Heavy rain, strong wind and the threat of power outages will not prevent the University of Hawaii football team from practicing Friday.
"We’ll find a place to practice," head coach Norm Chow said following Thursday’s fourth session of training camp. "If we have to go inside, we’ll go inside. We have to do something."
Klum Gym is the only indoor facility that can accommodate the Warriors. Klum, which has wooden floors, is used mostly for intramural basketball and volleyball events.
Chow joked that Washington, UH’s season-opening opponent on Aug. 30, is not likely to agree to a ceasefire until the weather improves.
"Nobody is feeling bad for Hurricane Iselle," Chow said, "and nobody is feeling sorry for our team. Washington isn’t going to stop practicing. We have to keep working."
When UH defensive coordinator Kevin Clune was coaching in Utah, inclement weather forced his team to practice in a facility used for indoor soccer and hockey.
"I was in the penalty box coaching from there," Clune said. "Whatever we have to do, we’ll do."
The Warriors initially were scheduled to practice in the afternoon on weekdays. Thursday’s practice was moved to 7:30 a.m.
"We wanted to make sure we got a practice in," Chow said. "None of us understand fully what the bad weather will be like."
The Warriors practiced in shells — shoulder pads — on Wednesday and Thursday.
"Now we can do what we want," Chow said. "We can go full pads, half pads, whatever we want."
The Warriors have worked extensively on their new offensive sets and defensive formations.
Ikaika Woolsey has worked with the first team all week and is considered the leading candidate to start at quarterback against Washington. Chow said Woolsey has "done an outstanding job," but was not ready to name the No. 1 quarterback.
For the first four practices, the No. 1 offensive line has been this: left tackle Ben Clarke, left guard Dejon Allen, center Kody Afusia, right guard Elijah Tupai and right tackle John Wa‘a. Allen tweaked an ankle during team drills, but the condition was not considered serious. He was jogging after practice.
"It’s four of the best days (of practice) we’ve had," said Chow, who is starting his third season as head coach. "We’ve stayed fairly healthy. We don’t have anybody in the pit (the area where injured players train). We’ve had guys push through tiredness."