University of Hawaii football team takes another step with walk-through sessions

For the first time this year, the University of Hawaii football team is prepared to walk the walk.

As part of the NCAA-set timetable, the Rainbow Warriors will be allowed to add walk-through sessions to their offseason training program beginning today.

“You’re basically able to teach football and work with them with that,” said Todd Graham, who was hired as UH’s head coach in January. “It’s a baby step forward.”

The coaches oversaw conditioning drills for six weeks before football-related activities were shut down in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That led to the cancellations of 15 spring practices, including the annual spring game. Graham has not conducted a single UH practice since being hired. He went 16 weeks without in-person contact with his team until July 6, when the Warriors were allowed to stage organized weight-lifting and conditioning sessions.

Starting today, the Warriors will be allowed to have walk-through sessions involving a football.

“We’re not practicing,” Graham emphasized. “We’re getting some walk-through time and little time to talk football. It will be just walk and teach. It’s not full speed. You walk through. It’s like a meeting standing up.”

Graham said full football workouts will not begin until July 31, the first day of the Warriors’ training camp.

Graham said the Warriors will continue to maintain safety measures. Each morning, the players will undergo a medical screening, which includes a temperature reading. Successfully screened players will be given a wristband.

Except for by-appointment weight training, all of the activities will be conducted outdoors. Graham said the locker rooms will be restricted. The training room is available only through an appointment. Athletic trainers will use an outdoor station to tape players’ ankles.

Graham said offensive and defensive meetings will be conducted with small groups at Ching Field. The rest of the players will watch the meetings through Zoom on screens placed on the concourse fronting Les Murakami Stadium. “We want to keep them safe and in small groups,” Graham said.

Graham said social distancing will be practiced, even during the walk-through sessions.

“The biggest thing is our players being able to interact while practicing social distancing,” Graham said. “It’s good for their mental health and well being. Getting guys prepared is the big thing.”

Graham said nearly all the players are on Oahu. Despite players having a wide range of training equipment available during the offseason, Graham said, “I’ve been impressed with where the guys are (in their conditioning). You can tell they did a lot of work when they were away from us. The main thing is to be conditioned and prepared to play a season. We’re making great strides toward that. The guys have done a great job getting to this point.”

The Warriors’ first four games were canceled when Fordham bowed out and then when the Pac-12 decided to play a league-only schedule this fall. Arizona, UCLA and Oregon are Pac-12 members who were set to play UH. While UH hunts for replacements, as it stands now, the Sept. 26 game against Robert Morris would serve as the Warriors’ opener.