NEW APPROACH TO RECRUITING

(July 22): I harbor no illusions about the University of Hawaii football team coming remotely close to matching last year's run. This year's schedule is much too tough and the losses on offense much too significant to be easily overcome.

Not to mention, the elevation of Greg McMackin to head coach. Even in-house changes have a major impact on any program. Different people do different things, and everyone must adjust accordingly.

One of those different things taking place at Manoa is a new emphasis and approach in recruiting.

June Jones disliked recruiting. His best finds, actually, dropped into his lap – in part, it is only fair to add, because of June's extensive connections. On the local front, one of the major criticisms of Jones was that he didn't know the way to Kahuku High.

McMackin and his staff have taken a more proactive approach, already securing verbal commitments from a pair of promising prospects – a mainland quarterback and a local pass receiver -- who are entering their senior seasons. McMackin recently disclosed, as well, that Hawaii has already made offers to 24 perspective players.

Under the old regime, recruiting for the fall didn't begin until the current season was over. That's far too late in the modern world of college football.

And local kids are being contacted early and often, giving a feeling that UH truly wants to keep its best prep players instead of recruiting them as an after-thought while mainland colleges have been steady showing interest from early-on in the game.

Will this approach help UH against Florida in the season-opener on Aug. 30? Of course not. But the revamped approach bodes well for the future of the program.

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