Given a few minutes of down time, Kennedy Tulimasealii might take a look at last week’s game against Ohio State, mainly to get a chuckle out of the fits his last name gave the Big Ten Network crew.
Other than that, the University of Hawaii football team’s schedule doesn’t allow for much time for a backward glance.
“Especially where you have no breaks, you have 13 straight games, you have to emphasize not thinking back, always going forward, always the next play,” the Rainbow Warrior defensive end said.
In their first practice following the first of two Big Ten road trips this month, the Rainbow Warriors (1-1) turned their attention Tuesday from last week’s 38-0 loss to the top-ranked Buckeyes to their on-field preparations for Saturday’s home game against UC Davis (0-2).
Coming off the trip to and from Columbus, Ohio, UH coach Norm Chow described the misty morning practice as “a little sluggish.”
“We got on them a little bit,” Chow said. “We’re just not good enough that we can just decide we’re not going to practice hard each and every day.”
To that end, Chow ordered the first units to repeat a period during team drills when a series of plays broke down.
With a matchup against the reigning national champions behind them and a trip to Wisconsin looming next week, Chow said he wants the Warriors to keep their attention inward while preparing for the Aggies of the Big Sky Conference.
“It’s not about (UC Davis), it wasn’t about Ohio State either,” Chow said. “It’s about us and our willingness to do the things necessary to be successful.”
UH offensive coordinator Don Bailey said as much in addressing the issues the unit will look to correct after the Warriors were held to 165 yards by Ohio State.
Bailey said the Warriors will need “more attention to detail,” after the Warriors completed eight of 26 passes with two interceptions with several drops dragging on the percentage.
“We can’t put the ball on the ground,” Bailey said. “That’s probably the biggest thing.
“What we’ve gotta do is put it all together every week no matter who we’re playing. And it really doesn’t matter who we play, we’ve gotta focus on our execution.”
The UH defense also will look to refine its execution after holding the Buckeyes to 17 points through three quarters while not allowing a play longer than 24 yards against an offense brimming with big-play potential.
“It was a nice effort, but I hear (defensive coordinator Tom Mason) getting after them (in practice),” Chow said. “We still made a lot of mistakes, but the effort was tremendous.
“We dropped the ball on offense, but we dropped them on defense as well.”
Tulimasealii was in on a sack and was credited with two quarterback hurries for the defensive front, drawing praise from the BTN announcers, even if they had trouble with the pronunciation.
“All my classmates were, ‘They murdered your last name,’ ” Tulimasealii said with a smile. “Hopefully I’ve got time to take a break and watch (last week’s game), but right now I just gotta look forward to UC Davis.
“It’s kinda funny. It’s not only now, it’s been ever since I’ve been growing up. All you can do is just laugh.”
Rare absence for Clarke
Senior left tackle Ben Clarke was among the players absent from Tuesday’s practice.
“He’s hurting a little bit, so we’ll have to wait and see,” Chow said, adding that the staff would know more on the status of receiver Quinton Pedroza and safety Trayvon Henderson later in the day as well.
Clarke has started all 39 games in his UH career, at center his first two years and left tackle last year and this season. Leo Koloamatangi, listed as the backup at both tackle spots, worked with the first unit on the left side on Tuesday. Pedroza’s absence moved freshman Devan Stubblefield up in the receiver rotation.
Tight end Tui Unga and linebacker Julian Gener attended practice but also did not participate. Gener was held out against Ohio State due to a bleeding issue. Chow said Gener is improving but was told not to practice until a second meeting with a doctor “and they’ll make some kind of decision.”
