March is the time for "American Idol," but for University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones, not the time to be an idle American.

Entering Tuesday's opening of UH spring practice, Jones is awaiting the NCAA's ruling on whether safety Leonard Peters, wideout Ian Sample, and running backs Nate Ilaoa and Bryan Maneafaiga will receive medical hardships allowing them to play as sixth-year seniors in the fall.

Jones said it will take at least another week before he will be allowed to hire a successor to Vantz Singletary, who resigned as defensive line coach to accept a similar position at Tennessee-Chattanooga. Jeff Reinebold, a 46-year-old graduate assistant and the top candidate, will coach the defensive line this week.

"I'm going to promote him to defensive coordinator," Jones said, laughing. "He'll be the only G.A. to serve as defensive coordinator in the country.

Several players have changed positions, including Kenny Patton (cornerback to wideout) and Brad Kalilimoku (inside linebacker to strong safety).

Jones has awarded a scholarship to running back Reagan Mauia, a converted nose tackle, while dismissing cornerbacks Keao Monteilh and Ryan Keomaka, and benching wideout Jordan Slye and safety B.J. Fruean from spring practice.

Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville, who lives in Georgia during the offseason, kept busy as a guest conductor for the Atlanta symphony.

"For some reason, they didn't ask me back," Glanville said. "I guess my invitation is lost in the mail."

Glanville, instead, will orchestrate the construction of the Warriors' defense. Rich Miano, who coaches the defensive backs, will coordinate the special teams, along with Reinebold.

Here's a position-by-position look at the Warriors:

QUARTERBACKS

Candidates: Colt Brennan, Will Brogan, Inoke Funaki, Tyler Graunke.

The skinny: Despite separations in both shoulders, Brennan led the nation in passing yards and scoring passes last year. He has declared himself physically fit, an assessment echoed by quarterback coach Dan Morrison. "His right arm is strong; it's lively," Morrison said. Last year, Brennan's first at UH after transferring from junior college, he learned every UH offensive play. But there is a difference between knowing the plays and really knowing the plays, and in the second area, he was at 70 percent. "He made up the other 30 percent with his athletic ability," Morrison said. Since the end of last season, Brennan has studied videotapes regularly, quickly answering pop quizzes from Morrison and Jones. Because of Brennan's expanded knowledge, Jones has added 15 percent more plays to the offense that Tim Chang operated two years ago. The coaches now refer to the offense as "Timmy Plus." Morrison said: "Colt feels the game. He knows how to win. He knows how to play. He knows how to lead. He's a pure quarterback."

Keep an eye on: Graunke, who enters his second spring camp. He has gained nearly 15 pounds, weighing close to 200. Although he was considered to be the "running" quarterback last year, in fact, he is a skilled passer. "He has the team's strongest arm," Morrison said.

RUNNING BACKS

Candidates: Jazen Anderson, Alonzo Chopp, Mario Cox, David Farmer, Nate Ilaoa, Jim Manley, Reagan Mauia, Jayson Rego.

The skinny: Birds gotta fly, fish gotta swim, and UH backs gotta run and then run some more. The top backs, Ilaoa and Mauia, devoted most of the off-season to losing weight through running drills. "Oh, you should see Nate and Reagan," conditioning coach Mel deLaura said. "They're looking really good." Ilaoa drew Jones' wrath after reporting to last year's training camp weighing close to 250. After overcoming knee and toe injuries, Ilaoa "looks like he's about 215, 220," deLaura said. "He looks perfect." During recent team tests, Ilaoa ran 40 yards in 4.65 seconds, the fastest among running backs. Mauia has lost nearly 60 pounds since the end of last season, and now weighs 303. "We want him to get to a weight where he can carry the ball a lot without getting tired," Jones said. "We expect him to play quite a bit." Mauia also has maintained his strength, bench-pressing 445 pounds and squat-lifting a team-high 640 pounds.

Keep an eye on: Anderson, the younger brother of former All-Pro running back Jamal Anderson, appeared on MTV's dating show, "Next," last year. He might be the next Thero Mitchell, a former UH back who specialized in short-yardage situations.

RECEIVERS

Left wideout: David Kaihenui, Chad Mock, Jason Rivers, Ian Sample, Michael Washington. Left slotback: Aaron Bain, Davone Bess, Jason Ferguson, Adam Linwood. Right slotback: Marquez Jackson, Ryan Grice-Mullen, Patrick Olchovy, Rick Taylor. Right wideout: Ross Dickerson, C.J. Hawthorne, Dylan Linkner, Tua Mahaley, Kenny Patton, Tui Richter.

The skinny: There are seven one-time starters in camp, including Rivers, who did not play last season because of academic reasons and a broken ankle. Rivers is enrolled in school, and cleared to compete in spring practice, creating a nice dilemma for Ron Lee, who coaches the receivers. "We didn't lose anybody, and with the addition of Jason Rivers, Rick Taylor and C.J. Hawthorne, we'll be very competitive." That's evident during daily unsupervised workouts. "We're always pushing each other," said Bess, a Freshman All-American last year. "Everybody wants to play, but there are only so many spots. Nobody can afford to fall behind." With Ferguson, who has recovered from knee surgery, and Patton, a two-year starter at cornerback, entering the competition, the Warriors are open to the possibility of platooning receivers. "Competition is always good," Bess said. "It's making me work even harder." Last Thursday, in slippery conditions, Bess completed the pro-agility drill (5-yard sprint to the right, touch the ground, 10 yards to the left, touch the ground, and 5 to the middle) in 3.99 seconds, best among the offensive players. "That would be a good time at a combine," deLaura said.

