ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. >> Before Friday’s football practice, Hawaii quarterback Max Wittek was on the Highland High artificial turf, grimacing as conditioning coach Kyle Casillas moved legs in directions they were not meant to be moved.

On this breezy afternoon, the Rainbow Warriors’ fate, like their co-captain Wittek, was twisting in the wind.

For the Rainbow Warriors to break a three-game losing — and scoreless — streak on the road, they need to be healthy. That starts with Wittek, whose sore legs each required knee braces and Casillas’ on-the-spot physical therapy to practice ahead of today’s game against New Mexico.

Wittek threw and scrambled without difficulty during the hour-long practice, just as he had done in Thursday’s workout at UH. The two-part trip to Albuquerque, which included an overnight stay in Los Angeles, did not appear to have an adverse effect on Wittek. He had been held out of practices on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Wittek is expected to make his seventh consecutive start today. If he were to experience a recurrence of his knee problems, “we’ll just keep rolling,” coach Norm Chow said. “Next man up.”

That would be Ikaika Woolsey, who replaced Wittek in the second half of last week’s 28-14 loss to San Diego State. Woolsey was 5-for-5 before Wittek re-entered.

This week, freshman Aaron Zwahlen was moved from redshirt candidate to stand-by status, and will be used only if Wittek and Woolsey suffer significant injuries.

Even with Wittek at the controls, the Warriors are expected to have their seventh different starting offensive lineup in as many games. Tight end Dakota Torres, left guard John Wa‘a, and wideouts Isaiah Bernard and Devan Stubblefield have worked with the first-team offense this week.

The Warriors hope to boost a running attack that is averaging 1.97 yards per carry the past three games. This year, the Warriors have gained 29 yards on first-quarter rushes, an average of 0.66 per carry. On third down, they are averaging 1.21 yards per carry.

“We need to run the ball better,” Chow said. “We need to block better. We need to block downfield better. Don (Bailey, the offensive coordinator) and I addressed it with the offensive staff. We’re going to keep trying to run the football. You have to run it to win. We know we’re not doing it like we should.”

Diocemy Saint Juste, who exited spring training as the No. 1 running back, has not played a snap this season because of hamstring issues. There is a likelihood he will redshirt. Paul Harris was cleared to practice this week after missing Saturday’s game because of concussion-like symptoms.

Bailey has implored his players to remain upbeat and play with confidence. He recalled telling them: “Let’s not feel sorry for ourselves. What’s better than playing football in the United States? … We have to keep that attitude. C’mon, life isn’t that bad. Spring ball is way harder because you don’t get to play a game. But now, hey, we’re playing games. This counts. This is what we live for, right? For the 13 Saturdays a year, let’s not waste that.”

This is the Warriors’ first football game in Albuquerque since 1995. Like most 20th-reunion attendees, there have been significant changes in appearance. What started as a get-through-it offense in 2012, Bob Davie’s first as UNM head coach, the triple-option has become the Lobos’ identity.

“It’s a difficult offense to learn,” tailback Teriyon Gipson said.

Gipson recalled the brutal summer workouts under the unforgiving New Mexico sun.

“Oh, man, it was hot — 103, 105 degrees,” Gipson said. “All the guys were out there working in the heat. We loved that. Our goal is to never let anyone outwork us. After practices, we run more sprints on our own. You have to be on shape to run this offense.”

Middle linebacker Dakota Cox was set to sign with Cincinnati in 2013. But when the Bearcats’ coach left, Cox said, “we started looking around for another program.” After visiting the UNM campus, Cox committed.

“The ability to grow something great, the ability to be remembered as a class coming in just to build this program back up and put it on the map, I saw that with Coach Davie,” Cox said. “I saw what he was trying to do here. He has a great philosophy, not only in football but in real life to better myself on and off the field.”