By all reports, Sean Mannion and Brandin Cooks are enjoying their time in the islands this week — and that’s too bad.

This isn’t the official stance of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, you understand. Just the consternation of some concerned University of Hawaii football fans who hope they aren’t tempted to hurry back.

And, really, who already has more concerns these days than enduring fans of the 1-11 Rainbow Warriors?

Mannion and Cooks, you see, are mainstays of the Oregon State football team that will play in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl today.

Mannion is the second leading passer in the NCAA this year and Cooks is the winner of the Biletnikoff Award that goes to the nation’s foremost receiver and a consensus All-American. They are, in fact, one of the most potent pass ’n’ catch combinations in major college football, having already hooked up for 15 touchdowns and 1,670 yards this season.

Today at 3 p.m., for about three and half hours, that makes them Boise State’s problem.

That’s a situation that UH fans, rubbed raw by more than a decade of Boise State domination across two conferences, might ordinarily take great schadenfreude delight in. Especially if Cooks is gathering in passes and running up and down the Halawa Valley.

Except that both Mannion and Cooks are juniors who have one more year of eligibility remaining, should they care to exercise it and bypass early entry in the NFL Draft.

And, come Sept. 6, the second game of the 2014 season, the Beavers are scheduled to be back at Aloha Stadium, where the fear is that Mannion and Cooks could exercise it plenty against UH.

The ’Bows know the pair all too well. A little over three months ago Mannion hung four touchdown passes and 372 yards on the ’Bows in a 31-for-43 passing afternoon in the Beavers’ 33-14 victory.

The recipient of two of those TD passes was Cooks, who had seven catches for 92 yards.

So a return engagement really isn’t called for or necessary. The early 2014 schedule already sets up tough enough for the ’Bows and their yet-to-be-named new defensive coordinator, who draw three Pac-12 teams in the first four games — Washington, Oregon State and Colorado.

So the hope is that Mannion and Cooks will have, even by their considerable standards, eye-opening performances today against the Broncos. The kind that will further embellish their pro credentials, making NFL scouts sit up and take deeper notice. 

The type of showings that will also prod Mannion and Cooks to realize that there is little left for them to prove by coming back to the Beavers in 2014.

They already hold many of the Pac-12 records worth having, so what’s a few more?  Better to get cracking on those dreams of playing in the NFL and making some money.

As for the beaches and golf in Hawaii, they will always be here. Come back for a future Pro Bowl on the NFL’s dime. Return some day as a tourist, when you have more time to enjoy. Come back on your honeymoon.

Just, please, don’t show back up this September in those orange and black uniforms.

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Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.