I spoke with Jim Donovan yesterday while he was at LAX waiting for his flight home, ending a week-and-a-half on the road. The trip included WAC meetings in Phoenix. Items discussed included football rule changes for 2009. Donovan said there will be more emphasis on helmet-to-helmet and shoulder-to-helmet contact, and that more of these kind of hits will be penalized. The UH AD said his understanding is that the only ones that won’t will be plays where the ball carrier puts himself in a vulnerable position while attempting to gain yardage.

This brings to mind the Marcus Riley hit on Colt Brennan last year that knocked the UH quarterback out of the Fresno State game.

There’s also a 40-second play clock now, like the NFL. Also, the gameclock will start on out of bounds plays as soon as the ball is made ready for play (not when snapped, as previously), except in the last two minutes of the half or game.

Donovan and others say this may favor teams with no-huddle offenses.

***

Mike Lafaele says he’s “kind of bummed” nothing has shaken out for him yet for at least a tryout with an NFL team. But the all-WAC defensive tackle is liked by at least one team — the Seattle Seahawks. Coaches have viewed a highlight tape put together by a scout, and they like it. Problem is the Seahawks don’t have any room at DT right now, even for a free agent, and something such as an injury has to happen for Lafaele to get an invite. It could happen, though, and Lafaele might get his shot, probably around the time fall camp starts.

Freshman safety Le’Marcus Gibson, a player for whom many had high hopes, is home in Mississippi and will not return to UH.

“Right now I’m thinking about going to a JC,” Gibson said in a phone interview with the Star-Bulletin today. “Nothing against Hawaii. I just think it’s a more comfortable situation here for me.”

Gibson played on special teams in the season-opening game against Northern Colorado last year and injured his knee, requiring surgery. He was still rehabilitating it during spring practice, but did participate in some individual drills.

He was expected to compete for playing time in fall camp.

Also, speedy wide receiver Eric Shaffer is leaving UH without having played a down.

Shaffer put up big football numbers in high school in Fayetteville, Ark., and was a state sprint champ with a 10.57 in the 100 meters.

He redshirted last year, and got quite a few reps at slotback in spring practice last month. Shaffer came to UH on the advice of his half-brother, Bobby Joe Edmunds. Edmunds was a star at Arkansas and played for June Jones when Jones coached the Detroit Lions.

UH sources said Shaffer is returning home to Arkansas due to reasons unrelated to football. He is not expected to return.

Gibson and Shaffer are among several scholarship players leaving the program following the end of spring practice. Others are linebacker Erik Pedersen and running back Korey Reynolds.

The good news is this frees up scholarships for other deserving players, including projected starters. The bad news is it counts against UH’s APR rating in future years.

***

I’m having a technical problem posting comments, so I’ll respond to the question below from Wes here: You can look at it in a couple of different ways — a serious problem because of the APR considerations, or growing pains as some players deemed worthy of scholarships a year or two ago might have a hard time getting onto the field. But if you do the math, you know this is a problem regardless … max 85 scholarship players, 22 starters (not counting specialists). The trick is to recruit student-athletes who are going to stay even if they realize later they’re not going to play a lot and they think they can somewhere else. And the coaches don’t want to mislead anyone. Man, that is a tough job.

He and his wife Heather are at their home in Las Vegas now, taking some time to relax after a whirlwind four months in which McMackin accomplished much after taking over the head coaching job — putting together a staff, recruiting, spring practice. Next week it’s back to the grind, which includes recruiting for the incoming class of 2009.

Also: began to bring alumni players into the fold (plans some kind of game next year), implemented Super Games, was instrumental in Under Armour deal, revived spring game with Warrior Bowl, embraced prep coaches with clinic … all in between countless public appearances, individual meetings with every player, and dealing with media, as well as boosters and interim and new ADs.

We hear plenty of rumblings about $1.1 million a year being too high a salary for McMackin. But there’s no doubt he’s doing everything he can to earn it.

We’ll know for sure on Tuesday when the NCAA releases the numbers, but as we reported yesterday, Greg McMackin has been told the Warriors won’t lose any football scholarships this year. However, other sources have told me they expect a loss of one scholarship. If the APR rating of 925 that coach was told his team would receive is accurate, then there should be no scholarship lost.

Troubling, though, is the loss of one, or especially, two basketball scholarships (and baseball may lose 1/2 of one, we were told). Since basketball has only 13 scholarships, the loss of two is a huge percentage of what’s available. And it could create a very awkward situation where a scholarship would have to be taken away.

