Senior linebacker Chris Brown stood out at practice yesterday as Hawaii continued preparations for Wednesday's Hawaii Bowl against Tulane. He was the only one wearing rubber slippers. UH practices with injuries
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comJunior defensive lineman Houston Ala stepped on Brown's left foot during Thursday's workout, and Brown sat out yesterday as a precaution.
"You know I'll play barefoot if I have to," Brown said. "This is my last game as a UH player."
Brown has played with pain throughout his UH career and has started 37 consecutive games (tied with receiver Justin Colbert for longest ongoing streak). In 2001 he played despite a badly sprained knee, and a shoulder subluxation couldn't knock him out of the lineup this past fall.
Brown, who was a defensive lineman as a freshman and sophomore, was moved to linebacker before his junior year. He has contributed at his old position at times this year.
Sophomore running back Mike Bass (knee), sophomore inside receiver Nate Ilaoa (hamstring), junior defensive end Travis LaBoy (various) and junior safety Hyrum Peters (knee) remained out of team drills yesterday. All will probably play Wednesday.
Peters is still trying to work his sprained knee into playing shape.
"I told him if he can go full speed Monday we'll give it a try. If not, no," Hawaii coach June Jones said.
Musical linemen: No, Wayne Hunter isn't moving back to defensive end, although that's where he played yesterday. UH's junior starting left tackle, who was on the D-line last year, was helping out the defensive scouts, so starting right tackle Uriah Moenoa moved to Hunter's usual spot and Ryan Santos took the reps at Moenoa's normal position.
With a 98-man roster for the bowl game and several banged-up players not practicing, the Warriors don't have as many extra players as usual.
"We don't have enough scout-team players," Jones said. "We're rotating a lot because of some injuries. In case we do get hurt in the game everybody's got to be ready to play different spots."
Some other out-of-position "scouts": defensive ends Kevin Jackson and Ala at tight end.
Acclimation: Most teams that come to Hawaii have at the most three days to get used to the time difference and climate here. Tulane has five full days before the game.
"The traveling part is not a big problem," Green Wave coach Chris Scelfo said. "The thing we're looking at is we're playing one of the best teams in the country, and any time you're at home it's an advantage. I know it is for us."
Short yardage: Two UH backup players -- junior inside receiver Gerald Welch and sophomore defensive back Matt Manuma are ineligible for the Hawaii Bowl for academic reasons. ... Scelfo's roommate at Northeast Louisiana, Lee Everett, is from Honolulu. ... Tulane kicker Seth Marler won the Lou Groza Award in 2001.
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