Sports Notebook Star-Bulletin staff

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Welcome break

Yesterday's rainstorm allowed Hawaii to take a break from its normal routine

STORY SUMMARY »

Normalcy is what you want when you're 11-0 and preparing for the most meaningful football game in school history. But that was impossible for Hawaii yesterday, as the Warriors were forced into a two-a-day in late November by the weather.

Washington (4-8) at Hawaii (11-0) When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Where: Aloha Stadium TV: ESPN2 Radio: KKEA 1420-AM Tickets: Sold out Series: This will be only the third meeting between the schools. Washington beat UH, 57-13, in 1938, and the Warriors edged the Huskies, 10-7, in 1973.

An incessant downpour turned the UH grass practice field into a swamp, and the workout had to be halted. If the Warriors weren't prepping for a game against Washington (4-8) on Saturday that could land them in a BCS bowl, coach June Jones might have given them the rest of the day to study tape and the like. But Jones determined real practice was needed, and the team bussed out to Aloha Stadium in the afternoon to finish what it had started.

The rain allowed quarterback Colt Brennan to take another shot at UH's lack of facilities.

"It was a nice downpour," Brennan said, smiling. "We were going to run over into our indoor facilities, but there was some problem I think. It hasn't been built yet. Then we thought we'd go to Cooke Field, but there's no field."

If taking the 11th-ranked Warriors out of their routine made them tight over the possibility of what might lie ahead, they didn't show it. Several turned a muddy hill into a water park ride.

Starting right guard Larry Sauafea broke it down to the basics.

"It was fun today," Sauafea said at breakfast. "Fun to end practice early. But (it) sucks to know we have to practice later on."

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Colt Brennan may or may not get an invitation to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation a week from Saturday.

But the Hawaii quarterback got to spend a little time with the hardware yesterday.

ESPN's Desmond Howard -- who won the award for college football's most outstanding player in 1991 -- was here to interview Brennan for a piece on his Heisman chances. And the trophy was used as backdrop.

There is actually more than one Heisman Trophy. Another was being put to similar use in Fayetteville, Ark., where Razorbacks star Darren McFadden was getting his ESPN Heisman interview.

The trophy was safely on its way back to the mainland yesterday afternoon, around the same time a UH helmet was being flown to Oahu from Maui.

It was one of the two remaining missing hats that disappeared during the wild on-field celebration after the Warriors' 39-27 victory over Boise State last Friday.

Rainy day people

Could this be a bad omen? The Warriors practiced in a downpour for an hour, gloomy weather more associated with Seattle than Honolulu. Forecasts call for a 40 percent chance of rain on Saturday when 11th-ranked Hawaii (11-0) hosts Washington (4-8).

Brennan said he doesn't think poor weather Saturday would have an effect on the nation's most productive offense.

"It can hurt us, but at the same time, the cool thing is we play on turf," Brennan said. "We don't have to worry about guys slipping or the ground being too soft. All we really need to do is worry about catching the ball and not fumbling.

"We play in the rain almost every day out here and hopefully the ball bounces our way a couple times if it is raining."

Stay off the turf

Aloha Stadium management is asking fans to not rush the field, as they did last Friday, so the Senior Walk ceremony can start immediately after the game.

"We will not be able to begin this ceremony until the field is cleared, so we are asking everyone for their kokua," stadium manager Scott Chan said in a release. "We are hoping that this will not be an issue and the guests will show respect for the graduating seniors."

Short yardage

Starting safety Jake Patek did not suit up for the afternoon practice, but nodded when asked if he'd be ready to go Saturday. ... Portland State center Brennan Carvalho, a Kamehameha graduate, has been selected to play in the Jan. 12 Hula Bowl, said PSU offensive coordinator and former UH assistant Mouse Davis. ... The Huskies do not arrive until tomorrow. They will return to the mainland on Monday.