For quarterback Jeremy Higgins, the reward for an impressive spring training is a football scholarship.

"I'm very thankful to coach Chow," Higgins said.

Chow said: "He kept thanking me. I said, 'Jeremy, I don't do favors. You earned this.'"

Indeed, Higgins proved deserving during the past spring training. Higgins, who started one game as a third-year sophomore in 2012, had been told that Taylor Graham and Ikaika Woolsey would get the majority of snaps during spring ball. Higgins took advantage of his opportunities, repeatedly leading scoring drives during scrimmage-like drills.

Graham exited spring drills atop the depth chart. But Higgins and Sean Schroeder, who did not practice this spring following back surgery, were bracketed at No. 2. Chow has said he will evaluate the position this summer.

Higgins, a Saint Louis School graduate, relinquished a scholarship when he transferred from Utah State to join the Warriors as a walk-on in 2011. He redshirted that year in accordance with NCAA transfer rules. UH was able to offer Higgins a scholarship at this time because he completed two years in the program. Walk-ons with that much time in a program can be upgraded without the scholarship counting against the 25-initial limit.

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What was your guess — 10, 20, maybe as high as 30?

It was a pleasant surprise that the majority of Warriors — 56 — had GPAs of 3.0 or better this past spring semester.

"That's why they're here," Chow said.

Chow  praised the academic support staff, as well as the coaches who do constant grade assessments and daily classroom checks. Chow also had imposed a rule in which a walk-on needed to have at least a 2.5 GPA.

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Avis has selected Bembu22 as the winner of the tank-top.

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We have another tank-top to offer. Today's entry phrase is: I am Savo

Avis will chose a winner.

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Back story: UH basketball player Predrag "Savo" Savovic missed two free throws near the end of regulation. He then dominated in overtime. Asked about the sequence, Savovic said: "I am Savo."

The next game, there were "I am Savo" signs held at each side of the arena.

Happy birthday, Savo.

The "Rainbow" Warriors, who play at Utah State on Nov. 2, will stay in Salt Lake City through Wednesday, Nov. 6. They will travel by charter flight to the East Coast that day, then check into a Maryland hotel bordering Washington D.C.

Chow said tentative plans call for three excursions to D.C., with stops at the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and Capitol building. There are people trying to schedule a visit with President Obama.

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The nickname is changing to "Rainbow" Warriors, but there will be no change in appearance for the football team.

They will retain the same uniforms (no rainbow stripes), helmets (dark green, not white) and "Fight Like A Warrior" motto. They also will continue to perform the haka.

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It appears that all of the "Rainbow" Warriors on the spring football roster exited the spring semester in good academic standing.

A great measure of credit goes to the academic counselors.

One of the best — Sara Nunes-Atabaki — is retiring. She's smart, patient and supportive. Most of all, she cares deeply about each student-athlete. We wish her the best.

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Avis has selected SteveM as the winner of the T-shirt.

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Beat the heat? Today's prize is a Rainbow Warrior tanktop.

To enter, please post: Happy birthday, Devon James Tsai

Avis will pick a winner.

For several years, Polamalu has been trying to promote football in that area.

Defensive coordinator Thom Kaumeyer, linebacker coach Tony Tuioti and offensive assistant Ed Ta‘amu will represent the Warriors.

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Avis has selected Wafan as the winner of the T-shirt.

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Today's prize is another T-shirt. To enter the drawing, please post: Happy birthday, D-1shima

Avis will select a winner.

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We also extend birthday wishes to Bill Stutzmann Sr. and Peaches.

The Warriors made an offer that would allow Stubblefield, a Crusader wide receiver, to also play baseball. He is an outfielder.

The dual offer is not unique. Punahou's Larry "Tui" Tuileta has accepted an offer to play for the UH football and volleyball teams in 2014. Stubblefield, like Tuileta, is a senior-to-be.

Stubblefield was born in North Carolina.

Here's his 2012 highlights: Stubblefield video

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In 2006, former All-State cornerback CJ Tausaga decided to leave the UH football team to focus on serving as a mentor for his church.

Tausaga's decision, in a way, parallels Sean Carney's departure from the volleyball Warriors' coaching staff.

Carney is seeking to expand his youth volleyball club from one team to four. Carney probably will do more to promote volleyball in that role than as a college coach. A self-proclaimed "Warrior for life," Carney said he hopes many of his players will find their way onto the Manoa campus.

We wish Carney well in his new endeavors.

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Bookchic808 is the winner of the T-shirt.

Please e-mail you address to stsai@staradvertiser.com

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Another day, another T-shirt contest.

To enter the drawing, please post: Congrats, Princess Leila.

(She earned her master's degree in public administration.)

Avis will select a winner.

Now UH has torn up plans to grayshirt Ewaliko. Instead, Ewaliko will join the Warriors for training camp in August. He will compete initially as a receiver, which will allow him to motion into the backfield as a runner or option passer.

Ewaliko is a multi-sport, multi-talented athlete. He is an award-winning rodeo competitor. At last week's meet, he won the 100- and 200-meter sprints. He then capped his night as the anchor in the 400 relay. The Bears won the boys' state title.

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He said, "no need prize," which must be the magic words because Avis has (randomly) selected BG as the winner of the T-shirt. OK, everyone stand up and salute.

