UH feeling pain from Utah State loss

With the medical list growing, the Hawaii football team is considering using backup quarterback David Graves as an emergency wide receiver.

"He can run," said head coach Greg McMackin, revealing his options during Monday’s news conference.

McMackin announced senior left tackle Clayton Laurel’s career has ended because of a broken left am, and sophomore right slotback Justin Clapp will miss the remaining four games of the regular season because of two fractured ribs.

Those injuries were incurred during this past Saturday’s game against Utah State.

Right wideout Royce Pollard said he has a torn meniscus in his left knee and a sprained left ankle. McMackin said Pollard will not play in Saturday’s road game against Nevada.

Pollard said his plane ticket should not be canceled yet.

"Don’t rule anything out," Pollard said. "I’m always trying to play."

Pollard said he suffered the injuries when his cleat was stuck on the Aloha Stadium turf while he became entangled with a Utah State defender. Pollard said he heard a "pop" from his left ankle while he was hurled forward.

"I’ve played basketball before, so I know I rolled my ankle," Pollard said.

He said the ankle injury caused him to buckle, which likely lessened the impact on his knee.

"That’s the positive thing," Pollard said. "It took stress off my (left) knee. It definitely could have been worse."

If Pollard is not available to play this week, freshman Trevor Davis will move from left wideout to right wideout, where he practiced for seven weeks before being activated last month.

Darius Bright, Joe Avery or Graves will be used at left wideout.

Bright, who did not play the past two games because of a variety of ailments, said he is at "75 percent," but expects to play.

"I don’t want to say too much and then not do too much," Bright said.

Avery is a fifth-year senior who has played sparingly. He was considered as the replacement when left wideout Rodney Bradley suffered a fractured leg in 2009. Instead, Kealoha Pilares moved from slotback to left wideout. Bradley regained his starting job in 2010.

McMackin said Avery is smart and talented, but has been inconsistent in catching passes in practice.

"There have been guys better than him catching the ball," McMackin said.