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TODAY'S WARRIORS NOTEBOOK

Correia seeks
an extra year

One University of Hawaii player not expected to return this season from the injured list is defensive end Joe Correia.

The former St. Louis School quarterback confirmed this morning that he will seek a medical hardship. The UH training staff said the Warriors would petition for the extra year in December.

"I feel like I'm a forgotten soul," Correia said this morning as he worked out on an exercise bike. "My foot hasn't gotten any better, so I'm going to sit this one out. Hopefully, I'll get the extra year."

Because Correia has a documented injury -- he broke his foot the second game of the season -- and because he has a redshirt year available to him, UH officials are confident the NCAA and the Western Athletic Conference would grant the medical hardship.

"We're hopeful we can get him back next year," UH defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa said. "His foot just hasn't responded the way we had hoped. He can't push off. It's a very painful injury. We've missed Joe this year. He's an important part of the defense."

NCAA rules state that players can use their redshirt season as a medical hardship if they don't play in more than 20 percent of the games and don't appear after the midpoint of the season. Correia falls safely inside both of those requirements.

"They told me it's 99.9 percent sure," Correia said. "But the way our luck has been going, I'm still a little worried about that point-one percent."

Injuries abound

Correia isn't the only man down and out for the Warriors.

Defensive lineman Mike Iosua suffered an ankle injury and won't be making the trip to Fresno State this weekend. Neither will outside linebacker Robert Kemfort, who has bruised ribs. When asked when he suffered the injury, he jokingly said, "After (San Jose State running back Deonce) Whitaker put that move on me."

Actually, Kemfort was injured during the first series and was hurting badly when he tried to make a play on Whitaker, who scored on the 27-yard pass from Spartan quarterback Marcus Arroyo. Kemfort wasn't able to take another snap and is hopeful he'll return the following weekend against Nevada.

With Kemfort down and backup Lonnie Williams fighting a sprained ankle, look for senior Joaquin Avila to move outside to back up projected starters Anthony Smith and Bronson Liana. Rinda Brooks will start in the middle with Pisa Tinoisamoa also seeing some playing time there.

Brooks is bothered by an ankle sprain himself. Because of that, Lempa has opted not to shift Tinoisamoa to the outside as was proposed by UH head coach June Jones during yesterday's press conference.

"Rinda will go as long as he can," Lempa said. "But we need Pisa to be ready to play the middle if and when Rinda comes out."

There are some injuries on the offensive side of the ball as well, including quarterback Tim Chang. He did not suit up for practice this morning, but will be under center come Saturday. He is bothered by a swollen face and lacerated ear from a shot he took by San Jose State linebacker Josh Parry in the fourth quarter of last Saturday's game.

Offensive lineman Vince Manuwai is expected to play with a hamstring pull. Right tackle Kynan Forney is also bothered by a nagging hamstring injury. If Manuwai can't play, sophomore Shayne Kajioka will step in and fill that role.

Falling in poll

Hawaii dropped to No. 130 in the Scripps-Howard computer poll with a power rating of 74.96.

This poll, which rates the 241 Division I and I-AA teams, is one used in determining the Bowl Championship Series rankings. Oklahoma is No. 1 with a rating of 113.47. That means, on a neutral field, the Sooners would be 39-point favorites over the Warriors.

Fortunately for Hawaii, Oklahoma isn't part of the Warriors' schedule. Fresno State is, however, and the Bulldogs have a solid No. 46 ranking with a power rating of 93.48. Add the four points for being the home team, and Fresno State should be favored by 24 points. The current line in Las Vegas is Fresno State by 23.

Parry on crutches

Neil Parry, the San Jose State football player whose right foot and ankle were amputated two weeks ago, is expected to leave Stanford Hospital this week.

Parry began walking on crutches during the weekend, and is no longer on a heart monitor. Coach Dave Baldwin said yesterday that Parry was upbeat about his recovery from the serious injury he suffered in a game against UTEP.

"His spirits were so incredibly high," Baldwin said.

Parry, 20, injured his right leg on a kickoff return on Oct. 14 when a teammate awkwardly rolled over his leg. The injury severely damaged a major artery and a nerve in the bottom of his foot, and swelling threatened to damage the remaining artery carrying blood to his feet.

He underwent surgery a week later in an attempt to restore circulation to the foot, but a significant infection apparently developed during the procedure. The amputation took place on Oct. 23, nine days after the injury.

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Paul Arnett, Star-Bulletin