By Cindy Luis

Sorry, thought it had been posted earlier. It is an interesting hire but Ryan does work well with the players. Ryan Tsuji, part of the Hawaii women’s volleyball program the past seven seasons, has been promoted to assistant coach for the upcoming season.Tsuji is replacing associate coach Kari Ambrozich, who is on maternity leave. Ambrozich and husband Eric, a former UH basketball player, welcomed son Trey July 11.“I am very honored and blessed to have this opportunity,” Tsuji told the Star-Bulletin today. “I’m excited to be in a new role and honored that Dave (Rainbow Wahine coach Shoji) would respect me enough to give me this opportunity.”Tsuji (Waiakea ’02) has been the team manager for the past five seasons. Ambrozich will return to help with administrative duties in October and as an active coach next January.“By hiring Ryan, we will go through an easy transition,” Shoji said. “This will be a great opportunity for him.”Hawaii opens camp Aug. 9. The Wahine open the season with defending NCAA champion Penn State Aug. 29.

By Dave Reardon

That’s how someone who has seen both play a lot described T.J. Alofipo, UH’s latest recruiting commitment. He sounds like the real deal. Big, strong, athletic and good speed.

One of his many scholarship offers was from Army, so that makes me assume he’s smart, too.

If UH can also secure commitments from his other highly-regarded teammates at Silverado High School (Henderson, Nev.) — defensive end Keenan Graham and free safety Michael Wadsworth — the Warriors could have a huge head start on rebuilding their defense which will be hit hard by graduation after this year.

Tony Tuioti — the former UH defensive tackle who recently joined the Warriors staff — was the defensive coordinator at Silverado, which played in the state championship game last year.

By Dave Reardon

June Jones’ mediation case for the disputed $400,000 is on the Board of Regents agenda today. But it is an executive session briefing for the regents, meaning there is no public information expected today. I was told by a UH spokesman that there is no announcement expected today, as there is no settlement yet. Stay tuned. UPDATE: After today’s briefing of the BOR, the parties will go back to mediation, a source close to the situation said. There is no timeline for resolution, and arbitration is not imminent. ANOTHER UPDATE: A source close to the situation told the Star-Bulletin that a settlement has been reached. It appears some loose ends need to be tied up before details will be available. 

By Dave Reardon

UH athletic director Jim Donovan’s contract is finally done. The $240,000 per year contract at five years has been signed by Donovan and Manoa chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, UH spokesman Gregg Takayama said.

It does not require Board of Regents approval because the salary falls into a pre-approved range.

***

At Friday’s BOR meeting, the agenda includes proposed salary adjustments for scores of UH executives. Included are Marilyn Moniz-Kahoohanohano, John McNamara and Carl Clapp. If passed, the proposal would bring their monthly salaries to $7,860, $12,014 and $12,084.

By Dave Reardon

UH defensive line coach Dave Aranda told me tonight that the Warriors still don’t know if end Francis Maka will be available this season or not.

Maka is trying to get an additional year of eligibility via NCAA appeal.

“With Francis it’s still wait-and-see,” Aranda said.

Maka would fit nicely into a defensive end group that starts with John Fonoti and David Veikune. Coach Greg McMackin said Fonoti and Veikune will be expected to play much more this season than last when they rotated, but you never have too many defensive linemen.

By Dave Reardon

This is probably an NCAA first.

We’ve all heard of shoe deals. But a slipper contract?

Greg McMackin free-toes it often at practice and whenever else he can. This led Rob DeMello of KUMU-1500’s Russ and Rob Show to ask Shoeless Mack why he doesn’t have a slipper deal yet.

One thing led to another, and now UH is in serious negotiations with Scott Hawaii, producers of fashionable flip flops.

Hmm, head coach wearing and promoting slippers. Does that mean the Warriors are in store for a Cinderalla season?

***

Manti Te’o has agreed to write a weekly recruiting journal for The Sporting News.

An old friend of mine, Brian McLaughlin, is the high school recruiting editor at TSN. He said the Punahou linebacker is one of two or three high school prospects nationwide that he asked to document their experiences going through the recruiting process.

