It was notable that the University of Hawai'i football team led all 119 schools of NCAA major college football in two statistical categories last season.

But leave those foam "We-are-No. 1!" fingers in the closet because incurring the most penalty yards per game (78.36) and giving up the most sacks (59) aren't things you should celebrate.

The way they should be dealt with is by making their eradication a priority tomorrow, when the Warriors open a month of spring practice, and on into the fall.

Of all the things that impacted the Warriors in their first season under Greg McMackin, penalties and sacks cast the biggest pall over the 7-7 season. And remedying the situation should be Job One when the Warriors hit the field and classroom.

Shaking up the offensive line staff and the arrival of Gordon Shaw indicated a commitment to solving the nagging quarterback protection problem and, hopefully, ensuring a healthy senior year for Greg Alexander.

Generating a genuine running game and working with the quarterbacks, Alexander in particular, on a faster setup and quicker delivery will also help.

But tackling the propensity for penalties, especially unsportsman-like conduct infractions, is something different. The problem there isn't a technique that must be overhauled as much as a mindset that requires changing. And it starts with the head coach putting his foot down on the issue — and keeping it down.

That's something we didn't always see last year. If we had, the problem would have been rectified soon after it began to occur in the San Jose State game. In a 20-17 loss to the Spartans, UH was called for 11 penalties for 115 yards, four of them unsportsman-like conduct infractions.

It became an enduring problem right through the regular season finale against Cincinnati. There, in a 29-24 loss to the nationally ranked Bearcats, UH was whistled for 11 penalties for 109 yards, five of them personal fouls. So it should have been little wonder that there were four more personal fouls in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl loss to Notre Dame.

In the course of the season it wasn't unknown for a single player to get two personal fouls in one game, something for which there should be no excuse.

Early in June Jones' reign as head coach the Warriors got to be known as "the Oakland Raiders of the WAC" and it wasn't just for their uniform color scheme. Nor was it a compliment.

The Warriors have much to work on in their 15 days of spring practice but what tops the "must-do" list should be an easy call.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.