The APR formula penalizes schools when athletes transfer, even if they’re in good academic standing. UH coaches in the past have tried to help place student-athletes at other schools who can’t make the starting lineup or are unhappy for other reasons.

Also, if we’re interpreting the rules correctly, UH would lose APR points for Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins leaving a year early for the pros — even though Grice-Mullins was one of a record 32 football scholar-athletes honored by the school the other night for strong academic achievement.

It’s not going to be all bad news … UH track and field coach Carmyn James said we can expect four UH sports to come out with perfect APR numbers, including indoor and outdoor track and cross country.

***

I’ll be covering the OIA track and field championships at Mililani today. One of the reasons I like covering high school track is I get to touch bases with UH football recruits. Today I’m looking forward to meeting Kahuku’s Paipai Falemalu. The future UH linebacker leads the discus after the trials.

Also, sophomore Sarah Clapp of Kaiser has been winning every time she runs this year, even though she is new to track and distance running. She was the top qualifier in the 800 meters by more than five seconds on Thursday, and has a chance to triple if she runs the 1500 and 3000 also. She’s the daughter of Carl Clapp, the UH associate AD.

***

UPDATE: Falemalu was overtaken in the discus, but placed in both weight events. Clapp nearly tripled, but was edged at the tape in the 800. It’s her first track race that she didn’t win (only started competing in the sport this year). She broke the meet record in the 3000 meters. Zhane Santiago, the star of the girls meet for winning Kahuku, is the daughter of Louis “Keala” Santiago, who was a hard-nosed football player at UH and is now one of the best track and field coaches in the state. Jon Santos, a Mililani assistant track coach and former standout receiver, still hopes to get his associates and transfer to UH in time for spring camp in 2009.

C.J. on the Artie Wilson radio show right now.

He said there’s no free agent contract yet, but he’s going to get a shot at special teams as well as wide receiver.

***

June Jones’ agent, Leigh Steinberg, called today requesting we make something clear that most of you probably already understand but some obviously don’t, judging by the e-mails he has received and a call to the Bobby Curran Show this morning.

The $400,008 UH is trying to get Jones to pay the school is NOT for Jones’ salary from January 2008 through June 2008, the end of his contract. Jones has not, was not and is not being paid for anything by UH since he resigned the first week of January 2008 to go to SMU. The $400,008 in question is a specific amount in the contract (that happens to be half a year’s salary for him) which is a penalty for leaving early.

If you want to say that Jones would in effect have worked the 12-1 season for free if UH gets what it wants, well, that’s one way of looking at it.

Football player Colt Brennan and softball player Kate Robinson were named the winners of the Jack Bonham Award at tonight’s Scholar-Athlete Dinner.

A total of 164 scholar athletes were honored for their academic excellence.

The Bonham Award is considered the highest honor UH gives an athlete.

***

The Hawaii Chamber of Commerce of Northern California is holding an event on Thursday to honor June Jones in San Francisco.

Larry Beil will MC.

Call (415) 775-7005 for more information.

Greg McMackin and his staff mull over the tough choices on cuts this week. They are also looking ahead to the incoming recruiting class of 2009. Remember those letters to 10 local prospedts offering them scholarships? Now that spring practice is over, those written offers will be going out soon, McMackin said. (One has already been made, to Saint Louis receiver Billy Ray Stutzmann, but McMackin can’t talk about that specifically.)

Look for a concentrated, intense effort this spring on the local recruiting front.

Karl Noa leaves for New York on Wednesday for a tryout with the Jets. He’ll get his chance at the minicamp starting Friday.

Noa said it’s potentially a good fit for him, because at 6-4 and 250 he’s the prototype size for outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense, which the Jets use.

***

There’s still plenty of time for others to make a move up the depth chart, but as of the end of spring, it appears Aaron Kia has the edge at left tackle and Inoke Funaki at quarterback. Jameel Dowling may also have moved ahead at right corner after a strong Warrior Bowl performance.

***

The coaches looked at the Warrior Bowl tape today. We’ll try to get their evaluations.

****

There may have been an email from Herman Frazier to June Jones or Leigh Steinberg regarding the $400,000 Jones contends Frazier said he wouldn’t have to pay back to UH if he left early. If that’s the case, Jones may be off the hook.

He’s got a great coach: Jim Zorn. Zorn can turn him from a gunslinger into a polished NFL quarterback.

Just talked to Brennan; he leaves Thursday for Washington for the first mini-camp. He’s obviously excited. Said he doesn’t plan anything wild for celebrating, just relaxing with family for a couple of days. Said he’s ready to work, although he’s still recovering from the hip surgery.

He got to talk briefly with Zorn today.