By Cindy Luis

Led by former Hawaii player Clay Stanley’s 11 kills, the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team assured itself its best FIVB World League finish ever when it swept host and world No. 1 Brazil 25-23, 25-22, 27-25 today in front of 11,615 fans on at Maracanazinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro.Team USA will face a rematch with Serbia in tomorrow’s gold-medal contest. Serbia defeated Russia 25-19, 25-19, 25-23 in today’s other semifinal. Serbia swept the U.S. on Wednesday in their pool play opener.The U.S., ranked third in the world, ended Brazil’s string of five consecutive World League titlesand advanced to the gold medal match for the first time since the competition began in 1990. Brazil is the defending Olympic, World Cup and World Championship gold medalist.Stanley (Kaiser ‘96) added two blocks and three aces.

By Cindy Luis

Former UH training Melody Toth  has finished her book “Let’s Go ‘Bows” and it’s off to be printed. Received a few advanced chapters and I think anyone with an interested in Wahine volleyball and UH sports in general will enjoy the “insider” look. It brought back some memories for me. Don’t know if she mentioned how she rescued me and my suitcase (it was at either the ‘87 or ‘88 final four) but the zipper broke in the lobby as I was heading for the airport. She pulled out her athletic tape and wrapped it. Glad I didn’t have to open it until I landed. I would have been in trouble. Book should be in out in September. Melody will be her then. Congrats to her. 

By Dave Reardon

I’m real excited about our staff and players.

We’re picked fourth or fifth and maybe rightfully so.

But we have 85 percent of the players who were on that championsihp team back.

This is going to be my last job. Then sort of commute between Hawaii and Vegas. In that time I want to do the best job I possibly can.

I really believe we have the best fans in the nation. Last year’s experience proved they’re the best fans in the world. I’ve been to all the bowls. There may still be a few Hawaiiana there (in New Orleans) who haven’t come back.

I was blessed to get the job. I didn’t campaign for it. I was really going to go with June.

I’m trying to keep the continuity of the program.

We’re going to have a challenging schedule.

I believe it’s wide-open. I voted for Fresno. And Boise. Either one can win the WAC.

Nevada. New Mexico (State). I think we’ll be in there. Anyone can beat anyone.

I want to graduate 100 percent of our players. I want to win the WAC every year. And I want to be in a bowl game every year.

The coaches in this league are as good as any in the country. The Dick Tomeys. Hal Mummes. Petersen. All of them.

There’s not going to be an easy game in this league.

The other thing is I came with June in 1999 and we had the turnaround. Lost seven years on the road. Had the great turnaround, beat Oregon State. He’s taken it from 0-12 to 12-0. The two best years in my career for 40 years were at Hawaii. The beauty gets you there, the people keep you there.

Try not to bring horses and dogs and things to Hawaii. It costs more than people.

We’ve got a great Polynesian following on the mainland. We’re starting to get a national following.

I’m on my honeymoon. But this isn’t my first luau. I know I haven’t played a game yet.

Q: Staying with run and shoot?

A: I’ve been fortunate to be with some of the best offensive coaches in the country. June Jones, Mouse Davis, Mike Leach, Dennis Erickson, Ron McBride. Jack Elway was my first great coach I was with. When I became a head coach at a small college I ran the run-and-shoot. I asked Mouse, tell me about the run-and-shoot. He said you can’t defend it. June’s a little more realistic. I believe the scheme is as good as any. The Patriots use it. Everyone uses a part of it. Like a veer option, spread option Urban Meyer uses, we run the passing man’s option. We read everything the defense does and react to it.

We lost nine starters. That doesn’t bother me. I trust Ron Lee. He was my offensive coordinator. We led the country every year in passing. I’m going to still call defesnse. Cal Lee is my defensive coordinator. When I’m not with the defense he’ll make adjustments. I want to know all sides of the ball. I’m not going to interfere.

Q: Personnel?

A: The strength of our offense is offensive line. John Estes is our best offensive player. Then Keith AhSoon, starting tackle we’re moving into guard. Then Keoni Steinhoff is another starter coming back. We feel we can get eight to 10 guys ready to play. I believe in saving the legs. I think that helps you on offense.

