The University of Hawaii football team is trying to weather the repercussions from head coach Greg McMackin’s uncertain UH future and a recent uncorroborated accusation of point-shaving by unidentified players.
McMackin, who is in the fourth season of a five-year contract, was told in September that school leaders would evaluate his situation at the end of the 2011 season.
Since then, competing schools reportedly have used that against UH in recruiting. A linebacker who made an oral commitment to UH has decided to play for another school in 2012.
“I can’t say why he changed his mind, but he changed it,” McMackin said. “We move on to the next (recruit). We go right down the list. … That happens in recruiting. People weigh different things. You can only do what you can control.”
Tuesday, the Honolulu Police Department reaffirmed it was not launching an investigation into a point-shaving accusation, stemming from an anonymous letter UH had received on Nov. 3. UH officials notified HPD and the NCAA about the accusatory letter.
Manoa chancellor Virginia Hinshaw and athletic director Jim Donovan addressed the football team during Wednesday’s morning practice. Donovan told the players to not discuss the point-shaving accusation with the media.
When asked about the accusation after Wednesday’s practice, McMackin referred comments to Lynne Waters, spokeswoman for UH President M.R.C. Greenwood.
“Part of being a football coach is helping guys get through adversity,” McMackin said. “There’s so much adversity in the world and in the country. There are people who have a lot more adversity than us.”
Strong safety Richard Torres said the players are trying to block out nonfootball issues.
“The only things we can control are what happens on the gridiron,” Torres said. “Anything other than that, we can’t control, so we don’t mind it.”
Torres added: “At the end of the day, we know who we are, and what we’ve been through, and the work we’ve put in. … We lay it on the line every play. That’s all we can do. We don’t worry about what other people say. When you win, everybody is happy. When you lose, everybody is sad.”
The Warriors, who were predicted to win the Western Athletic Conference according to two preseason polls, are in third place at 3-4. Their overall record is 5-6 with two regular-season games remaining.
