Because of COVID-19 contact-tracing protocol, eight top-tier defensive linemen and a starting linebacker were limited to only two full University of Hawaii football practices during the two weeks leading to the season-opening, 44-10 road loss to UCLA in the Rose Bowl, coach Todd Graham confirmed on Tuesday.

“When you don’t practice, you’re not going to play well, especially in a game like that,” Graham said.

Graham confirmed the nine players were isolated for 10 days “as a precaution.” They resumed practicing last week Tuesday. On game week, the Rainbow Warriors conduct heavily padded practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. They wear only light upper-body padding and helmets for protection for minimal-contact practices on Thursday and Friday.

Graham said there were a few players who missed Tuesday’s practice after receiving their second COVID-19 vaccination. “We only practice (in full pads) two days a week,” Graham said. “If you miss a practice, you miss 50% of the practices.”

But UH expects a fully attended practice today and a complete active roster for Saturday’s home opener against Portland State.

Graham said missed tackles and assignments contributed more to the Warriors’ problems against UCLA. The Bruins used a four-wide scheme to thin the tackle box, the imaginary rectangle near the line the of scrimmage. The Warriors countered with single coverage on each of the receivers, enabling the Warriors to move six defenders into the tackle box. But too often, according to Graham, the Warriors were not in their proper at-the-snap stance.

“We were not getting lined up, for whatever reason,” Graham said.

While communication problems and the 95-degree heat were factors, “whatever,” Graham said, “you’ve got to get lined up. We didn’t get lined up. That hurt us.”

Graham said broken tackles turned 2-yard gains into 4-yard gains, and then into Michigan transfer Zach Charbonnet’s three touchdowns. The Warriors relinquished only two completions of 10-plus yards, but one was Kazmeir Allen’s 44-yard score.

On offense, the Warriors were intercepted twice. While they did not lose a fumble, they put the football on the grass three times — a fourth potential fumble was negated because the ball-carrier was ruled to be down. The Warriors committed penalties on five of their 14 possessions.

Graham indicated the mistakes were correctable, and the Warriors are looking forward to playing their first Division I game on campus. With Aloha Stadium no longer available to host events with spectators, the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex was retrofitted for UH football games until a new facility is built in Halawa. A group of state senators toured the Ching facility during Tuesday’s practice. Because of pandemic-related concerns, no fans will be allowed for Saturday’s game.

Graham said he is “extremely confident” the Warriors will play better this weekend. “These guys are amazing young men, they really are,” Graham said.