You could set an OCD person’s watch to the University of Hawaii football team’s schedule on Saturday.
Coach Nick Rolovich and his staff crafted detailed plans for the Rainbow Warriors’ departure to Australia ahead of the season opener against California.
A buddy system was established to ensure that no player hit the snooze button. Each player wore black sweatsuits during the 30-minute walk-through session at Ching Athletic Complex. There was a staff worker assigned to dispensing passports, another to pass out airplane tickets, and a third to double-check that passports and airplane tickets were distributed.
While boarding the buses that would take the team to Honolulu Airport, there was a panicked cry of “Where’s Jason?” Recruiting coordinator Jason Cvercko had slipped away to retrieve an item from his office. After a couple of minutes, Cvercko returned and order was restored.
“Rolo has done a good job with the discipline and structure,” said Craig Stutzmann, UH’s quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator. “Everything is very detailed.”
“You thought we’d go to Australia and wing it?” Rolovich said, smiling. “It’s important to give these guys a schedule. It’s important for us to have a schedule.”
Rolovich adhered to a timeline. During training camp, the coordinators implemented the concepts in moving to a hybrid offense and 4-3 defense. Scout teams were created last week to simulate California’s offensive and defensive schemes. On Thursday, Rolovich named Ikaika Woolsey as the No. 1 quarterback.
“I’m appreciative of the way (the players) approached the whole thing,” Rolovich said. “Not just this game, but training camp. There’s a part of them that believes in (the coaches) and that if they do things the right way, better things will happen. Ultimately, they want to win.”
One hundred and six players will travel to Australia. That will enable the Warriors to continue to practice against scout players. The Warriors usually are limited to 64 players for a league road game.
“The better part is the whole team gets to experience this trip,” Rolovich said. “That’ll pay dividends down the road for our freshmen.”
There are 34 first-year Warriors.
The NCAA has issued a waiver that will allow Sydney-raised defensive end Max Hendrie to travel with the team. Hendrie’s eligibility still is being evaluated while NCAA officials try to certify his high school classes. Hendrie attended the Scots College, a respected high school that was established in 1893.
“I appreciate the NCAA taking a look at it,” Rolovich said. “It’s been a long process on both sides. Max and his family deserve a lot of credit. Our people in compliance have done a nice job. It’s a very unique situation when you’re dealing with international students, the NCAA and transcripts. It can pose unique situations.”