Hawai'i Bowl snub doesn't please Jones

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones said it would be a mistake for a bowl-eligible Warrior team to be excluded from the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

The demise of the Silicon Valley Football Classic leaves the Western Athletic Conference, of which UH is a member, with ties to two bowls — the MPC Computer Bowl and Hawai'i Bowl. In each year of the Hawai'i Bowl's 3-year history, UH has been assured a berth if it met the NCAA bowl-eligible requirement of a winning regular season. But because the WAC assures the top two finishers a bowl berth, the Warriors might be left out if they finish third or lower.

"Well, I would think if that happened," Jones said, "the Hawai'i Bowl might end up as the Silicon Valley Bowl. I think they need us."

The Warriors have played in all three of the games.

"Hopefully, they'll continue to fulfill (the commitment to UH)," Jones said.

Two have inside track

Entering today's final practice of spring training, Brad Kali-limoku and Timo Paepule have emerged as the Warriors' top inside linebackers.

Kalilimoku, who is 5 feet 11 and 200 pounds, played weakside linebacker as a freshman last season. He opened spring training