Gordy Shaw is recruiting in Minnesota this week

PP = Pioneer Press

PP Note: “Gordy Shaw, who recruited in-state football players for the Gophers for 14 years and now is offensive line coach at the University of Hawaii, will be in town this week recruiting at a half-dozen Minnesota high schools.”

About going from Hawaii to Minnesota to recruit, Shaw said:
“Haven’t worn a pair of long pants since I got here Feb. 22.” (PP)

About how he went from South Dakota to UH, Shaw said:
“From Vermillion to Honolulu; that might be the biggest change (in the history) of college recruiting.” (PP)

PP Note: “Shaw’s daughter Jenna will give the commencement speech for fellow graduates of Minnesota’s Institute of Technology on Friday.”

http://www.twincities.com/ci_12311805?source=most_emailed

The APR will not penalize the Warriors

About how only baseball will be penalized by the APR this year (and baseball’s penalty dropped from 0.48 last year to 0.27 this year), JD said:
“I’m very pleased we made improvement in all but one sport. This is something that takes a multi-level commitment — from coaches, players, support staff and administration. This is what it is all about, doing well in school.” (HA)

HA Note: “Only women’s tennis among the 18 sports surveyed (the NCAA does not include sailing) failed to improve on its single-year numbers over the previous year. Last year, in addition to men’s basketball, football lost one scholarship and baseball 0.48. Last year, in addition to men’s basketball, football lost one scholarship and baseball 0.48.”

About their improvement with the APR, Mac said:
“The APR is here to stay and it’s something we have to take seriously. We have to continue to get better and we’re headed in the right direction.” (HSB)

HSB Note: “The football program avoided penalties for the first time in four years and had a single-year score of 956 to jump to 935 in the multi-year score. Nash and football coach Greg McMackin credited the academic staff (advisors Conred Maddox in basketball and Jennifer Matsuda, Trina Kudlacek and Sara Nunes-Atabaki in football) and cited an emphasis on summer school for contributing to the academic improvements. With the football program moving above the multi-year benchmark of 925 for the first time, McMackin said the Warriors’ freshman class posted a grade-point average above 3.0 last season.”

HSB Note: “Hawaii was rocked with the loss of five football scholarships the first year the NCAA levied penalties using the APR as a barometer. A big reason the Warriors were hit so hard was June Jones’ penchant for finding new schools for players he knew would never play for Hawaii, places where they could play. If you know Jones’ history, you know he did this out of empathy; he transferred from Hawaii himself as a player, to stardom at Portland State. The APR in its original form made that troublesome, with unfairly severe penalties for even “clean” transfers. Now, if you move on with a 2.6 and meet other academic requirements, it’s no damage. Good to know the NCAA can adapt its policies and do what makes sense once in awhile.”

http://www.starbulletin.com/sports/sportsnews/20090507_UH_makes_academic_strides_but_baseball_takes_hit.html

http://www.starbulletin.com/columnists/furtherreview/20090507_Building_on_APR_gains_a_must_for_UH_programs.html

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090507/SPORTS02/905070353/1312&template=UHSports

Feature on the Warriors’ Junior Pro Day

About how his arm reach was measured at 33 inches (less than he had hoped), Tua Mahaley said:
“I was working on my biceps today.” (HA)

HA Note: “Mahaley was among 13 soon-to-be Warrior football seniors whose weights, heights, arm reaches, hand spans and Wonderlic results were recorded during yesterday’s Junior Pro Day at the UH athletic complex. The 90-minute session served as a career day for aspiring pro players. Two National Football League scouting coordinators — Dave Petett of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ray Biggs of the Tennessee Titans — took the data, which will be shared with 26 of the remaining 32 NFL teams.”

About having the Junior Pro Day for the Warriors, Petett said:
“It gives us a jump. We can start working on (evaluating) the guys over the summer. We’ll know what to expect in the fall.” (HA)

About how these assessments are part of the draft evaluation process, Petett said:
“It’s an 11-plus-month process. Hawai’i has had good players in recent years. Look at David, Ryan and Jake.” (HA)

HA Note: “Defensive end David Veikune, cornerback Ryan Mouton and long-snapper Jake Ingram are former Warriors who were selected in the 2009 NFL draft. Petett and Biggs spent several hours reviewing videos of the UH prospects. They will watch more videos today and tomorrow.”

About how the scouts will grade UH’s Juniors, Rich Miano said:
“They’ll evaluate each senior-to-be, then give them a grade.” (HA)

About taking the Wonderlic (50 questions long, 20 minute time limit), Brashton Satele (who was born in November) said:
“One of the questions was: what’s the 11th month of the calendar year?” (HA)

About the Wonderlic, John Estes said:
“The questions ranged from ridiculously easy to hard.” (HA)

About how his hand span was measured at 10 3/4 inches, Laupepa Letuli said:
“I was surprised.” (HA)

HA Note: “Left guard Ray Hisatake had the longest reach (33fi inches). At 6 feet 4, left tackle Aaron Kia was the tallest. Defensive tackle Rocky Savaiigaea weighed the most (335 pounds).”

About being measured at 6′ 1.5″ and 298 pounds, Estes said:
“I am what I am.” (HA)

HA Note: “There were two notable absences: quarterback Greg Alexander and defensive end Fetaiagogo “John” Fonoti, whose girlfriend was in the hospital yesterday.”

About Fonoti missing the Junior Pro Day, Biggs said:
“We understand. He would have been here. Give him credit for taking care of his girlfriend.” (HA)

HA Note: “The players were not asked to lift weights or run the 40-yard dash. The Warriors lifted in March, and those results were forwarded to the scouts.”

About how he didn’t want the Warriors to run the 40-yard dash on Ching Field, Miano said:
“We love the surface, and it’s good for the knees and ankles and shoulders. But it’s not good to run a 40 because the surface is slow. It’s so soft. It’s like running on long grass. As it gets patted down more, it will become a faster surface. We don’t want them to have slow times because of the surfaces they’re running on.” (HA)

http://sports.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090507/SPORTS0201/905070363/1312&template=UHSports