The key to the University of Hawai'i football defense can be found on a key chain.

On a flash drive as long as a stick of Dentyne, defensive coordinator Greg McMackin stores 30 years of plays.

Downloaded into graduate assistant Brian Kajiyama's computer and printed, the information becomes a 2-inch-thick playbook — the ultimate resource guidelines for a Warrior defensive player.

"When he first gave me the book," weakside linebacker Adam Leonard recalled, "I thought, 'This is going to be crazy to read all of this.' That's from all of the years he's been coaching."

But Leonard — and his teammates — learned that you can't judge a book by its weight. Each play comes with a diagram and a detailed explanation.

"It doesn't just show you what to do, it tells you why you're doing it and the situation it's used," middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian said. "It's a big book, and there's a lot of terminology, but it's not complicated."

McMackin crafted his first playbook 34 years ago when he was a 24-year-old head coach at Oregon's Aloha High School.

"I kept adding to it," he said. "Really, I didn't take anything out of the playbook."

McMackin wrote additional chapters during stints at Miami, Texas Tech, San Jose State and in the National Football League.

"I've learned as much from offensive coaches," he said. "It's grown over the years. The longer you coach, the bigger your playbook gets."

To reach Generation XBox, McMackin is using a PowerPoint system to supplement his lessons.

"Let's say we're talking about a blitz," McMackin said. "I punch a button and we can see (a video clip of) the blitz from an actual game. Kids watch videos. They get tired of you drawing on the board. That's why we wanted to put it on PowerPoint, too."

He said the next stage is to do the "John Madden-type" Telestrator, which would allow him to draw diagrams onto the videos.

During spring training, McMackin relinquished four on-field practices to conduct strategy meetings in the football complex.

"He has that teacher's approach," Leonard said. "He wants to make sure we learn the plays and the reason we're running them before we practice them. He's a teacher and a coach."

Free safety Desmond Thomas said: "If you follow the book and do what you're supposed to do, you'll be OK."

ROBERTS GETTING CLOSER

Calvin Roberts said he hopes to be able to practice as early as tomorrow.

Roberts, a cornerback from the College of San Mateo (Calif.), needed to earn an associate degree and amass enough transferrable credits to be eligible to play for the Warriors this season.

Roberts said he met both requirements when he completed a history class on Monday. The next day, he received "conditional acceptance" to UH.

Roberts, who is 6 feet and 188 pounds, said he will arrive in Honolulu this morning. He needs to take medical examinations and attend orientation seminars before he will be allowed to practice.

"I'll shoot for Saturday," Roberts said.

McMackin said: "I don't count on guys until they're on the field. When they're here, then we'll coach them."

INJURY UPDATES

Left wideout Jason Rivers and center Aaron Kia were hobbling after teammates stepped on their feet during practice.

Rivers, who suffered a bruised right foot, did not participate in the scrimmage. He vowed to resume practicing today.

Kia went through the entire practice in pain — and grouchy.

"That (stuff) is so irritating, I tell you," Kia said of his sore left foot. "You're over there blocking, and then oomp. It happened in the beginning of practice, and there's nothing you can do about it. You can't even walk after practice."

Strongside linebacker Blaze Soares said he has been diagnosed with a deep bruise in his left shoulder. His left arm was in a sling yesterday.

He said he will miss "a couple of days."

Center John Estes, whose sprained left elbow was covered with a padded medical sleeve, was used in light drills.

NO (TIGHT) END IN SIGHT

The experiment was a success — except to the patient.

In spring training, Cameron Allen-Jones was used as a tight end, a position that did not exist previously in coach June Jones' four-wide offense.

Allen-Jones played the role well, serving as an extra perimeter blocker and a big target on short passes.

But the experiment ended when Allen-Jones suffered a high sprain to his left ankle midway through spring training.

Allen-Jones regained his health, but not his spring job. Although he wears a receiver's number — 87 — he is practicing as an offensive tackle.

He has been told the Warriors will work on plays involving a tight end later in camp.

For now, Allen-Jones is trying to "tone up and build up my speed."

Allen-Jones is 6 feet 2 and 273 pounds.

His girlfriend, Chanelle, and their son, Cameron Jr., are visiting from Maryland. Cameron Jr. celebrated his first birthday on Monday.

"It's nice to see my family," Allen-Jones said. "It's hard to be away from them, but I have to stay focused."

Visit Tsai's blog at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.