have any regrets."

• Spring fling: The 2004 "Spring Extravaganza" capping 15 days of spring practice begins at 5 p.m. today at Aloha Stadium. There will be a "Kids' Zone," autograph session, field-goal contest and celebrity pizza-eating contest. A 60-play scrimmage begins at about 7 p.m. There is no admission charge, although parking is $5 per vehicle.