UH coaches held a clinic in Honokaa

HTH = Hawaii Tribune-Herald

HTH Note: "UH-Manoa, featuring assistant coaches Cal Lee and Alex Gerke, will hold a free football clinic from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for ages 8 to 12 years old, and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for ages 13 to 17 years old on Saturday at the Honokaa High School field. A free lunch will be offered after each class, and the first 100 to check-in will get a free T-shirt. Next to McDonald's scratch a card and get a free burger promotion or the boss buying free pizza, there may be no better freebie deal than UH's clinic."

About the recruiting battle over Manti Teo, Cal Lee said:
"We're right in the ballgame. We want not only Manti but all the top players across the state. About 10 to 15 years ago, there used to be only small colleges coming to Hawaii to recruit. That's all you saw. Lately, coaches from the Pac-10, Big 12, and as far east as Florida are coming in. It gives kids a lot more opportunities where they can go. It's more opportunities and it's great for everybody." (HTH)

HTH Note: "Maybe Lee will discover a prospect who shines at the clinic. Like Mana Silva, Daniel Libre or Levi Legay. All three played on the Big Island and are members of the UH football team. Silva, a 2006 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate, is in line to be the starting strong safety. Libre, a 2004 Konawaena graduate, is expected to see extensive playing time in the backfield. Legay, a 2007 Kealakehe graduate, is climbing the offensive line depth chart."

About the prospects on the Big Island, Cal Lee said:
"We have to wait until Sept. 1 to speak to incoming seniors. Mana Silva is a kid we tried to recruit and he went away (Oregon State) and he came back. I think he'll fit in with the program. We're really excited about Mana. There are prospects on the Big Island. It's good because we can work with them in camp, look at them and see if we want to recruit them. We've got kids coming from Hilo, Waiakea, Kona and all over to our camp. You never know." (HTH)

Asked if his success as a high school coach is a recruiting tool, Cal Lee said:
"That was a long time ago. Most of the kids have forgotten about that. What it does is it helps me get in the door. I'm local and they know I'm from here and here to stay, and I mean what I say when I talk to the kids." (HTH)

HTH Note: "When Greg McMackin was named UH head coach, his staff had just three weeks to recruit. But the Warriors reeled in an impressive class, including highly touted junior college quarterbacks Greg Alexander (6 feet 5 and 240 pounds) and Brent Rausch (6-4 and 190), and a pair of hard-to-get Kahuku High School standouts in linebackers Alema Tachibana (6-3, 200) and Paipai Falemalu (6-3, 220).

The Warriors did a fine job in repairing the recruiting pipeline from Kahuku to Manoa. When June Jones was the coach, he and former Red Raider coach Siuaki Livai got into a cat-and-mouse tussle about Livai encouraging his players to flee the state. "Not true," Livai would shout. "It is so," Jones would counter. Their little drama performance ended up on the TV news."

About their 2008 recruits from Kahuku, Cal Lee said:
"That's because of coach Mac. He tried to visit all the high schools he could go to. We try to work with all the local coaches. We've got a great staff and they've gone out of their way to visit all the coaches on the island." (HTH)

HTH Note: "Lee also landed two big bodies from his old stomping grounds in offensive lineman Tuiatua Tuiasosopo (6-1, 290) and defensive lineman Geordon Hanohano (6-2, 270). The local recruiting also netted two athletic players in linebacker Art Laurel (6-1, 205) from Leilehua High, and corner/wideout Earvin Sione (6-5, 190) from McKinley High, a tall speedster UH sorely needs."

About how he had connections to some of their recruits, Cal Lee said:
"I'm fortunate that I had a little connection. I know Tuiatua and Geordon. And I have relationships with their families and brothers." (HTH)