The Hawai'i football team filled a need when Kahuku High's St. John Lessary agreed to join as a preferred walk-on.

Lessary, who is 6 feet and 190 pounds, can play running back or receiver. But he will be used as a punter, a vacant position on the Warriors' spring roster, when he reports this summer. Tim Grasso, the punter the past two seasons, completed his NCAA eligibility at the end of the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

"He can run, and he can catch," Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said. "They're getting the whole package. He brings versatility to the program."

Torres said Lessary boomed a "few 60-(yard)-plus punts — not rolling, but in the air."

Lessary's punting earned him the Most Valuable Player honor for a victory against Farrington.

The Warriors now will wait to see which recruits will honor their verbal commitments. Tomorrow is the first day prospects may sign binding NCAA letters of intent.

The UH coaches expect defensive end Iuta Tepa to sign with UCLA. Tepa is a senior at Long Beach Poly, which is driving distance from UCLA's Westwood campus.

Palo Verdes (Nev.) High's Liloa Nobriga, a defensive end who attended 'Iolani School as a freshman and sophomore, is split in deciding between UH and Colorado.

Wai'anae High defensive tackle Wade Keli'ikipi, whose older brother West Keli'ikipi was a UH running back, is now mulling a late offer from Oregon.

Still, the Warriors, who started their recruiting drive last spring, appeared to have weathered challenges from several prominent programs.

Douglass High (Okla.) wideout Destin Stewart said he will sign with UH despite a late push from Missouri.

"Hawai'i is a different environment, and I want to try something new," Stewart said. "And I really like the Hawai'i program."

Linebacker Chad Lopati of Kapolei High and George Daily-Lyles of Long Beach Poly also rebuffed other offers.

In accepting the head coaching job in January 2008, Greg McMackin vowed to improve the recruiting efforts. Athletic director Jim Donovan doubled the recruiting budget, and Hawaiian Airlines donated 100 roundtrip tickets.

McMackin hired Tony Tuioti as director of player personnel. McMackin also started a football camp. That enabled prospects from across the country to tour the Manoa campus.

And McMackin also changed UH's recruiting strategy. In the last few years of June Jones' tenure as head coach, the Warriors, who were under financial constraints, brought in the majority of the prospects in the three weekends before the signing day.

McMackin made offers a few months after being hired. The assistant coaches also made recruiting visits during the season. The staff evaluated players from every high school program in the state.

The Warriors were the first to make offers to defensive players from Long Beach Poly, a traditional powerhouse. Sometimes the early offers paid off (Daily-Lyles); sometimes they invited competition from area schools such as USC and UCLA (Tepa).

There also were some glitches. Running back Jack Sula and defensive tackle Jesse Williams need to fulfill academic requirements. They will not sign tomorrow, although there is a possibility they might still join the team this summer. Cornerback Kevin Williams also does not meet the requirements to play for the Warriors. Overall, this could be one of the most talented UH recruiting classes. Junior college wideout Rodney Bradley, offensive tackle Brett Leonard, defensive tackle David Hafoka, and cornerbacks Lametrius Davis and Tank Hopkins already are enrolled at UH.

Wideout Billy Ray Stutzmann graduated early from Saint Louis School in December, and is attending UH classes. He will participate in spring practice.

And three grayshirts — linebackers Waylon Lolotai and Art Laurel, and rush end Alema Tachibana — were part-time students in the fall. They now are on scholarship.