Keli'ikipi, a 6-foot-1, 260-pound junior from Wai'anae, said he was injured when he incorrectly planted his left foot at the end of a 24-yard, catch-and-run shovel play in the first quarter. In the second half, he was on crutches, his left knee secured in a metal brace.

Yesterday, Keli'ikipi underwent a magnetic resonance imaging, a procedure that uses magnetic fields to create a picture of the body's interior. Although Wes Suan, who coaches the running backs, said he believes Keli'ikipi will undergo "an operation," an injured meniscus sometimes can be treated without surgery. The meniscus is described as a cartilage disk that acts as a cushion between the ends of bones that meet in a joint. Keli'kipi is the Warriors' second-leading rusher with 247 yards. He averages 6.7 yards per carry. But he is valued as a short-yardage specialist — he has a team-high six rushing touchdowns — and a physical blocker. Because UH does not employ a tight end and the slots are used as receivers, the lone running back becomes the sixth blocker. "When you lose a starter, you know, you're affected," Jones said. Although the Warriors often speak of making "mid-stream adjustments" following injuries, there is no other back like Keli'ikipi on the active roster. "Well, we played without him the last three years, so it's not that big a mid-stream adjustment," Jones said. "You don't want to lose him, but obviously I have great confidence in the other three guys. They'll step in and do a good job."

The other backs are Michael Brewster, John West and Michael Bass.