Like many who wear hard hats and work in trenches, J.R. Hensley loves labor.

Hensley is one of the University of Hawaii’s most dependable football players. This season, Hensley has played in all but two of the Rainbow Warriors’ 897 offensive plays as the starting left guard. The workmanlike effort was interrupted only when he was forced to the sidelines after his helmet was dislodged in the season opener against Colorado State.

“It’s a blessing,” Hensley said of his ironman performance. “Your time in football is limited. You’re not promised another day.”

Offensive line coach Mark Weber noted Hensley’s production and wellness have kept him in the lineup.

“He’s done a great job of staying healthy” Weber said. “That’s because he’s moving his feet. He’s blocking the right way. You don’t get hurt if you block with your feet. If you stand around and plant your feet, you get hurt. He’s stayed healthy because he’s gotten much better technique.”

Hensley, who is 6 feet 6 and 320 pounds, also has managed his hydration. A self-proclaimed “sweater,” Hensley conceded to losing between 2 and 7 pounds each practice.

“I was a sweater in Oklahoma, too,” Hensley said of the state where he was born and reared. “Maybe it’s just genetics.”

Weber said Hensley drinks Pedialyte, a formula that restores fluids and minerals, during meetings and before practices.

“We’re managing it,” Weber said. “We give him a lot of water, and he does fine.”

Hensley said the constant hydration “helps me stay on the field longer. It helps me retain my sweat, and all that stuff, the important electrolytes, and things like that.”

Although he has to wake up before the dawn’s early light for the morning practices, Hensley does not hit the “snooze” button. His wake-up motivation is “my team and my guys,” Hensley said. “We’re a family.”

Hensley also finds inspiration from former UH teammates Dejon Allen and John Wa‘a. Both had near perfect attendance records for practices and games.

“That’s how you’ve got to be,” Hensley said. “That’s something where you look up to the older guys, and see how hard John worked and how hard Dejon worked. You do your best to represent them, as well as the other past Warriors, and be the steppingstone for the next man up.”

This year, Hensley has worked on having a cleaner abstract. Five of his seven penalties have been for false starts. He has committed two holding penalties, but no 15-yard infractions.

“My hat’s off to him because he’s really worked hard on his technique,” said Weber, referring to Hensley’s improved hand placement on blocks.

Weber, who was hired in January, said Hensley has been open to different suggestions.

“I admire him for that,” Weber said. “Sometimes guys fight it when a new coach comes in. He’s been receptive. You can tell on film he’s worked hard on his fundamentals.”