Davone Bess said he’s going to the Dolphins. He said he’s been told the slot and punt return jobs are open.

Ryan Grice-Mullins is headed to the Houston Texans as a free agent. He said he’s disappointed about the draft, but “I’m definitely not sulking.”

Agent Leo Goeas said Hercules Satele (Cardinals) and Jason Rivers (Titans) have deals, and he is trying to get a tryout for Mike Lafaele.

It starts with a ha’a by the Black team and haka by the Green.

B30-1 Funaki to Libre shovel for 8

B38-2 Libre right for 5
B43-1 Funaki right for 14
G43-1 Funaki to Bain for 7
G36-2 Funaki to Bain for 4 (Dowling)
G32-1 (encroachment, defense)
G27-1 Funaki for Lofton, caught out of bounds, would’ve been a sack
G27-2 FUNAKI TO LANE FOR 27, TOUCHDOOWN
KELLY PAT, GREEN LEADS 7-0

GREEN BALL
G30-1 Graunke to Salas for 8, Salas fumble, recovered by Pilares
G38-2 Wright-Jackson 1 run (Purcell)
G39-3 4 pen, illegal procedure
G Graunke to Linker
G42-1 Wright-Jackson 2 run
G44-2 Graunke inc for Washington (Pedersen big hit)
G44-3 Graunke intercepted by Estes

BLACK BALL

B36-1 Funaki inc
B36-2 Funaki to Avery for 5
B41-3 Funaki to Lane for 11
G48-1 Funaki to Pollard for 40
(end first quarter, Black 7, Green 0)
G8-1 Inoke to Bain for 4
G4-2 (illegal procedure, offense)
G9-2 Funaki incomplete
G9-3 Funaki incomplete
G9-4 KELLY 26 FIELD GOAL GOOD, BLACK 10-0

GREEN BALL
G30-1 Graunke to Pilares for 4
G34-2 LWJ left on pitch for loss of 1
G33-2 Graunke to Salas for 19
B48-1 Graunke to Salas for 21 (Davis, Silva)
B27-1 Graunke to Washington for 20 (Estes)
B7-1 Graunke to Cox shovel for 4
B3-2 false start
B8-2 GRAUNKE TO WASHINGTON 8 YARDS TOUCHDOWN, KELLY KICK. BLACK LEADS 10-7

BLACK BALL

B30-1 Funaki to Lane for 16
B46-1 Funaki to wide open Lane, dropped
B46-2 Funaki to Medeiros for 3 (Kafentzis)
B49-3 Funaki run left for 31 (Volta-Johnson)
G20-1 Funaki to Bain for 14
G6-1 Funaki inc for Avery
G6-2 FUNAKI TO LOFTON FOR 6 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN; KELLY PAT, BLACK 17, GREEN 7. FIRST HALF ENDS.

THIRD QUARTER

G30-1 Cox 2 run (Satele)
G32-2 Graunke inc deep for Salas
G32-3 Graunke to Lauduski for 15
G47-1 Graunke sacked by Konrath for minus 8
G39-2 Graunke completes pass to self for 1
G40-3 Graunke inc
G40-4 Kelly punt to B19

BLACK BALL
B19-1 Rego left for 10
B29-1 Rego left for 7
B36-2 Austin sacked by Beaver minus 6
B30-3 Austin inc
B30-4 Kelly punt to G32

GREEN BALL
G32-1 Santos to Linkner for 25
B43-1 Santos to Ostrowski for 23
B20-1 Santos inc for Pilares
B20-2 Santos scramble for 5
B15-2 Santos to Carmona for 11
B4-1 encroachment on defense
B2-1 Santos inc
B2-2 CARMONA 2 RUN FOR TD, KELLY PAT GOOD, GREEN 14, BLACK 17
END THIRD QUARTER

B30-1 Austin 5 run (Lolotai)
B35-2 Austin to Nasca for 3 (huge hit by Thomas)
B38-3 Austin to Lofton for 12
50-1 Austin to Nasca for 17
G33-1 Heun 6 run (J. Rice)
G27-2 Rego 3 run (J. Rice)
G24-3 Austin to Medeiros for 21
G3-1 AUSTIN TO HEUN SHOVEL PASS 3 YARDS FOR TOUCHDOWN, KELLY PAT, BLACK 24, GREEN 14

(Missing several plays, as we were headed to the field. Will see if I can get the rest of it).

AARON KIA 13 PASS FROM BRYCE KALAUOKAAEA FOR THE FINAL SCORE FOR THE GREEN, KELLY’S KICK FAILS, BLACK WINS 24-20.