University of Hawaii football team left to ponder what might have been

For the University of Hawaii football team, this is a week of “what if …”

“This is supposed to be game week,” junior running back Miles Reed said. “Just really thinking about it set it in for me.”

If things had gone according to the blueprint, the Rainbow Warriors would be departing today ahead of Saturday’s season-opening game against Arizona in Tucson. But the pandemic led to the cancellation of that game and eventually the postponement of the entire 2020 season.

“Realistically, I know guys would rather be safe than go through a season where we’re dealing with guys having to sit out and quarantine and everything,” Reed said. “But I know it impacted a lot of guys. Everybody is kind of sad. Everybody wanted to play. I know everyone on our team wanted to play this season. The circumstances are what they are.”

This week would have had added significance for left tackle Ilm Manning, who grew up in Phoenix. Manning had remained hopeful when Hawaii had one of the nation’s lowest infection rates through the first four months of the pandemic. But there was growing concern with spikes in California. Three Golden State schools, like Hawaii, are members of the Mountain West. “I’d say some people were losing hope throughout the way,” Manning said.

Reed said: “There were a lot of guys who felt there wasn’t going to be a season early. There were a lot of guys who felt it was going to happen all the way up to the day it got canceled. It went either way.”

But Reed and Manning said the Warriors have accepted the postponement, and are hopeful a season could be played during the spring semester. They also were encouraged that the NCAA is allowing players to retain this year’s class standing for another year. “For all the seniors, they’re capable of having a season for sure now,” said Manning, who has started every game during his two-season UH career.

Manning said head coach Todd Graham has been helpful in keeping the players updated on developments and providing encouragement. Cody Cooke, the strength/conditioning coordinator and assistant head coach, leads the voluntary workouts.

“Coach Cooke keeps us motivated,” Manning said. “We go out there and push each other to be successful.”

Reed said: “It’s the guys keeping together as much as possible.”

Both juniors said the returning players made an easy adjustment to the new coaching staff. Graham, who was the head coach of four other Division I programs, was hired in January to succeed Nick Rolovich, who resigned to accept the head job at Washington State. The Warriors participated in conditioning drills for six weeks before the pandemic forced the cancellation of in-person, football-related activities.

The coaching staff reviewed videos of last year’s games and practices, and then created schemes that incorporated much of the plays from the previous two seasons. The coaches taught the tactics through Zoom meetings and video sessions.

“They just had to create a system that was going to benefit everybody and the different talents we had,” Reed said. “I think they’ve done a good job with that.”

Manning said: “These new coaches came in, and it opened up more opportunities for these athletes to show off their skills. It gave everybody on the team to push themselves. The coaches weren’t just looking for all the starters from last year. They were looking for everybody. They wanted to see what everybody could do.”

In July, the Warriors were permitted to go through plays — while following social-distancing guidelines — during no-contact, walk-through sessions. The cancellation of training camp prevented the Warriors from participating in full workouts. But Reed said the Warriors have enough weapons on offense and defense to “be a really good team. I know we could have accomplished a lot. I knew we were contenders in this Mountain West. It sucks we don’t get to show that this fall. But I know when we get the opportunity to play football again, we will show it.”

Manning and Reed said they have kept busy with school work and training. Both were avid moviegoers who have had to settle for binge watching shows on Netflix during the pandemic.

“Movies, video games and hanging out,” Reed said of his new pastimes. “I’m trying not to go crazy.”