LAS VEGAS >> The University of Hawaii and seven other Mountain West Conference football teams will add extra money to their players’ scholarship checks, league officials announced at the media days.
The extra payment is for the so-called cost of attendance, the money needed to pay for expenses above a full scholarship’s coverage of tuition, room, board, books and mandatory fees.
The Warriors have been told they will receive COA, although there has not been an official announcement on the amount or how many UH sports also will receive extra payments. MWC officials said the league’s average COA, based on a federal index of each school’s area, is $3,813 a year. UH athletic director David Matlin has been quoted at estimating his school’s COA at more than $4,000 a year.
Boise State has a four-tier range, from $4,686 for a resident who lives in the dormitory to $5,486 for a non-resident who lives off campus.
Utah State, which will offer COA in all sports, is a “major player,” according to USU football coach Matt Wells.
Fresno State coach Tim DeRuyter said he will meet with his players to discuss spending the extra money wisely.
“I think most of the guys will be smart enough to use it to buy food,” DeRuyter said. “If you don’t have the conversation, we might have more tattoos on our team.”
Air Force already provides stipends in a previously imposed arrangement. Nevada, UNLV and New Mexico are seeking to implement full COA next year.
Nevada coach Brian Polian suggested capping the COA payouts or imposing an across-the-board figure for schools. He said only a small percentage of schools can afford to provide COA for all their sports teams.
“Do we need to be giving guys $5,000?” said Polian, noting scholarship players — unlike many classmates with student loans — already exit college without any debt. “There has to be a happy medium somewhere.”
Ex-Georgia coach Bobo recalls win over Hawaii
Colorado State coach Mike Bobo has fond memories of the 2008 Sugar Bowl — but not of the pre-game ceremony.
Bobo was Georgia’s offensive coordinator in the 41-10 rout of Hawaii in the Super Dome.
“I remember we went inside (after pre-game warm-ups) because Coach didn’t want to see (the Warriors) do the haka and let them try to intimidate us,” Bobo said. “So we sat inside and didn’t see it.”
Bobo said the Bulldogs’ game plan was not to match the pace of the Warriors’ four-wide offense.
“We obviously had to slow down (UH quarterback) Colt Brennan,” Bobo said. “They were fast. We wanted to take the air out of the ball.”
The Bulldogs usually attacked in three-, four- and five-receiver sets. But twice in the first quarter, the Bulldogs went to a power formation featuring three running backs and two tight ends.
“It was second-and-2 and first-and-10, and we were in 32 personnel in the middle of the field,” Bobo said. “I think we popped one for a touchdown. We wanted to take care of the ball, and they turned it over a few times, and had trouble (pass) protecting.”
Bobo added: “I remember that game took forever. It felt like a five-hour game.”
UNLV loss to UH still hurts 8 months later
Eight months later, UNLV has scars from a disheartening loss to Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. The Rebels went ahead, 35-31, with 15 seconds to play on Blake Decker’s 7-yard scoring pass.
But the Rebels were assessed 30 yards in penalties for two violations — a reserve running on the field and another taking off his helmet in celebration — and the usual kickoff specialist was injured. The Warriors scored the winning touchdown on Marcus Kemp’s 20-yard catch as time expired.
“Man, that one really hurt,” said UNLV safety Peni Vea, a Kealakehe High graduate. “That one was a bummer.”
That was Bobby Hauck’s final game as UNLV head coach. He was fired shortly thereafter.
“That kind of capsulized what happened to us last year,” Decker said.
Oceanic to televise 8 Warrior games on PPV
Eight of the University of Hawaii’s 13 football games are scheduled to be shown on Oceanic’s pay-per-view package this season, according to the cable provider’s mailing to commercial customers.
Prices have yet to be announced for residential customers.
The first PPV matchup is listed as the Sept. 19 game with UC Davis. The others are San Diego State, New Mexico, Nevada, Nevada-Las Vegas, Fresno State, San Jose State and Louisiana-Monroe.
