Hawaii hits the wall
in practice
June Jones tells the team
it is not doing enough
to beat Nevada
The after-party is over for the Hawaii football team.
Four days following the Warriors' first win of the season, a 44-16 romp of Tulsa, coach June Jones voiced displeasure yesterday at the way UH (1-2, 1-1 Western Athletic Conference) practiced on a gloomy, wet morning three days before its next game, Saturday against Nevada (2-2, 0-1).
UH vs. NEVADAWhere: Aloha StadiumWhen: Saturday, 6:05 p.m. Tickets: $12 to $26, $3 for UH students. TV: Live, pay-per-view, call (808) 625-8100 or (808) 643-2337 on neighbor islands. Delayed, 10 p.m. on KFVE Channel 5, Sunday, 10 a.m. Radio: Live, KKEA 1420-AM. Internet: KKEA1420AM.com
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Jones wasn't specific about what he didn't like about the 2-hour session in the Manoa rain.
"They just didn't practice very well," he said.
Senior quarterback Tim Chang said Jones probably was bothered by what he sensed as a general lack of focus.
"I think we just made a lot of mental mistakes, things that have to be corrected in order for us to win and I think he saw it out here, and that's a bad practice," Chang said.
The Warriors are struggling to get into a rhythm, cornerback Abraham Elimimian said.
"It's tough this week because of the weather, but regardless of that we've got to stay mentally strong in practice. Last week we, that's the best practices we ever had," he said. "It was horrible (yesterday). I think a lot of us are mentally tired and getting sloppy. It's our first win. You get a high, you get a low. We're feeling the effects of that. Tomorrow we'll come out ready to practice and get on a roll."
This is the first time UH is playing back-to-back games this season.
"That screwed us up. We don't have a bye this week. A lot of people seem like they're down, drowsy," Elimimian said.
Battle of wounded knees: Chance Kretschmer and West Keli'ikipi have at least two things in common.
Both are power running backs, and both have had serious knee injuries. Kretschmer of Nevada and Keli'ikipi of Hawaii could be keys to their team's success Saturday.
Keli'ikipi said he hasn't thought much about his Wolf Pack counterpart, who helped the Wolf Pack to wins over Hawaii in Reno in 2001 and last year.
"I don't really take notes on their offense, just on their defense," Keli'ikipi said. "They're quick, but our offensive line will be quicker."
Keli'ikipi rushed for 64 yards in 10 carries last week against Tulsa. It was the first time he carried the ball in a game since his 2003 season was ended with a torn knee ligament from a tackle in last year's game at Nevada.
Kretschmer, who led the nation in rushing as a freshman in 2001, missed nearly all of 2002 with a knee injury, and had surgery shortly before the start of this season. He has 406 yards in 74 carries this fall.
Here comes the Pack: Nevada was scheduled to go straight to Aloha Stadium for practice today after a noon arrival in Honolulu.
The Wolf Pack are staying at Turtle Bay.
Short yardage: Special teams player and backup linebacker Patrick Lavar Harley is out with a high (right) ankle sprain. ... Defensive end Mel Purcell continued to practice despite a left-shoulder stinger from the Tulsa game. ... Could there be a better name for a defensive ends coach than Barry Sacks? Sacks is also Nevada's co-defensive coordinator. ... The other co-coordinator, secondary coach Dave Fipp, was previously defensive coordinator at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. Fipp coached under Rich Ellerson there, and he played free safety and was graduate assistant at Arizona for Dick Tomey, when Bob Wagner and Duane Akina were assistants. All are former UH coaches.
