’Bows go twice
with pads

While Arizona head coach Dick Tomey was busy giving the Wildcats the afternoon off, University of Hawaii counterpart Fred vonAppen had the Rainbows in full pads for both of yesterday's workouts.

"Not that it was any kind of punishment," vonAppen said after yesterday evening's practice. "We just got tired of our players continually getting banged up while they were in shells (shoulder pads and shorts).

"We've been getting more guys hurt out of pads than in them, so we opted to go full pads twice today. I was pleased with what I saw today. It was much better than (Monday's) practice, which in our minds, was a wasted day."

Hawaii assistant coach Don Lindsey sounded off on the offense during Monday's morning workout. He was pleased with the effort yesterday, and opted to run with the players around Cooke Field at the end of the opening workout.

"One of our goals as coaches is to get these guys to practice hard on every play," vonAppen said. "We know it's difficult to concentrate when you're hot and tired. These are the dog days. But if you want to be a winning football team, you have to be able to play through it in the tough times."

INJURY REPORT: Quarterback Josh Skinner was sidelined for the second consecutive day with a hip pointer. UH trainers are confident Skinner could return as early as tomorrow, but he is still listed as day-to-day.

Last week, the injuries of choice were hamstring and groin pulls. This week, it's shoulder strains. Three players missed practice yesterday with bum shoulders. They are starting nose tackle Tony Tuioti, starting offensive lineman Andy Phillips and speedy wide receiver Robert Kemfort.

"We have at least eight players slowed with muscle pulls of practically every kind," vonAppen said. "But most of them are out here practicing, which is good."

OFFENSIVE PLAY OF THE DAY: Anybody who has followed the Rainbows' program this decade knows the reverse just hasn't been a play that has worked. But during the latter stages of yesterday's workout, the offense caught the defense flat-footed on a beautiful reverse by freshman receiver Craig Stutzman. The offense set a perfect picket fence as Stutzman rumbled untouched down the sidelines for 20 yards.

DEFENSIVE PLAY OF THE DAY: Senior linebacker Kamuela Cobb-Adams came off the edge in a blitz package to sack poor, unsuspecting quarterback Bronson Liana. Cobb-Adams, who tied former linebacker Brian Chapman for the team lead in sacks last year with six, was well received on the sidelines by top defensive players for the Rainbows.

TRANSACTION WIRE: Wide receiver John Kirby has yet to contact vonAppen about his immediate future, prompting the head coach to say yesterday, "He needs to see me before I decide to move on with my decision."

Kirby didn't handle a summer school class to vonAppen's liking, prompting the head coach to keep him out of fall camp.

VonAppen also said that the status of offensive lineman Kynan Forney remained unchanged. He has yet to report to camp because he's still in summer school.

VonAppen bid a fond farewell to junior fullback Serge Gudowski. His shinsplints were so bad, vonAppen recommended the player return to California. It's likely his career in Hawaii is done.

WEATHER REPORT: The tradewinds have left the islands, leaving Cooke Field in a shroud of humidity for the morning workout. It was a little cooler in the afternoon, but not much. The high in the Manoa area yesterday was 86. The humidity hovered at 70 percent.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "You had better swarm or forever hold your peace."

-- UH defensive coordinator Tom Williams to his defensive unit after the offense ripped off a 25-yard run.

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By Paul Arnett