In a scene that did not seem possible two months ago, pigskins were flying in Manoa on Friday as the University of Hawaii football team opened training camp.

It was the Rainbow Warriors’ first official practice since Todd Graham was hired as head coach in January. The pandemic forced the cancellation of spring training and doomed the planned July 31 start of training camp. On Aug. 10, the Board of Directors of the Mountain West Conference, of which UH is a football-only member, decided to postpone the 2020 season.

But after reaching a partnership to provide thrice-weekly, rapid-result testing for COVID-19, the presidents of the MWC’s 12 football-playing schools decided to tee it up this season beginning Oct. 24. The 29-day window to train — the same period as in past years — started on Friday.

Following NCAA guidelines, the Warriors are in the five-day acclimation period. For practices Friday and today, the players were permitted to wear helmets. For practices on Monday and Tuesday, they are allowed to don the light shoulder padding known as shells. Beginning Wednesday, the Warriors will be in full pads.

Graham said no practice will exceed two hours. There might be one scrimmage, instead of the usual two, during the preseason.

“We’ll work really hard on trying to keep our guys fresh and recuperated,” Graham said.

There are hurdles, particularly the state’s travel restrictions and gathering guidelines, that need to be addressed with government leaders before a UH season is assured. UH president David Lassner has been involved in discussions with state and county officials.

“We will provide them with all the information we think it will take for them to exercise prudent judgment as to whether and how our Rainbow Warriors can return to play,” Lassner wrote in a statement. “This will include approval to engage in organized team athletic competition, consideration of travel protocols for ourselves and opposing teams, and decisions about presence of fans locally. They have hard jobs and we will give them the time and space they need to make decisions based on public health considerations and science.”

During a news conference on Friday, MW commissioner Craig Thompson expressed confidence all 12 football teams will participate this season. Hawaii and New Mexico currently have quarantine rules in place for visitors. Beginning Oct. 15, Hawaii will waive the 14-day quarantine for incoming trans-Pacific travelers if they receive a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of their travel. Fresno State’s players still have not returned to campus since restrictions were placed in March. San Jose State needs approval of a return-to-play plan before it is allowed to practice.

But a major obstacle was removed — medically and financially — when the league reached a deal in which Quest Diagnostics would implement rapid-testing protocols for the member schools. Quest will administer and diagnose the thrice-weekly test for each team’s bubble — the players, coaches, trainers and staff who are on the field during games. The antigen tests are supposed to be specific in detecting the coronavirus. Every person who receives a positive result from the antigen test, then would undergo the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test as a confirmation.

Thompson said the league will use its reserve fund to cover the entire cost of the testing. He estimated the overall cost of the tests to be “well into the millions of dollars.” He said each team probably has a bubble of 140 people.

UH athletic director David Matlin said league’s coverage of the tests was crucial. “Without that,” he said, “it would be really tough for us to do. That’s the economic reality.”

Thompson said he expects the league to announce the schedule “in the near future.” He said the revised schedule will be different from the one initially planned for the 2020 season. The goal is for each team to play eight league opponents during the eight-week window. Air Force, which is committed to playing nonconference games vs. Army and Navy, might play six or seven MW games for an overall total of eight or nine games. If Boise State keeps its commitment to Brigham Young, the Broncos might play only seven league games to accommodate the eight-game limit.

Thompson said there is a probability some games might be canceled because of health or scheduling issues. In the first three weeks of the college season, 22 games have been canceled or postponed because of pandemic-related situations.

Although football is the top breadwinner for UH sports, Matlin said money was not the motivation in returning to play.

“In the end, health and safety and doing this in a safe manner was the only litmus test to move forward,” Matlin said.