The University of Hawai'i football team completed the first week of training camp both relatively healthy and hopeful.

There have been injuries — notably center Samson Satele's tender right Achilles tendon — but none serious. If the season were to open against Alabama today, instead of Sept. 2 in Tuscaloosa, then all of the injured would be available, UH coach June Jones said.

Two days ago, the Warriors entered the second phase: the creation of scout teams, whose members portray the Alabama players in practices.

"We divided them up a little bit sooner, because we wanted to get some things done," Jones said. "We needed to get the Alabama looks. We wanted to spend a little more time with that."

Jones said the players assigned to the yellow-jerseyed scout team should not be discouraged, and there's still enough "time for them to move up."

Still, it is important to craft an outline for the season opener. For Western Athletic Conference games, the road team is limited to 60 players. Jones had believed such limits were lifted for inter-conference games.

"I thought I could take more, but I was told (the limit) is 60, so that's how many I'm taking to Alabama," Jones said.

It is hoped cornerback Keenan Jones and outside linebacker Amani Purcell will contend for spots on the travel roster. June Jones cannot comment on players who are not in camp. But Keenan Jones said he has earned enough credits for an associate degree, an eligibility requirement for him to play for UH this season. He was supposed to arrive in town yesterday, but a delay in the posting of his final summer-school grade will postpone his arrival until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Amani Purcell, who transferred from Penn State last year, also has met the academic requirements to play for UH this season, according to his brother, defensive end Melila Purcell III. Amani earned the "A" grade he needed in a History 152 class. Amani is expected to join UH this week, Melila said.

Keenan Jones and Amani Purcell were placed on the 105-player training camp roster UH filed with the NCAA last week. The roster can expand beyond 105 on Aug. 21, the first day of UH's fall semester.

Since the opening of camp last week, three players have quit. Jones said he was surprised to learn those players cannot be replaced on the training-camp roster.

"I thought you could," Jones said. "I thought you could bring somebody in, but that's not true."

Two of the departing players — safety Geoff Hayth and cornerback Chris Camacho — were on scholarship. Jones can reissue those scholarships because the players surrendered them before the start of the school term.

Jones said he won't decide on the distribution of those scholarships for another week.

"There are a lot of good candidates," Jones said, referring to the non-scholarship players on the roster. "We have the right to use (the scholarships) for next January, too. We'll see how it goes."

PATEK PATTERNS MAEVA

It took a lot of thought before Jacob Patek decided he was going "Mento."

Patek, a free safety who transferred from Blinn College, arrived in Hawai'i last month to prepare for training camp.

One day, assistant coach Jeff Reinebold, who recruited Patek, introduced several players to David Maeva, a former UH linebacker who was visiting the school. Maeva played for Reinebold in the Canadian Football League.

Reinebold told the players how Maeva earned the nickname "Mento" because of his frenetic playing style at UH.

"I watched a little of the old films," Patek recalled. "He was a crazy player who went all out. He played with a lot of energy."

Patek said he considered several numbers. His number in high school (24) belonged to senior cornerback Kenny Patton. No. 25 belonged to punter Kurt Milne.

"I saw (Maeva's) picture on the coaches' walls, and I was thinking that would be a nice number to wear," Patek said.

While training a week later, Patek met Maeva, whose daughter was practicing for a track meet at UH. Patek asked Maeva for permission to wear No. 31.

"First, I told him, 'It's not my number. A lot of guys have worn that,' " Maeva recalled. "He's a good kid, and I was honored he asked. I told him if he wants to wear it, he has to light his hair on fire and fly around on the field like we used to do back in the day."

Patek, who is the top nickelback, said: "Coach (Reinebold) told me if I'm going to wear it, I'd better bring it every play. I want to represent the number and David. Hopefully, one day somebody will be asking me if they could wear the number."

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