Keep an eye on: Sample, who ran 40 yards in 4.47 seconds during team tests and has been a standout receiver during unsupervised workouts.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Centers: John Estes, Samson Satele. Guards: Paul Harmon, Raphael Ieru, Marques Kaonohi, Hercules Satele, Larry Sauafea. Tackles: Keith Ah Soon, Tala Esera, Daniel Johnson, Aaron Kia, Laupepa Leituli, Keoni Steinhoff, Adrian Thomas, Dane Uperesa.

The skinny: Despite relinquishing 38 sacks, the line played well under difficult circumstances last year, Jones said. They had entered with new offensive starters at six ball-handling positions, including an improvising, scrambling quarterback. Still, the Warriors led the nation in passing yards, and rushed for 1,103 yards, the most in the seven UH seasons using the four-wide offense. Last fall, the Warriors focused on schemes; this spring, the emphasis is on techniques. Guard Brandon Eaton and center Derek Fa'avi completed their NCAA eligibility, and Samson Satele, who opted not to apply for early entry into the NFL, is moving from left guard to center. Line coach Wes Suan said Satele and the starting tackles, Esera and Uperesa, each can play all five line positions. "We've never had a need for them to do that, but that shows how athletic they are," Suan said. Uperesa and Esera each squat-lifted 500 pounds. Hercules Satele, Kaonohi and Sauafea enter spring as the leading contenders for the two guard spots.

Keep an eye on: Last year's freshman class of Estes, Ieru, Johnson, Kia and Leituli. "These guys have intelligence and great desire to work," Suan said. "For the young guys, 'patience' is not in their dictionary. They want to play right away. They're on track."

DEFENSIVE LINE

Left ends: Renolds Fruean, Jake Ingram, Fale Laeli, Karl Noa, Melila Purcell III. Nose tackles: Michael Lafaele, Kahai LaCount, Siave Seti, Ammon Tong, Clarence Tuioti-Mariner, Lawrence Wilson. Right ends: Ikaika Alama-Francis, Rocky Savaiigaea, Daniel Tautofi, Keala Watson.

The skinny: Glanville is bullish on Purcell and Alama-Francis, calling them the defense's bellwethers, a farm term that originally describes the leaders of a herd. "You can tell I spent some time in Montana," Glanville said. Underweight as ends — Glanville implemented the 3-4 system last year, his first at UH — Purcell and Alama-Francis were asked to report at 279 pounds. "That's a good weight for an end," Glanville said. "If you're 265, people say you're a 'tweener, someone who's not quite big enough to be an end. If you're 279, nobody thinks you're a 'tweener." Alama-Francis now weighs 279, Purcell is 282. Glanville also moved nose tackles Watson, Fruean and Savaiigaea to end. The moves reaffirm nose tackle Lafaele's grip on the starting job. "He's intelligent, and strong, and an all-out-effort guy," Glanville said.

Keep an eye on: Wilson, who became the sixth UH player during Jones' tenure to bench-press at least 500 pounds. He benched 505.

LINEBACKERS

Inside: Brendan Feliczak, Solomon Eliminian, Adam Leonard, Timo Paepule, Josh Rice, Gary Rogers, Rustin Saole, Brashton Satele, Nicholas Sipin, Chris Williams. Outside: Victor Clure, Wilson Fatongia, Victor Fergerstrom, Tyson Kafentzis, C.J. Allen-Jones, John Fonoti, R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane, Micah Lau, Khevin Peoples.

The skinny: Ellimimian made an easy transition to college football, leading the Warriors with 83 tackles. Leonard, who has fully recovered from a knee injury suffered as a high school senior, also was productive as a freshman, and is the leading contender for the weak-inside position vacated by Kalilimoku. Kafentzis emerged as a top outside linebacker on the strong side, while Allen-Jones, who redshirted as a sophomore last season, has been impressive in unsupervised workouts. Allen-Jones recently ran 40 yards in 4.44 seconds, the second-fastest time among defensive players, and a team-best 3.97 seconds in the pro-agility drill.

Keep an eye on: Satele, who lost 22 pounds and is now 238. Satele, who ran 40 yards in 4.56 seconds, will compete at both the outside and inside positions.

SECONDARY

Corners: Marques Dailey, JoPierre Davis, Guyton Galdeira, A.J. Martinez, C.J. Tausaga, Chris Thorpe. Strong safety: Josh Aufai, Brad Kalilimoku, Michael Malala, Erik Pedersen, Desmond Thomas. Free safety: Kirk Alexander, Anapuni Coleman, Leonard Peters, Dane Porlas, Devion Volta-Johnson.

The skinny: There are no cornerbacks with starting experience. Patton moved to wideout, Turmarian Moreland completed his NCAA eligibility, and Keomaka and Monteilh were dismissed. The top corners this spring, Martinez and Davis, were on offense last year. Miano said Martinez, who ran 40 yards in a team-best 4.41 seconds, "has the intangibles as far as understanding the game. He's tough, and he's instinctive." Davis, who is 6 feet and 190 pounds, is a physical bump-and-run defender with limited experience.

Keep an eye: Kalilimoku, a junior who can run 40 yards in 4.56 seconds and bench-press more than 400 pounds. "He'll make a tremendous amount of plays for us, even though he's never played strong safety before," Miano said. "He can make an awesome strong safety if you have five years to work with him. We've got to do it in a time capsule, an accelerated program."

SPECIALISTS

Kickers: Daniel Kelly, Jeremy Shibata. Punter: Kurt Milne. Long-snapper: Jake Ingram.

The skinny: The first priority is to improve the punt coverage. Last year, Milne averaged 36.1 yards per punt, with a net average of 30.0 yards. Reinebold said the minimum net should be 38 yards. "Net average is the only stat that matters," Reinebold said. "What matters is where you start a drive. When you're punting four or five times a game, and your net is loss, you're not gaining back field position."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.