In the drizzle, cornerback Mike Edwards had a sunny outlook.

“I love this weather,” Edwards said following Friday’s second practice of the Hawaii football team’s training camp. “It’s nice and breezy. It’s good weather.”

Edwards, who played eight games as a Tennessee freshman in 2009, moved to Hawaii three weeks ago. In 2009, he was one of Ohio’s top prospects among high school seniors. He currently is the Warriors’ No. 2 right cornerback.

“But that’s because you have to start somewhere,” said associate head coach Rich Miano, who coaches the defensive secondary. “We haven’t had a chance to really evaluate Mike yet.”

NCAA rules require teams to practice without pads for the first three days of training camp. With a practice today but none Sunday, the Warriors will be in pads Monday.

“We’ll make decisions after we start playing real football and get rid of this two-hand-touch stuff,” Miano said.

Miano said the Warriors have three No. 1-type cornerbacks — Tank Hopkins, John Hardy-Tuliau and Edwards. “Kawika (Ornellas) is 1-A,” Miano said.

Miano added: “We want to play our best 11, and Mike probably and should be one of those 11.”

One option is to start Hopkins and Edwards at the corners, then use Hardy-Tuliau as a free safety or nickel back. As a freshman last year, Hardy-Tuliau played the rover position known as quarter.

“John has the versatility to play a lot of positions,” Miano said.

For now, Kenny Estes is listed as the No. 1 free safety. Brandon Leslie, who played at Georgia Tech as a freshman in 2009, Leroy Lutu and freshman Brian Clay also are competing at free safety.

“If one of those guys really steps up, then we have a good problem,” Miano said. “We might have too many good DBs. That’s OK. You can never have enough good corners. Last year we ended up being in a lot of 45 packages (involving five defensive backs). If teams want to spread us out, we can put more DBs on the field.”

Miano said the Warriors are impressed with Edwards’ speed (sub-4.5 seconds over 40 yards), change-of-direction quickness, and toughness.

“He does everything well,” Miano said. “The only thing he doesn’t do well is know the system. But that’s because he’s new. He’s working hard, and he wants to learn the system. When he learns it, then you can see all of the athleticism we’ve seen on tape and in the first couple of days (of training camp).”

Edwards said: “Right now, it’s a learning process for me. I haven’t played football in a whole year. I’m getting back into the groove, trying to learn everything so I can play faster.”

Torres staying focused

As his father deals with a controversy on the North Shore, UH safety Richard Torres is heeding instructions to keep his mind on his duties in Manoa.

“As for what’s going on, I don’t really know,” Torres said regarding the situation surrounding his father, Kahuku High School football coach Reggie Torres. “They just told me to focus on camp, so I’m just trying do that. Everything will work out.”

Reggie Torres and Red Raiders junior varsity head coach Ikaika Plunkett were suspended by the school’s principal last week following an incident at the football program’s camp.

Richard Torres played for his father at Kahuku and entered fall camp as the Warriors’ leading returnee in the secondary after posting 57 tackles, two interceptions and five break-ups as a junior. He said he hasn’t spoken to his father since reporting for camp, though they’ll probably get in touch when the Warriors have a day off on Sunday.

“He’s just trying to find the best in it, hope for the best for the kids and everything,” Richard Torres said. “He just wants to get back on the field, he’s hungry for it and always wants to be involved with the team.”