The University of Hawaii football team welcomed its freshman class Monday morning with a one-topic test: promptness.

The orientation meeting was scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. All but one of the 14 freshmen were waiting outside the lecture hall at 7:15.

The lone absentee — wide receiver Keith Kirkwood of Neptune High — had a legitimate excuse. Hurricane Sandy had pushed back New Jersey’s school schedule. Neptune’s graduation ceremony was on Monday. Kirkwood is set to arrive in Honolulu this afternoon.

Monday was the start of the so-called bridge program, a six-week summer session that includes two three-credit classes. The Rainbow Warriors’ incoming freshmen are enrolled in the program, which is open to all UH students.

UH coach Norm Chow addressed the freshmen during a 30-minute meeting Monday morning. Chow spoke of the team rules, a list topped with: Don’t be late.

Baldwin High graduate Keelan Ewaliko already is ahead of schedule. Ewaliko signed a letter of intent in February with the intent of joining the Warriors in January 2014. The day after helping Baldwin win its second consecutive track title, Ewaliko was invited to move his arrival to this summer.

"It was crazy," said Ewaliko, who won the 100- and 200-meter dashes and anchored Baldwin’s 4×100 relay team. "After that night, Coach (Chow) called me and said he wanted me to come out early. I was pretty stoked."

Ewaliko will compete at receiver and returner, although he might take some reps as a read-option quarterback.

Defensive tackle Kennedy Tulimasealii of Waianae said he had a restless night in anticipation of his first day as a college student.

"Going to college was one of my main goals," Tulimasealii said. "I’m very happy for me and my family."

Wide receiver Marcus Kemp kept fit playing three sports at Utah’s Layton High. Last month, he won the state high jump, clearing 6 feet, 91⁄2 inches.

"I prepared myself," Kemp said of UH’s offseason conditioning program.

Defensive lineman David Manoa has had a short break. Aragon High in San Jose held its graduation a couple of weeks ago. He arrived in Hawaii this past Sunday. He also enjoys attending his namesake campus.

"It’s pretty cool," Manoa said.

Several older players, including No. 1 quarterback Taylor Graham, greeted the freshmen. Graham recalled the "nerves, the anxiety" he experienced on his first day of college as an Ohio State freshman in 2010. He transferred to UH in January 2012.

"As an older guy, I want to help them out and get them through the process as early as possible," Graham said. "I met a lot of these guys on their recruiting trips, but this is the first time I’ve seen them in a while. They’re ready to hit the ground running."