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And, hey, we've got another T-shirt from surfivor.com and Mr. Anonymous. To enter the drawing, please post: Happy birthday, Jason.

Avis will pick a winner.

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And happy birthday to Gwyn Pang.

Word on the (Dole) Street is that Waianae's Kennedy Tulimasealii and Kahuku's John Wa‘a and Aofaga Wily have met the NCAA eligibility requirements to play this coming season.

Tulimasealii will be part of the rotation on the interior defensive line that includes Saui Matagiese, Moses Samia, Marcus Malepai, Hunter Thomson and Mike Andrade. There is a possibility that Calen Friel, recently healed from a year-long injury, will move to the offensive line.

Wa‘a will compete for a rotation spot at offensive tackle.

Wily will compete at running back.

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With his contract as Hawaii News Now's sports director set to expire,  Chris Tanaka faced an uncertain future.

The cloud has been lifted with his move to co-anchor of the station's 5 p.m. weekly newscasts. He doesn't have to attend 6 a.m. practices, and he gets to sit next to Stephanie Lum five evenings a week. He'll also have more time to spend with his wife and their 6-month-old son.

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Thanks to surfivor.com and our anonymous donor, we're giving away this cool T-shirt:

To enter the drawing, please post: Happy birthday, Mo808.

Avis will pick a winner.

Gary Beemer, the Warriors' newly hired strength and conditioning coach, has an impressive history.

He worked out for a year to gain enough strength and weight to join the Florida Gators as a walk-on lineman. Later, he joined the Gators' strength staff  (under Mickey Marotti) while earning a master's degree in biomechanics. This past year, he was a member of the Minnesota Vikings' strength and conditioning staff.

In searching for candidates for the newly opened UH position, UH athletic director Ben Jay contacted Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer. (Jay previously worked as an administrator at Ohio State.) Meyer directed Jay to Marotti, now OSU's strength coach. Marotti recommended Beemer.

"Working in the NFL is awesome," Beemer said. "The players are world class. But my heart is in helping young men develop into great football players. I think that happens more at the college level than in the NFL. Guys who come to the NFL are pre-packaged, pre-formed. They've already arrived. ... In college, you get a young guy — raw talent, undeveloped. ... You get to mold him and meld him and get him ready to play high-quality football at the college level, and then go on to play in the NFL. That's the goal."

In his final season as a player, Beemer had a very memorable moment.

Check this out: "Legend of Gary Beemer" video

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Former UH linebacker Paipai Falemalu is seeking another NFL opportunity after being released by the Cleveland Browns.

He had signed as an undrafted free agent.

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Happy birthday to our occasional karaoke singer Aya Ibarra.

What is known, definitely, is that it is the community's power brokers — not the UH administrators, not the people — who make the decisions.

AD Ben Jay was correct, in February, when he decided there needed to be one name for the men's teams  His handling of the situation, two months into the job and without getting more input, was too hurried. While the passion of Steven Chinen and the Letter Winners Club should be acknowledged, overturning Jay's February mandate was the work — and the will — of power brokers who write the much-needed checks. The decision to overturn the original mandate, like the mandate itself, did not involve polls or public meetings.

Today's decision, like the first one, was rushed to action. The uniforms of the past, long discarded or auctioned, won't be brought back into use for this coming season. The proposed retro line now becomes the line.

It's good the matter is settled. It's good for fans who prefer "Rainbow" to be part of the nickname. It's also good that we now know who runs the show

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Austin Kafentzis, a soon-to-be-junior quarterback at Utah's Jordan High, today received a 2015 offer from the Warriors.

There are long ties between his family and the Warriors. Austin's father Kyle was one of five Kafentzis brothers to play for UH. A second Kafentzis generation — Tyson, Landon and Mikhail — also were Warriors.

Austin Kafentzis already has received offers from BYU, Utah, Utah State and Wisconsin.

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Former UH placekicker Dan Kelly, who still is dealing with legal problems, has signed to play for the SoCal Coyote, a semipro football team based in Palm Springs.

The Coyotes' head coach is J. David Miller, who once collaborated with June Jones on a book about the Warriors. Kelly said he contacted Miller, who offered the contract. Mouse Davis serves as a team consultant, Kelly said.

Kelly, who declined to comment on his on-going case, said he works as a litigator for a financial company.

He was on the practice squad last year.

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Picture Zach Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies' 6-foot-9 post player.

Now picture somebody jumping completely over Randolph, with a half-inch to spare.

That somebody was Layton (Utah) High's Marcus Kemp, who won the 5-A Regional Championship this past weekend in Syracuse, Utah. Kemp won the high jump (6-9 1/2) and long jump (22-7). Kemp, a wide receiver, signed with the Warriors in February and already has been accepted to UH.

Another UH recruit, Baldwin High's Keelan Ewaliko, made quick work at this past weekend's HHSAA's track meet, winning the 100 (11.05) and 200 (22.16), and anchoring the 400 relay champions (42.58).

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Birthday wishes to volleyball guru Chris McLachlin.

Here's Mike Edwards:

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Here's Royce Pollard:

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And Alex Dunnachie:

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I was thumbing through a First Hawaiian Bank brochure, and now I know what happened to former UH wideout Tafiti Uso:

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Birthday wishes to Laulau Head and Whitney Yui.