GREELEY, Colo. >>

Before stepping onto the practice field at the University of Northern Colorado on Thursday afternoon, several University of Hawaii players made one last check of their cellphones for the latest Hurricane Lane developments from home.

Then, as soon as the practice concluded, two-plus hours later, the Rainbow Warriors were back, digging out their phones, looking for updates and sharing the latest news as they made their way to the buses.

On a more insular level their opponent in Saturday’s season opener, Colorado State, can relate in its own way to a dual focus of business and surrounding events currently tugging at the ‘Bows’ attention and emotions.

The CSU players have spent much of the past two weeks in preparation for the ’Bows amid concerns about the health of head coach Mike Bobo, who was hospitalized for 11 days for testing and treatment of what was eventually diagnosed as peripheral neuropathy, which is weakness, numbness and pain from nerve damage in the extremities.

Both teams will tell you the events of the week have left them with added motivation for the 1:30 p.m. CBS Sports Network game.

“It sure has,” UH coach Nick Rolovich acknowledged, “We have the hurricane, they have Bobo. So, you can see this is going to be an emotional game (and) an interesting one as far as team psyches go.”

Not that teams should lack for motivation in a season opener, anyway. Especially a rare one that doubles as the beginning Mountain West Conference play as well. Not since 1994 have the ’Bows opened with a conference foe, and not since 1991 have they undertaken one on the road.

But recent events have challenged them beyond the football field in ways similar to Hurricane Iniki in 1992, becoming a potential early galvanizing force.

Bobo, who was hospitalized after losing feeling in one foot and then the other, put in a golf cart-aided appearance at the Rams’ practice Wednesday, his right foot encased in a boot.

He is expected to attend Saturday’s game in some capacity, probably up in the coaches booth, where he will likely take part in calling plays.

CSU quarterback K.J. Carta-Samuels, who has exchanged text messages with Bobo, said the coach’s battles became a rallying point for the Rams. “We put that on our shoulders a little bit,” Carta-Samuels said. “We felt like we had to step it up because our leader wasn’t out there. It has helped us come together.”

Linebacker Josh Watson said, “It is on the players now.”

Meanwhile, the ‘Bows, who flew out of Honolulu on Wednesday night amid the uncertainty of Hurricane Lane’s impending wrath, are still taking much of it in.

The internet, something that wasn’t available to the Holiday Bowl-bound 1992 UH team that won a 6-3 struggle at the Air Force Academy the day after Hurricane Iniki, has allowed instant updates and graphic projections.

Rolovich said the ‘Bows have talked about the situation as a team and what it means “and we’ll discuss it some more (today), I’m sure.”

He said, “They understand that they play for our whole state and that, like the guys at the Little League World Series that are inspiring and uplifting the state, we also have that ability to do that with the game we play at this time. We try to make sure these guys understand how important they are to the community.”

Come Saturday, while the game will be played on the field, a lot of the motivation will come from what has transpired off of it.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.