University of Hawaii football coach Chris Naeole has read the e-mails, texts and tweets.
Here’s his response to those suggesting lineups: The best available players are going to play.
"This is not happiness camp," Naeole said. "This is not Pop Warner where everybody has to touch the ball and play. This is a business. People have to understand, at the end of the day, this is a business."
Naeole, who was promoted to interim head coach after Norm Chow was fired on Nov. 1, indicated the remaining coaches have spent hours evaluating personnel in practices, games and meetings.
"You’re trying to win a game," Naeole said of the playing rotation. "You’re not trying to go out there and make everybody feel good. It’s not happiness camp — make people happy, make people feel good. … At the bottom of the day, you’re trying to win a game."
It might take several days to determine the availability of right guard Dejon Allen, who left Saturday’s game because of a leg injury, and inside linebacker Jerrol Garcia-Williams, who was scratched during warm-ups because of a possible stinger. Allen has been scoring the highest grades among the offensive linemen. Garcia-Williams was the Warriors’ leading tackler through the first 10 games.
"We’ve got guys who were on offense playing defense," said Naeole, a reference to wideout-turned-safety Vasquez Haynes and freshman defensive tackle Eperone Moananu. Zeno Choi, a freshman walk-on who was supposed to redshirt this season, is in the defensive-line rotation.
This season, left tackle Ben Clarke has not missed a start despite an injury that required him to wear a medical boot for nine weeks. Quarterback Max Wittek played despite a knee that needed to be drained of fluids a few days before games and a fracture in his foot that has since fully healed. Running back Paul Harris played two games despite sprains to both ankles. Naeole said hopes some other players can fight through nagging injuries.
"At the end of the day, we are what we are," Naeole said. "All I can say is: go out and fight. But human nature will settle in, and guys will go, ‘Oh, you know, well …’ Some guys are tougher than others."
Few are as tough as middle linebacker Julian Gener, who amassed 17 tackles, including five backfield stops, against Fresno State.
"He brings the passion, the energy, he never quits," Naeole said. "He’s always around the ball. He could have dipped and gone the other way. But he’s battling through injuries and going out there and giving 100 percent."