With each setback, this football season has dissolved into a series of pillow-punching nights for Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich.

“The (20) seniors have been through a lot,” said Rolovich, whose Rainbow Warriors play 3-9 Brigham Young in today’s regular-season finale at Aloha Stadium. “I feel bad they weren’t able to go out with a better season. I stay up at night thinking about what I could have done differently and better.”

The Warriors have lost eight of the past nine games to drop to 3-8. They are without two playmakers — slotback John Ursua and tight end Metuisela ’Unga — because of injuries. Cornerback Zach Wilson played only the first two games because of a wrist injury, and linebacker Malachi Mageo has not played at all since suffering an ACL injury in the spring. There is a slight chance Mageo, who is not eligible for a medical redshirt, might be available for today’s game.

Rolovich is hopeful the revival of the BYU rivalry after a five-year hiatus will be “the best medicine anyone can prescribe.”

In the 2001 game between the teams at Aloha Stadium, Rolovich threw eight scoring passes, Chad Owens returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns, and the idea to create the Hawaii Bowl was conceived.

Statistical history could be made today if Diocemy Saint Juste gains 28 yards to become the Warriors’ single-season rushing leader. Travis Sims rushed for 1,498 yards in 13 games in 1992. Saint Juste has had 116 yards negated because of six penalties. Sims had a 99-yard TD run called back because of an away-from-the-play penalty.

Saint Juste downplayed the importance of the milestone, noting, “the record doesn’t mean anything if we’re not winning.” But reaching the mark, he acknowledged, would be a shared achievement. “It’s for me and the whole offensive line,” Saint Juste said.

Rolovich, offensive coordinator Brian Smith and passing-game coordinator Craig Stutzmann were UH teammates in a run-and-shoot system. Rolovich learned read-option concepts as Nevada’s offensive coordinator for four years before being hired as UH head coach in November 2015.

“When I got the job, I felt we needed to use all the pieces we had to win as many games as we could,” said Rolovich, who wanted to install a balanced attack. “With (tight ends) Tui ’Unga, Dakota (Torres), Kaiwi (Chung), (Dayton) Furuta and Diocemy and the O-line, the quickest way to some wins was to take advantage of the pieces we had.”

Smith said Saint Juste had the ability to be a record-setting back, but needed the carries. “The way the season progressed this year and how we had to lean on him, he got a lot of opportunities to carry the ball,” Smith said. “Touches equal yards, and he’s done a great job carrying the load for us.”

Saint Juste has 270 carries, second most among FBS players. He has fumbled only twice. And he has run behind a patch-work offensive line that has only once started the same unit in consecutive games. Saint Juste has adjusted his style to incorporating jump cuts and patiently waiting for lanes to open.

“It’s fun to see him once he takes off,” center Asotui Eli said. “There’s a point where you know he’s going to score, and you can put your hands in the air. You have supreme confidence he’s going to score once he breaks that first or second level.”

Offensive lineman Chris Posa said: “He’s put in the work. He’s earned every yard he’s gotten this season. I couldn’t be happier for him.”

Saint Juste, who is second in career rushing yards with 3,063, is out of reach of Gary Allen’s school-leading 3,451. It would take an improbable 389 yards for the record. Told of that, a group of linemen smiled, and guard John Wa‘a said: “Let’s do it.”