Rod Stewart once crooned of ad-libbed lines being well-rehearsed. And so it goes for the University of Hawaii football team, whose every minute of practices and meetings are scripted.
But not every detail can be planned, and head coach Norm Chow faced a dilemma when his 17-player captains’ council voted to dress entirely in black for today’s season opener against USC at Aloha Stadium. There were not enough black socks for the Rainbow Warriors, nor the budget to pay for them. Chow, so to speak, footed the bill.
Openers are considered blind dates, and while the teams know what to wear, they do not know what to expect.
"The first game is always that way," USC linebacker Devon Kennard said. "You don’t know exactly what you’re going to get from the other team. You have to go off past years, and what they’ve done, and be ready to adjust when things are different on game day."
The recall is not that much easier despite UH and USC meeting in the 2012 season opener at the Los Angeles Coliseum. But the Warriors can only salvage partial prints from that 49-10 loss to the then-No. 1-ranked Trojans.
Matt Barkley, a four-year starting quarterback, has departed, along with three quarters of the defensive secondary. There were five coaching changes, including the addition of Clancy Pendergast to replace head coach Lane Kiffin’s father, Monte, as defensive coordinator. The Trojans are going from a Tampa-2 defense with a 4-3 front to a 5-2 scheme.
"It gives us a new identity," Kennard said. "We’ll be flying around this year."
Meanwhile, as many as 29 first-season Warriors might play today. Quarterback Taylor Graham will be making his first start since his senior year at Wheaton (Ill.) North High in 2009. He was at Ohio State for three semesters and redshirted at UH last year.
"He’s worked hard," Chow said. "You wish he’ll have the success you want him to have."
Chow added: "Look at the team we’re about to play. They’re going to start a new quarterback as well. It happens every two, three years. That’s the beauty of college football — the teaching involved to get these players ready."
The Trojans, who had a walk-through at Aloha Stadium on Wednesday, have not announced whether Max Wittek or Cody Kessler will start at quarterback. Running backs Silas Redd and D.J. Morgan remained in Los Angeles to recover from injuries. But Marqise Lee, considered the nation’s best receiver, will play. He scored on a 75-yard hitch play on USC’s first offensive play against UH last year.
"They have a lot of weapons," UH defensive coordinator Thom Kaumeyer said.
UH secondary coach Daronte’ Jones put together a video of USC’s "explosive" plays last year — completions of at least 20 yards, runs of at least 15 yards. The video became a full-length movie.
Perhaps there is one thing that will not be a mystery.
"SC is too good for us to have missed assignments or be lazy on techniques," Kaumeyer said.
