Whenever Ron Lee attends a football convention, he heads straight for the seminars on the latest defensive strategies.

"I want to learn as much as I can about defense," said Lee, who today will be named officially as the Hawai'i football team's offensive coordinator.

Lee was the Warriors' receivers coach the past nine seasons. Prior to that, he was coordinator of a run-and-shoot offense that dominated Hawai'i high school football for nearly two decades, first at Kaiser High School (where he served as head coach) and then at Saint Louis School.

Lee is set to implement an offense that is similar in look (two wideouts, two slotbacks) and philosophy (throw first, run when needed) to the four-wide offense June Jones ran at UH before he resigned to take the head coaching job at Southern Methodist last month.

The difference is Lee's offense will rely more on power running plays — "we want to make the defense at least try to tackle," he said — and more variations on the pass routes.

Jones required his receivers to run specified routes. Lee wants the routes to have more options, which are based on defensive coverage. Lee emphasized the options are part of a structured plan.

"It's not like they can run all over the place," he said. "It's not like streetball."

Lee and the new staff members on offense — quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich, line coach Brian Smith and graduate assistant Craig Stutzmann — will meet frequently to discuss strategies. The newcomers are former UH players.

"We're going to spend a lot of time together," Lee said. "We're going to get to know each other like we're brothers."

Lee said the new coaches should make an easy transition.

"They've been part of the system," Lee said. "They love Hawai'i. The players will love these guys."

Lee inherits an offense that lost five key ballhandlers — quarterback Colt Brennan, wideouts Jason Rivers and C.J. Hawthorne, and slotbacks Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins.

"We lost the Fab Five, to borrow Bob Nash's group," Lee said. "It's a chance for the guys to step up. Michael Washington, Aaron Bain, Malcolm Lane, Greg Salas, Jon Medeiros. All of the guys who were backup guys, this is their chance."

His prediction? "They'll do fabulous," Lee said. "They were capable of playing last year. They're getting their chance. They have a schedule they're going to enjoy."

There will be some experiments for spring practice. Running backs Daniel Libre and Kealoha Pilares will learn the slotback routes.

Lee said there are some plays in which the running back will run slotback routes. He also said this will give the Warriors more flexibility with the lineup.

"Pilares and Daniel sitting on the bench doesn't help at times," Lee said. "This might help. We want to get the best people on the field. It's a long season. It's going to be physical. We want to keep that speed, that quickness the whole game. If we run 80, 90 plays, we want to have more people ready to play."

Lee said Leon Wright-Jackson, who will be a junior in the fall, will remain at running back.

"He's going to have a big year," Lee said. "I'm confident he'll be better. He's got the ability. He needs more reps in practice, a little more of an opportunity in practice. That's why spring practice is going to be important. You can't emphasize enough how important it is for players to position themselves. It's all up to them."

NEWS AND NOTES