Matadors win Game 1 30-28. Hawaii held off two game points but Kneubuhl (Kamehameha ‘03) put down his fifth kill to end it.

Greg McMackin told me he’s still working out the details, but yes, there will be an actual spring game!

“We’ll have a draft and try to make the teams even,” McMackin said. “We had a lot of fun with the Super Games draft.”

For added spice, the head coaches will be brothers Ron and Cal Lee, the offensive and defensive coordinators.

Probably no kicking, and top players who don’t need to be evaluated won’t be put in harm’s way for many plays. Most likely no hitting on quarterbacks.

This should still be a lot more interesting for fans than the spring scrimmages when June Jones was coach, which were always just the offense against the defense, sometimes using a confusing scoring system.

This will be part of the Ohana Festival, which will be free at Aloha Stadium on April 26 to conclude spring practice. Spring practice starts next Monday, March 31.

***

The biggest UH football fans in Germany are coming to live in Hawaii. Cat Baldwin, the mother of Warriors receiver Malcolm Lane, arrives April 13 along with the rest of their ohana. Baldwin’s husband, Michael, is in the Army and will now be stationed at Schofield Barracks (Catherine recently retired from the Army). Malcolm’s younger brother Corey is an outstanding soccer player and hopes to make some noise in the prep ranks here.

“Twenty more days and we fly cannot wait to get out of this weather (it’s snowing now),” said Baldwin. The family had been trying to get a transfer to Hawaii since 2006, when Malcolm first came to UH.

That would be today. Jim Donovan’s first day as University of Hawaii athletic director.

After his speech at the Honolulu Quarterback Club today, I spoke with him for a few minutes. One thing he said is that he spent a lot of time over the weekend crunching numbers. He said without the money from the Sugar Bowl, he expects the athletic department will finish the fiscal year in deficit. But an infusion of said Sugar Bowl cash would put the department in the black for the year.

Stay tuned.

By the way, I just got off the phone with Donovan at 10:30 p.m. He’d been at UH since 6 a.m.

***

Things were looking up for Keenan Jones. The talented cornerback had been awarded another season by the NCAA because of injuries in 2006. But Jones is in trouble with the law again, and for the second year in a row will miss spring practice because of charges having to do with domestic violence allegations.

Jones has the raw ability to be a star player, but it seems very doubtful he will ever wear a UH uniform again. Coach Greg McMackin has done the only thing he can and suspend Jones indefinitely.

Hawaii is leading Game 1 26-23. Game has been tied 19 times so far, last was 23-23.
Clar is not playing Freshman Brennon Dyer in for Clar.

I ended up talking with Mouse Davis today about dunking basketballs (I guess because his old-new school, Portland State, made it into the NCAA tournament).

Davis is about 5-foot-4 and in his 70s.

“I got myself a trampoline and did it the other day,” the father of the run-and-shoot said.

It’s up to you whether you want to believe it or not. That’s the best thing about Davis’ stories.

When Davis was on the UH coaching staff, there was talk of him becoming the director of footall operations. But that would’ve meant not working with the players anymore, which is what Davis enjoyed most.

“And they wanted me to do some fundraising,” Davis said. “As it turned out, Herman Frazier was doing such a good job at that they decided they didn’t need me for that.”

Speaking of Davis and the UH athletic department’s money: We all have heard that June Jones apparently owes the school $400,000. I asked Mouse about the money he owes the school for a new microwave oven. Davis visited last season when there was a tremendous rain storm and his socks got soaked. He tried to dry them in the microwave, causing a four-alarm fire (so we’re told) and forcing Wes Suan to have to find somewhere else to heat up his burritos.

“Never mind the microwave,” Davis said. “I never got paid for my socks.”

Hawaii wins Game 1 25-23. Houston and Cubi-Otineru with 6 kills, Kaufman with 4. Mafua setting. It looked like Brandt sprained an ankle during warmups and had to be carried off.

Hawaii opens up quick leads on CSUN 9-4 and 15-7. Houston back on the left. Mafua setting, Ka’aihue back at libero.

Sophomore slotback Rick Taylor injured himself lifting weights last week and will miss all of spring practice. He underwent successful surgery two days after the pectoral muscle injury and is in good spirits.

“The doctor told me I’ll probably be stronger than before,” said Taylor, who will be out six weeks.

Ikaika Alama-Francis suffered a similar injury in the 2007 Hula Bowl.

Offensive coordinator Ron Lee said he’ll keep Taylor busy helping bring the younger receivers up to speed in the run-and-shoot.

“He has a good understanding of it,” Lee said.

Game 1 pretty tight until 17-15 when USC went on a 5-0 run. Trojans win it 30-22.

Better serving, better blocking gives St. Mary’s the Set 1 win 25-11