LAS VEGAS >> What happens in Vegas appears to all be happening today.
There is the Las Vegas Days Rodeo, “America’s Got Talent Live” in Las Vegas, and Max Holloway in the main event of UFC Fight night.
But the largest stage will belong to the University of Hawaii football team when it meets UNLV in 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium.
On Friday, the Rainbow Warriors broke away from this year’s pattern of practicing at a high school a day ahead of a road game. This time, they were able to experience $2 billion — the price tag of the stadium UNLV shares with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Warriors practiced for two hours.
“That was awesome,” UH coach Todd Graham said. “The stadium is a great venue. Our players wanted to practice there.”
During a 30-plus-year coaching career, Graham has experienced several iconic stadiums. He was head coach at Rice, whose home stadium was the site of Super Bowl VIII. The Warriors also have played at Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium, Michigan’s Big House, Ohio State’s Horseshoe, the Rose Bowl and the Cotton Bowl. But the setting for Friday’s practice proved to be chicken-skin worthy.
“I’m not much on their emotions, and the up and down all the time, but, yes, when they walked into a stadium like that … heck, yeah, it was motivating,” Graham said. “Every one of these kids were little boys who had dreams of playing in the NFL. I had a couple come and say, ‘Man, Coach, it would be a dream to play in a place like this (as pros).’”
Graham said the players are preparing to receive large support. UH’s allotment of tickets was distributed months ago. An alumni dinner was held Friday in downtown Las Vegas. Forty members of the UH band are on this trip.
“Our players are looking forward to seeing our band and all our fans,” Graham said. “There will be a lot of family and friends coming to this game.”
Graham described it as a “must-win game.” The Warriors, 4-6 overall and 1-4 in the Mountain West, probably need to win their three remaining regular-season games to clinch bowl eligibility. “The biggest thing is we want to go to a bowl game and give these seniors and this team an opportunity to win a bowl championship,” Graham said.
The Warriors will receive a boost with the return of running back Dae Dae Hunter and field cornerback Cameron Lockridge.
Despite missing three games with an injury, Hunter leads the Warriors in rushing (558 yards) on 7.2 yards per carry. Lockridge, who has missed four games, practiced with the first-team defense this week. Lockridge usually defends the wide side of an offense’s formation.
Last week, the Rebels snapped a 14-game losing streak dating to 2019. It was second-year coach Marcus Arroyo’s first victory. After the game, Arroyo was presented the game ball and accompanying ice-water shower. Arroyo then re-gifted the ball to running back Charles “The Chuck Wagon” Williams, who became the Rebels’ career rushing leader.
“Last year, people were saying UNLV is an easy win,” Williams said. “We took that to heart. We go out there to compete. We go out there to win. A lot of teams say, ‘Great job.’ We’re tired of moral victories. We’re working hard to get these wins. We want to keep this rolling.”
Arroyo said: “The intent is to do it over and over, and to stack (wins) and make it consistent. And that’s the goal. You’ve got to stay focused on the goal.”
Freshman quarterback Cameron Friel, a Kailua High graduate, will make his seventh start (and sixth in a row).
