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WARRIOR FOOTBALL

Injuries continue
to pile up

If the injuries pile up any faster, University of Hawaii head coach June Jones may have to open his own wing at a local hospital to handle all of his players.

Several Warriors missed practice yesterday morning with a variety of bumps and bruises that range from day-to-day to several weeks on the sidelines.

Jones said Monday that free safety Nate Jackson is doubtful for the Western Athletic Conference opener at Texas-El Paso next week. The free safety has a broken bone in his foot that continues to widen, leaving his playing status for this season uncertain.

"We're not sure when Nate is going to be back in there," Jones said yesterday. "The trainers say he needs to rest it, so that's what we will do."

Stress fractures in that area of the foot can be tricky. It's possible Jackson could miss a substantial amount of the season. If that happens, he does have a redshirt year available to him and could use it for a medical hardship.

Offensive lineman Vince Manuwai not only has a broken right hand, but now has a problem with the rotator cuff in his left shoulder. He played in Saturday's loss to Portland State with a cast on his right hand. It proved difficult for him to block and his overcompensation may have caused his shoulder problem.

"I couldn't block the way I normally do," Manuwai said. "They don't think it's a tear, but it still hurts."

The UH trainers are confident Manuwai will be able to play next week. He had a particularly good game against the Vikings, despite the broken hand.

Cornerback Flex Armstrong missed yesterday's workout with a groin injury. He originally had a hamstring pull that sidelined him during fall camp, but said he was experiencing pain on the inside of his right leg.

"It's good we have a bye this week, so we can heal some of the bumps and bruises," Jones said. "I don't think too many of the injuries are serious. We'll see how they feel next week."

Rosehill status unknown

Defensive lineman Olen Rosehill has yet to hear from the NCAA for his petition for a sixth season.

Despite the lack of news, the senior tackle from Hilo remained hopeful the organization would award him another year.

Jones said yesterday that Rosehill could practice with the team, but could not suit up or play in a game. Last year, he came in for only one play. He is hoping the NCAA doesn't count that brief season against him.

"We haven't heard anything, but I don't think it looks too good for him," Jones said. "We're hoping to hear something soon so Olen will know one way or the other."

Lee not back

Doctors have not cleared UH wide receivers coach Ron Lee for duty and just when he will return remains uncertain.

Jones had hoped Lee would be able to fly with the team to El Paso, Texas, next week, but that seems unlikely at this point. Lee underwent triple bypass surgery to his heart nearly two weeks ago. He is resting comfortably at home.

"He's not on our timetable," Jones said. "That's up to his doctors to decide. We want him back, but we don't want to rush anything."

Schedule weak

The University of Texas' decision to skip the Sept. 2 season opener left Hawaii's strength of schedule among the weakest in the country, according to a national magazine.

Phil Steele's weekly publication lists the Warriors' schedule as No. 100 out of a possible 115 Division I teams. It doesn't help that the WAC is rated No. 9 among the 11 major conferences in America. The only two weaker than the WAC are the MAC and the folding Big West Conference.

Hawaii also has the weakest schedule of the nine teams in the WAC. Somewhat surprisingly, newest WAC member Nevada has the strongest at No. 76.

The Wolf Pack's nonconference schedule is Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado State and Nevada-Las Vegas. The only home game among those four is against Colorado State.

One thing that hurt the Rainbows was playing Division I-AA Portland State. Strength of schedule is based on how many Division I opponents a team plays, how strong those teams are and the number of games played away and at home.

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Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin