The University of Hawaii football team took to the Great Indoors on a snowy Monday.
The Rainbow Warriors, who are in Denver in advance of Friday’s nationally televised road game against Wyoming, had hoped to practice for two hours at a nearby field. But those plans were foiled when a storm dropped 7 inches of snow on the Rocky Mountains.
The Warriors instead conducted a walk-through session in the large ballroom at the hotel where they are staying this week.
The weather was equally impactful to the Wyoming football team. The Cowboys had planned to return to their Laramie campus following Saturday’s overtime loss to Nevada in Reno.
“It was a little bit of a dicey return to Laramie, but we made it,” Wyoming coach Craig Bohl said.
After Saturday’s game, the Cowboys were diverted to Denver, which is 128 miles from Wyoming’s campus. “As opposed to returning that evening, we stayed in Denver,” Bohl said. “Getting back was certainly a challenge (on Sunday). We had a lot of help.”
Bohl did not disclose whether the buses followed a plow on I-25. But he praised the usual contributions from Wyoming’s Department of Transportation.
Bone-chilling conditions are expected for Friday’s game, which kicks off at 7:45 p.m. Mountain time. Bohl noted Laramie residents refer to their city as “Laradise.”
“We’re a rough people that deal with the different climates, the different weathers,” Bohl said.
He added that Honolulu residents also have their challenges.
“It’s probably a little bit different (in Laramie) than when we’re out there in Honolulu,” Bohl said to Honolulu reporters during Monday’s Zoom call. “We’re trying to get to the stadium when there’s tons of traffic. I’ll deal with the snow more so than your traffic. Sound fair?”
Bohl has had to address adversity this year. Five defensive linemen, including three projected starters, opted out of the 2020 season because of the pandemic. On the third play of Saturday’s game, quarterback Sean Chambers suffered a broken left fibula. Chambers, a sophomore and co-captain, suffered season-ending injuries the previous two seasons — to his right fibula in 2018 and to the left knee last year.
Levi Williams, a second-year freshman who replaced Chambers on Saturday, is set to start at quarterback on Friday. At 6 feet 5 and 240 pounds, Williams is a fearless runner with a strong arm and surprising athleticism. He threw a jump pass against Nevada.
Bohl marveled at Williams’ strength and toughness, Bohl said Williams was spotted performing a unique drill. While in a seated position, Williams used a rope to pull a car. “I thought, ‘my goodness, that’s our quarterback, he’s pretty strong,” Bohl said. “He’s pulling a car.”
