By Cindy Luis

Hope it’s a good one for all of you. Thanks for reading and posting. 

By Dave Reardon

Word we’re getting is that C.J. Hawthorne did a great job on the Buffalo Bills practice squad this year, and they want him back next season. With his speed, versatility and sincere team-first attitude, don’t be surprised if he makes the team next year as a special teams player and backup at either receiver or cornerback.Hawthorne was one of the spiritual leaders of UH’s 2007 dream season (and also made some great catches), and should not be forgotten. 

By Dave Reardon

UH linebacker Solomon Elimimian has signed with agent Wynn Silberman of the Morgan Advisory Group. He joins snapper Jake Ingram, who signed with Silberman last Thursday. … Silberman said it won’t be a problem if Elimimian doesn’t play in an all-star game because of his body of work over four years at UH. Performance at pro day and the NFL Combine will be important for him. Elimimian plans to train in the San Diego area or the Bay Area.

By Dave Reardon

 Agent Kenny Zuckerman, who has an excellent track record with Hawaii football players including Olin Kreutz and Davone Bess, has signed Ryan Mouton and David Veikune. Both will train at Athletes Performance Institute in Carson, Calif., at the Home Depot Center where UH does its annual pro day.They’ll both play in the East-West Shrine Game in Houston, Jan. 17. 

By Dave Reardon

We were told last night that UH running backs coach Alex Gerke was on his way out of Manoa for a few weeks, and that yesterday he was at Utah State formalizing his hiring there. It had nothing to do with the loss to Notre Dame.

By Dave Reardon

Jake Ingram signed with agent Wynn Silberman of the Morgan Advisory Group, which is based in Santa Clara, Calif.MAG represents quite a few pro football players, but its most well-known client may be Kerri Walsh.”It’s a great year,” Silberman said. “We got the No. 1 beach volleyball player in the world and the No. 1 long snapper in college football.”Silberman said one NFL GM has already told him Ingram is a lock to be drafted. He also expects him to be invited to the NFL Combine.Ingram will work out at Elite Training in Los Angeles, the same facility Reggie Bush used to prepare for the combine.  

By Dave Reardon

Some of you have weighed in a little bit with your thoughts on how Hawaii can improve on its 7-7 record of 2008. Please have at it some more. 

By Dave Reardon

Robert Hughes scored on a 2-yard run, capping a 9-play, 87-yard drive as Notre Dame takes a 7-0 lead over Hawaii in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl with 3:07 left in the first quarter. … The Fighting Irish increase the lead to 14-0 at 10:25 of the second quarter on a 14-yard pass from Jimmy Clausen  to David Grimes. … UH scores on a 10-yard pass from Greg Alexander to Aaron Bain and its 14-7 with 8:12 left in the half. … Clausen finds Golden Tate behind the UH secondary for a 69-yard TD pass and ND expands the margin back to 21-7 with 6:49 before halftime. … Clausen to Tate again for a 23-yard score with 1 second left in the half. Tate has 5 catches for 137 yards at halftime and Clausen is 18 for 21 with 300 yards. … ND picks up where it left off after intermission with Clausen throwing 18 yards to Armando Allen for his fourth TD pass at 10:50 of the third quarter.  … Then a UH fumble, and Clausen-Tate again, this time for 40 yards, making the score 42-7 with 7:22 left in the third. … Hawaii comes back with  a 21-yard scoring pass from Alexander to Bain and it is 42-14 with 4:25 left in the third quarter. … Armando Allen takes the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a ND touchdown and it’s 49-14. 

By Dave Reardon

OK, final game of the season. What do you folks think and why? 

By Cindy Luis

Hawaii finished at No. 7 in the final Bison/AVCA Coaches Poll, released today, the program’s highest final ranking since coming in at  No. 3 in 2003.This is the 22nd time that the Rainbow Wahine finished the season ranked in the top 10 in the 27-year history of the poll. UH finished with a record of 31-4, posting its first 30-win season since 2004. The Rainbow Wahine advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals, before losing to No. 2 Stanford. It was the third trip to the NCAA Regional Finals for Hawaiiin the past six seasons. Penn State was the wire-to-wire No. 1, followed by Stanford, Nebraska, Texas, Washington and Cal.