SALT LAKE CITY >> On a clear day, Utahans can see the majesty of the Wasatch Mountain Range.
Thursday was not one of those days.
At noon, it was dark and overcast. Gusts averaged more than 25 mph. The mercury dropped into the 50s.
The Hawaii football team did not mind.
“It was nice, maybe a little chilly,” defensive coordinator Legi Suiaunoa said. “You feel you actually can put on a sweater for a reason.”
The Rainbow Warriors arrived in Salt Lake City on Thursday on a direct 51⁄2-hour flight from Honolulu. They reached the hotel at 7:30 a.m., ate breakfast, slept for a few hours, then went to an area high school for what amounted to be a 90-minute walk-through session. The Warriors will have a full practice today before traveling to Logan, Utah, ahead of Saturday’s game against Utah State.
“It was good,” coach Nick Rolovich said of the workout session. “Look how happy the boys are. It was good to get them out here. I didn’t want them to get bed sores.”
The Warriors went through offensive and defensive sets. But there was no hitting, and the attire was casual. Several players wore sweatpants. Inside receiver Kumoku Noa turned a T-shirt into a ninja-like head covering. Linebackers Austin Borengasser and Jeremiah Pritchard rolled-up their short-sleeved shirts.
The Warriors have lost seven of their past eight games, dropping to 3-7 overall — and out of Hawaii Bowl consideration. Rolovich said after the season, the team will look back with disappointment over the record. But for now, Rolovich said, “they get to play football. There’s going to be a time when they’re not going to be able to do this. I’m glad they’re enjoying it.”
Because of the distance and elevation (4,534 feet above sea level), the Warriors decided to arrive two days ahead of the game, the same travel approach they used for an earlier meeting at Wyoming. They arrived the day before for the Nevada and UNLV games. Staying in Salt Lake City for the first two days is helpful as a recruiting base. The Warriors are actively recruiting several players in the area.
Rolovich does not anticipate any problems acclimating to the weather (it will be 41 degrees at kickoff on Saturday). The Warriors played in chilly conditions at Wyoming.
“It’s 60 minutes,” Rolovich said. “It’s not like it’s six days in the cold. I thought our guys dealt with Wyoming very well. I expect us to deal with it very well again.”
Rolovich said good showings in the final two games will be a springboard to next season.
“For the health of the program, finishing strong is important,” Rolovich said.
