BOISE, Idaho — The University of Hawai'i ranked eighth among the nine Western Athletic Conference members in the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate for football players, according to a report this week.

UH graduated football players at a rate of 42 percent by the NCAA's formula and 37 percent by the federal formula for those athletes who enrolled from 1998 through 2001 and graduated within six years. The average Graduation Success Rate for Football Bowl Subdivision schools (those formerly known as NCAA Division I-A) was 67 percent.

The Graduation Success Rate was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to measure academic success of athletes. According to the NCAA, the GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for mid-year enrollees and is calculated for every sport.

The GSR differs from the NCAA's yearly Academic Progress Report (APR) that makes members accountable for graduating athletes and imposes penalties for failure to meet minimum standards. UH was subject to loss of scholarships in football, men's basketball and baseball for low APRs from the 2006-'07 sampling.

"I don't think the numbers are where they should be and our goal is to get 100 percent graduation," said Jim Donovan, UH athletic director. "I'm concerned by the six-year average and we will improve. I know we have been steadily working to improve and the preliminary numbers (for the next APR) appear very positive.

UH head coach Greg McMackin has vowed to improve academic and graduation performance. To address the academic deficiencies he found upon taking the job in January, McMackin this summer hired Tony Tuioti as the Warriors' first director of player personnel. Tuioti's duties include serving as a coordinator for academics and recruiting.

In addition, McMackin has raised the standard for walk-ons to be awarded scholarships to a 2.5 grade point average.

"Coach McMackin has shown he is very serious about his players graduating," Donovan said."

ORANGE BOWL REPS

Two members of the Orange Bowl selection committee will be among those taking in today's Hawai'i-Boise State game, according to Broncos officials.

They will be here at Bronco Stadium to keep an eye on the 15th-ranked Broncos who, at 5-0, are one of nine remaining unbeaten teams.

The Orange Bowl has the last pick among the five Bowl Championship Series games this season.

Boise State is the third highest ranked of the schools from non-BCS conferences after Brigham Young (6-1) and Utah (7-0), who play each other Nov. 22. BYU, which lost yesterday to TCU, is No. 9 and Utah No. 14 in the Associated Press poll.

The BCS is only obligated to take one qualifying school from a non-BCS conference this year. A team finishing in the Top 12 of the final BCS rankings or No. 16-and-above and ahead of a BCS conference champion qualifies. While one qualifier is picked, others can be taken as at-large selections but there is no obligation and, so far, none has been.

SCOUTS IN BOISE

Nine NFL scouts and one from a Canadian Football League team are expected to attend today's game.