Special teams coordinator Chris Demarest said the upcoming football season will feature many happy returns.

Demarest said the goal is for the Rainbow Warriors to lead the nation in kickoff-return yardage.

In 2012, Demarest’s first season at UH, cornerback Mike Edwards had three kickoff returns for touchdowns.

Demarest said running back Diocemy Saint Juste, slotback Quinton Pedroza and cornerback Dee Maggitt are auditioning as kickoff returners this spring.

UH rotated five deep returners last year. The most prolific, Chris Gant, completed his eligibility in December. Kwamane Bowens transferred to a junior college, and Bubba Poueu-Luna is not participating in spring practice so he can focus on academics.

Saint Juste’s average was 25.1 yards on 14 kickoff returns, including a runback of 78 yards.

Pedroza was expected to be Utah’s deep returner before he decided to transfer to UH in August 2013. He redshirted last year.

"I’m getting some reps," Pedroza said.

Maggitt, who will be a fifth-year senior in the fall, has not returned kickoffs since his senior season at Lake High.

"Finally, I’m back there," Maggitt said. "I pleaded with them. I told Demo: Just give me the ball. I need the ball. I want the ball. I can make something happen, like Mike did.’ It’s really just running and hitting the hole as fast as I can. I have no fear back there. I’ll hit it as fast as I can."

Fonua won’t need surgery

Inside linebacker Benny Fonua said he will wait for the swelling to subside in his injured left knee before beginning an aggressive rehabilitation program.

Fonua suffered the injury during Saturday’s scrimmage-like session.

He said he initially was diagnosed with an injury to the lateral collateral ligament. But an MRI showed he actually suffered a strained medial collateral ligament.

Fonua said the condition will not require surgery. "That’s the best part," Fonua said.

But he said he cannot begin his rehab until the swelling goes down. He receives treatments several times a day.

It is unlikely Fonua will participate in drills in the final five spring practices.

"It’s tough when you see everybody else out there playing," Fonua said.

Unga back on O

Well, that was a short experiment.

Tui Unga, who moved from tight end to defensive end on Monday, was back on offense for Tuesday’s practice.

Unga, who signed with UH in December, played tight end and linebacker at Rancho Cucamonga High.

Slade-Matautia on D

Austin Slade-Matautia’s move from tight end to outside linebacker appears to be permanent.

Slade-Matautia was a defensive end at Iolani before competing as a walk-on tight end at Oregon State.

"The out-of-state tuition was pricey," Slade-Matautia said. "I decided to come back home."

He enrolled at UH in August 2013, and redshirted last season.

Two weeks before the April 1 start of spring training, Slade-Matautia was told he would switch to defense.

"It’s actually better for me," he said. "I played D-end in high school. Right now I’m trying to get the defensive schemes down."

Slade-Matautia has had rotation turns with the first-team defense this spring.

"He’s quick," defensive coordinator Kevin Clune said. "He’s got some strength. He’s got height. He’s got a lot of tools there. He just has to learn the defensive aggressiveness. He needs to find a way to help us."

Slade-Matautia, who is 6 feet 2, said he weighs 220 pounds. His goal is to gain 15 pounds by the start of fall camp in August.