Offensive lineman Kavan Bannigan has accepted an invitation to compete in the University of Hawai'i football team's training camp next month.

"It's a dream situation for me," said Bannigan, who says he's 6 feet 7 and 335 pounds.

NCAA rules limit Division I-A training-camp rosters to 105 players. "I'm very grateful," Bannigan said.

As a Leilehua High School senior in 2003, Bannigan received honorable mention on The Advertiser's All-State football team. He also competed in the discus and shot put for the Mules.

Bannigan participated in the University of Washington's football training camp in 2004, but left the team before the season started. "Things weren't working out," he said.

The next two years he attended Leeward Community College, earning an associate degree, a Division I-A eligibility requirement for a transfer from a two-year school.

Bannigan will have three years to play two seasons.

Bannigan, who will compete at offensive tackle, said he can run 40 yards in 5.2 seconds. He can bench press a maximum 355 pounds, and bench 225 pounds 17 times.

He said he plans to major in business administration.

His hobbies include playing pool and bowling. He used to average more than 200 when he bowled regularly. "Now I'm averaging about 180," he said.

Bannigan said the unique spelling of his first name is a conversation starter.

"My mom said she found the name in a baby book," he said. "We always looked, but we could never find it. I like it. And people are always asking me about it."

Bannigan is familiar to his UH teammates. He said he works out with other offensive linemen every morning.

KEPO'O ARMED, READY

Quarterback Kiran Kepo'o, a 2006 Iolani School graduate, competed in yesterday's unsupervised 7-on-7 passing drills at UH's grass fields. As a grayshirt, Kepo'o will enroll at UH as a full-time student in January, at which time he will receive a full football scholarship.

"I wanted to get acclimated with the program," Kepo'o said of his workouts. "I wanted to show face, and let them know I'm ready to play. These guys are terrific. I'm just a rookie but they're helping me out."

Kepo'o, who is 6 feet 2, weighed 220 pounds at the end of last season. He said he now is "around 211."

UH starting quarterback Colt Brennan said: "We haven't been able to sit down and teach him the whole offense. But for what he's been given, he's doing a great job. The potential is so good for him."

Jason Rivers, a wideout who did not play last season because of a broken right ankle and academic concerns, appears to be back in top form.

Asked about his speed, Rivers told reporters: "Did you see me run that post? You make the call."

Rivers did not attend school during the 2005 fall semester. As a result, his UH scholarship was revoked. But Rivers took 18 credits of classes last semester, passing them all, and his scholarship was restored.

"I'm very happy," said Rivers, who relied on his parents' help and a part-time job to pay for tuition. "It was a struggle for me."

PLAYERS IN A FINE MESS

Brennan and starting slotback Ryan Grice-Mullins were among a half-dozen players who received parking tickets during yesterday's workouts.

Both were angry because they each paid a $3 parking fee, and their cars were in a vacant dirt area near the grass practice field. The fines are $25 each. Brennan said some players have racked up hundreds of dollars in fines. The guards ignored their pleas to allow them to move their cars. One guard yelled at a player: "You want to pay my salary?"

"There's no other school in the nation that has to deal with that," Brennan said. "I mean, the football program makes a lot of money for the school. It's kind of ridiculous we have to pay so much money to go to workouts every day. We have to pay $3 (each time). Some of these guys come in to lift at 7 (a.m.), but go home for a little while, and come back at 12 or 1. They have to re-pay. I mean, it's not very fair. ...

"You'd think there'd be some cohesion, and they'd try to work together with us instead of making kids who are obviously not wealthy as it is, pay all of this money to work out and attend school. They're robbing the students, and they don't care, and they keep doing it."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.