Injuries

There haven't been major injuries so far, but all these minor injuries are adding up and getting in the way of practice. Here's a list of players affected by injury.

Leonard Peters (FS) - ankle
Spencer Smith (FS) - ankle
Blaze Soares (ILB) - hamstring
Adam Leonard (ILB) - quad
Brad Kalilimoku (SS) - hamstring
A.J. Martinez (CB) - groin and hip
Brashton Satele (OLB) - thigh
Lawrence Wilson (NT) - ankle
Fale Laeli (NT) - concussion

I'm sure I'm missing some, but notice how they're all on defense? That's not good. But the good news is that some of them are already back to practice and June Jones says they could all play if they had to.

And kicker Dan Kelly was the hero yesterday as he made a 46-yard field goal to end practice and give his teammates a pool party.

Kelly said he received some "motivational speeches" from some of his larger teammates before the kick.

"But they were joking, all smiles after they say it," Kelly said. "There's definitely some of that 'We love you, but we won't love you if you miss it' kind of comments. All tough love, brotherly love kind of thing."

Here's what everyone was treated to at the pool:

With University of Hawai'i football teammates chanting — "Three Plus! ... Three Plus!" — 6-foot-6 1/2, 360-pound Kavan Bannigan stepped to the edge of the 10-meter-high board.

Then Three Plus jumped.

Only his teammates' collective roar drowned out the sound of the splat.

"I was surprised there was still water left in the pool after that," senior safety Leonard Peters said.

"That," UH coach June Jones, "was something you don't see everyday."

Man, I think we just found a new running back!

And June talks to the Alabama Press-Register about the Bama running game versus the Hawaii defense.

"We had to tackle Reggie Bush and Lendale White in the first game last year, and I'm not so sure (Alabama's) guys aren't as good as those two," Jones said Thursday.

"Alabama is going to run the football, we know, and we have to be able to tackle those backs."

...

"We've been practicing hard, but we're just not quite where we're going to need to be to play Alabama," said Jones, whose team split two games with the Tide in 2002 and 2003 at Aloha Stadium.

I have a feeling it won't be as bad as June is making it out to be, even with the injuries we have on defense. I like the way June is talking though, showing a lot of respect to Bama and acknowledging the status of the Warrior defense. Of course, on game day, this will all be moot! Let's hope UH is healthy and ready to go!