It was next-coach-up to begin Tuesday morning’s practice at the University of Hawaii practice field.
In a whirlwind following last Saturday’s Football Family Festivus on campus, Rainbow Warriors coach Nick Rolovich attended UH’s pro day in Azusa, Calif., on Monday then caught an early-morning flight to get back for Tuesday’s practice and made it to the field about a half-hour into the session.
“The coaches did a nice job. I think Coach (Dick) Tomey being out here scared everybody too, so they got on there and started acting right,” Rolovich quipped, a nod to the former UH head coach on hand to observe practice.
The Rainbow Warriors were already into position drills when Rolovich — dressed in more traditional practice gear compared to his Festivus finery on Saturday — arrived at the field. They devoted much of the two-hour session in situational periods with just two practices left on the spring schedule.
The Warriors’s 14th practice will be a closed session today and they’ll finish their on-field work with Thursday’s Warrior Bowl scrimmage at Ching Field. The scrimmage is set for 7 p.m. and is open to the public.
“I think we made a lot of progress,” Rolovich said after practice No. 13. “I saw the defense making some good plays. It was good getting into some two-minute drills today, start them thinking game situations. I think the last four or five practices they’ve really grown as a unit. It’s going be a good kind of trampoline into the final session of weights before the semester ends and then the summer.”
Rolovich said Thursday’s scrimmage will be similar to last Saturday’s during the Festivus, which featured a little over 80 plays. It also will provide another opportunity for players vying for the top line of the depth chart to leave an impression with the coaching staff under game-like conditions.
Sophomore cornerback Cameron Hayes ascended the depth chart in recent practices and came up with an interception in 7-on-7 drills in his turn with the first unit on Tuesday.
“It’s just next man up, whoever’s competing the hardest,” Hayes said. “That’s what Coach Abe (Elimimian) is looking for — alignment, assignment, technique and execution. … I’m really trying to work on my press and just finishing plays.”
Hayes made one tackle last season while absorbing lessons behind seniors Jalen Rogers, Jamal Mayo and Dejaun Butler.
“They just told me to be a student of the game, really know what’s going on and just fly around and make plays,” Hayes said.
While last year’s group of seniors worked to impress at pro day on Monday, Hayes is part of a young group of cornerbacks competing for the spot opposite Roe Farris, who started six games last season as a redshirt freshman. Elimimian also noted Zach Wilson, Manu Rasmussen, Mykal Tolliver and Kayson Smith-Bejgrowicz as cornerbacks in contention.
“(Hayes) had three interceptions for touchdowns in camp and he got one today. He’s just been on a tear and been doing great,” Elimimian said. “He stepped up over the last week. He was a guy who was down on the depth chart and he’s slowly finding his way up the depth chart. He got his reps today and made the most of it and that’s what we ask for.”
Diocemy Saint Juste remains entrenched as the featured running back and showed off the burst that propelled him to a 1,000-yard season last fall. On the first play of an 11-on-11 two-minute drill, the senior scored in considerably less time by popping through the middle of the line and accelerating to the end zone.
“It felt really nice to contribute,” said Saint Juste, who broke off another long run later in practice. “All the credit goes to the line — there were some pretty nice holes out there, especially the receivers that were blocking downfield as well.”
Saint Juste led the Warriors with 165 carries last season, accounting for roughly 35 percent of UH’s total rushing attempts.
With Paul Harris and Steven Lakalaka completing their UH careers in the Hawaii Bowl, Saint Juste’s preparation to carry the bulk of the load again this fall includes “just hydrating a lot more and stretching and just knowing my limits.”
