Keao Monteilh has received a callback to audition for a role on the University of Hawai'i football team.

Monteilh, a cornerback who played in all 12 games last season, starting the final three, was dismissed from the team in March because he was tardy in completing academic work. "I had a lot of incompletes (from the fall semester) to take care of," said Monteilh, who did not compete in spring practice.

Monteilh, who will be a junior in the fall, said he finished the overdue assignments, improved his grades during the spring semester, and did well in the recently completed first summer-school session.

For now, Monteilh is not invited to the Aug. 4 start of training camp. The NCAA limits Division I-A training-camp rosters to 105 players. He has been asked to report Aug. 21, the first day of the fall semester, when the NCAA permits rosters to expand. UH opens its season Sept. 2 at Alabama.

"I still might have a chance, if things work out, to come to camp," Monteilh said. "I'm hoping for the best."

Monteilh, Turmarian Moreland, Kenny Patton and Ryan Keomaka rotated at the two cornerback positions last year. Moreland has completed his NCAA eligibility. Patton is back at cornerback after practicing at wideout during spring practice. Keomaka, who was dismissed from the team at the same time as Monteilh, is participating in unsupervised workouts. He has not be reinstated.

Monteilh said his problems can be traced to appendicitis suffered during final-exam week last December.

"I had a stomach ache for three straight days," he recalled. "I wasn't going to go (to the emergency room), but my dad said, 'Ah, I'll just take you.' I went in, and they said, 'It's ready to burst.' I could have died."

He underwent an appendectomy. He said he fell behind academically during the spring semester while trying to complete fall-semester tests and assignments.

At the end of the spring semester, UH did not renew Monteilh's football scholarship.

"If I do good (during the fall) semester, I get (the scholarship) back in January," Monteilh said. "It all depends on how I do this (coming) semester. I'm under a little magnifying glass."

UH defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said he welcomes back a skilled "bump-and-run" cornerback.

"He knows where to be mentally," Glanville said. "He's one of the best at knowing the formations and what's going to happen."

Noting his coach's habit of calling players by their uniform numbers, Monteilh said: "Glanville still thinks my name is '35' — first name 'thirty,' last name, 'five.' "

GOT A NEED FOR SPEED?

Hawai'i Speed and Quickness summer season continues with sessions tomorrow and Sunday at UH's athletic complex.

The $10 admission fee includes training in plyometrics and fast-twitch starts, as well as fast-food coupons.

Sessions are 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. for ages 7-12, and 10:30 a.m. to noon for ages 13 and older.

Call 779-5444 or log on to www.hawaiispeedandquickness.com for details.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.