Although the University of Hawai'i football team made a significant academic improvement last year, head coach June Jones is not satisfied, saying, "Our goal is 100 percent."

The football team will lose one scholarship after failing to meet NCAA guidelines measuring eligibility and enrollment. Last year, the Warriors had to relinquish five scholarships.

"I know we're doing better, but we have to keep improving," Jones said.

The NCAA created a formula — the Academic Progress Rate (APR) — that awards points for each semester a player remains at a school and in good academic standing during a three-year period. For instance, each semester a player remains at his school or graduates, he earns two points. A player who is academically eligible but transfers or leaves early to pursue a professional career receives one point. An ineligible player who leaves earns no points.

The NCAA determined teams should hit 92.5 percent of the total, or 925 points.

The Warriors made progress, increasing their average APR from 898 for the two years from 2003-04 through 2004-05 to 902 points for the three years from 2003-04 through 2005-06.

But the Warriors' three-year average score was below the 925 minimum, leading to the one-scholarship penalty.

The scholarship forfeitures may be spread out over several years. Last year, the Warriors decided to take the penalty at once, leaving them with a maximum 80 scholarships for the 2006 season. If they accept this year's penalty immediately, they will have a maximum 84 scholarships for the 2007 season.

None of UH's other 18 sports incurred a scholarship penalty. Softball and women's volleyball had perfect scores of 1,000 for the academic year ending last summer.

Jones has made several moves to improve the Warriors' academic rating. If a player's grade-point average dips below a certain level, he is not allowed to participate in spring practice, even if the GPA is above the NCAA eligibility minimum.

"A lot of guys missed spring because they hadn't done the job in the classroom," Jones said. "That was the same before the APR, but now you have to make sure you do the job."

Last season, three players were forced to sit out as "academic redshirts."

Jones also will not award a scholarship to a walk-on whose cumulative GPA is below 2.5. Last year, a part-time starter was not eligible to receive a scholarship because of Jones' rule.

"We wanted to give him one, but unfortunately he didn't have the 2.5."

Jones has implemented mandatory study halls. Each assistant coach takes a turn monitoring the players' class attendance.

Still, UH, according to information released to the media, is claiming one scholarship football player was not eligible after the 2005-06 academic year and did not return to school in August.

"The players have been working hard and doing good," Jones said. "Everybody is being more accountable."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.