Our running backs are all back, wide receiver-wise, we’ve got guys who have been behind the four starters for years. We moved Kealoha Pilares to slotback and he’s a big-time player. We (want to) get the ball in his hands.

We may even put some things in with Mouton. We may have him in certain situations. He’s our quickest guy.

Malcolm Lane, and we brought in five JC guys who can run.

At quarterback, obviously Tyler Graunke has played 24, 34 games. He’s a gamester. He won the Nevada game, he won the Utah State game. And Georgis We probably should’ve gone to him earlier. Heis in the mix.

the guy who had the best spring is Inoke Funaki. He’s a leader. The team loves him. He’s a fighter, he’s a runner.

We brought in two JC guys. Greg Alexander. Great attitude.

Brent Rausch. He’s sort of a young Colt.

We are going to throw the football and set up the run by throwing the football. We’re going to have the same philosophy.

We have to get better on offense too.

We’re going to change our philosophy on special teams.

Mouton and Malcolm Lane will be our kickoff return guys.

Q: Running the ball

A: We’re going to be more in the gun than under center.
It gives us a few more things we can do, bootleg. People are coming when we’re in the gun all the time. So we’ve got to neutralize that. We’ll be under center. It will be a gameplan thing. We could be under center or under the gun the whole game.
IN the gun your running game is really limited and we need to run a little more.
You bring in six DBs we’re going to run. You bring in plenty or LBs we’re going to throw.

Q: Personnel on defense

A: We had guys who could contribute and we stayed fresh.

WE’re going to play five defensive tackles. We have two big mothers in the middle and they have to set the line of scrimmage. Our ends are really linebackers with their hands on the ground. Speed is our most important thing. In 1999 we moved corners to safety, safety to linebacker and linebackers to end.

Adam Leonard had an unbelievable year. I’ve coached Ray Lewis, Ulbrich, Pisa, but he pass drops and has a feel for the passing game … he had four interceptions, two for touchdowns. He’s tougher than heck and a great person. He’s really a bad golfer, but I think those guys have guts because they never golfed before.

Either one could be middle or outside. Adam probably looks like middle.

Solly can run sideline to sideline. 230, but can run 4.5. Excellent tackler. His tackles are for losses or not 10 yards down the field. Both of them are up the field players.

We’re going to go to no-huddle defense because of that 40-second rule. Solly runs all that. He’s very smart, both of them are.

Blaze Soares is as good a hitter as I’ve been around.

If this group isn’t close to that group (Miami) I haven’t seen one.

Brashton Satele, we’re going to try to roll him in. We’re going to have good linebackers for along time.

Ryan Mouton is a great cover guy. Our best corner last year but had a hamstring so played him in nickel. We have a transfer from Oregon, Jameel Dowling. Thought he was a safety, but he’s a corner.

We have real good depth at corner. Calvin Roberts, J.P. Davis, a couple of JC guys.

And the safeties are all back. We’ve got safeties.

Q: Recrutiing

A: We want to keep the best players home.

Samoa, the tip of New Zealand. I think a lot of our future is west and I think we have a great future.

The one problem we have, we’re going to be going commercial. That’s just something we have to deal with. Charter’s the best way to go. To go to San Jose state 90k. this year to go to Boise or Fresno, $300,000. We just can’t do it. The problem with that is we lose a day.

Every game we go to we have to stay overnight, used to go home after the game.

I asked one of our players, I asked a kid named Rocky, because he’s a leader, he’s a big kid, how do you think the team will take riding commercial. He goes, “Coach, It hink that’s great because we’re going to meet more people,more fans, and they’re going to know we’re not dumb football players.”

Theplayers don’t complain

Colt griped about the soap, nobody else did.

By Dave Reardon

One thing is clear after five coaches have spoken at the WAC Media Review: The league is loaded with excellent running backs this year.

Dick Tomey just spoke. He said Yonus Davis has attained another year of eligibility. That adds another experienced, talented runner to a long list in the WAC, starting with Ian Johnson at Boise, Luke Lippincott at Nevada, Deonte Jackson of Idaho, Patrick Jackson at LaTech and Ryan Matthews at Fresno State.

All 9 of the league’s top rushers from last season are back this fall.

Coach McMackin is up next. We’ll blog some of his comments live.