Warriors mix it up on road trip to play Rice

The University of Hawaii football team broke from its usual routine for a road trip that is anything but routine.

The Rainbow Warriors were scheduled to depart Thursday evening to travel 3,898 miles and five time zones to Houston in advance of Saturday’s game against Rice.

The Warriors usually practice through Thursday on the Manoa campus ahead of road trips. This time, they left a day earlier and on a non-stop, red-eye flight. For most trips the Warriors spend Thursday night in a Los Angeles-area hotel before traveling to the game site on Friday morning.

"I’m not really a creature of habit," UH coach Norm Chow said. "I don’t believe in superstitions. We’ll do whatever it takes to do."

Chow recalled how the Warriors adjusted their schedule to play consecutive road games against Utah State and Navy last season.

"We adjust," Chow said. "We tell our guys: ‘It doesn’t matter where we go, how we go, whatever. It’s a matter of playing football.’"

The Warriors were scheduled to arrive in Houston on Thursday morning and practice in the afternoon.

Of adjusting to new sleep patterns, Chow said, "You do what you have to do. You do the best you can. Young people are very resilient. You hope they do the right things and get themselves ready. I think they will. I know they will."

Defensive coordinator Kevin Clune said the Warriors will adjust to the five-hour time difference.

"It’s whatever the deal is, we’ve got to do it," Clune said. "There’s talk of us playing in Japan (in the future). I hope so. If they have a game in Europe, we’ll play in Europe. Wherever. It doesn’t matter."

Unlike the Warriors’ previous game, which was played in Colorado’s high elevation, Houston is at relative sea level.

Defensive end Beau Yap said Hawaii’s recent muggy weather will be helpful.

"They said it’s humid (in Houston)," Yap said. "We’re ready for it. Humidity is really nothing to us."

The crowd noise also should not be a factor. There appeared to be a small crowd for Rice’s home game against Old Dominion two weeks ago. Rice Stadium has a seating capacity of 70,000.

"There shouldn’t be any elements that affect us physically," Yap said. "It should be an even playing field."

This is the Warriors’ fifth consecutive nonconference opponent.

"This is a step we have to take if we want to get to a bowl game," Clune said. "We’ve got to win seven. No matter if it’s league or not, we’ve got to win."