By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

At the end of the University of Hawai‘i football team’s two-hour practice today, quarterback Tim Chang secured the football and took a knee.

“We’ll say a prayer for him each day,” Chang said of what will be a team ritual for head coach June Jones, who is hospitalized following last week’s single-car accident.

Jones, in guarded but stable condition at the Queen’s Medical Center’s critical-care unit, is not expected to attend the remaining 14 two-hour sessions of spring football practice, which began today at the school’s grass field.

“He’s a great guy, and we really miss him,” Chang said. “He would pull things out of his head at the last minute, and it’s like, ‘Where did that come from?’ But it always worked, and we miss that.”

During past practices, Jones, who usually wore long black sweats and long-sleeved shirts, would roam from station to station.

“We miss seeing him running around in those funny clothes,” linebacker Chris Brown said. “It’s like we’re one big family, and he’s the father. When a family member goes down, it’s a big blow. That’s why we’re always keeping him in our thoughts.”

Under the supervision of associate head coach George Lumpkin, the first practice went smoothly, with each of the position groups going through skill drills.

When the final horn sounded, the players and assistant coaches gathered at the diamondhead side of the field, kneeled and listened as Lumpkin offered a prayer.

“I believe in prayer,” Lumpkin said. “God is my source. God is the head of my life. I know the reason June is improving the way that he is improving is because of prayer. I think the more prayer that we can do, the faster he will get better. (A team prayer) will be part of our practice. If nobody wants to participate, they don’t have to. It’s not mandatory.”

Today, the entire team participated.

“I say a prayer for Coach Jones before I go to bed every night,” Chang said. “It’s kind of hard right now. We’re trying to do the best we can without him. We know he’ll be back in the summer. But right now, we miss him a lot.”