Rolovich was taken to a hospital, where he received IV treatments. He has spent the past two nights at his brother's condominium in Hawai'i Kai. It is not known when he will join his teammates, who are staying at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider this week.

"He's sleeping and trying to recover," said Dan Morrison, who coaches the quarterbacks.

During practices, with Chang resting because of a sore back, Rhode "has been taking all of the snaps" with the first team, Jones said.

Morrison said: "He's been in the program a long time. He's a very deserving kid. He doesn't have a lot of (game) experience, but he has a good arm, good height (6 feet 6), and he's a good student and a smart kid."

Rhode, who also played for the UH baseball team as a freshman, has admittedly been discouraged by his stalled football career. Although he had considered transferring, he said: "I've always been raised to never quit. I wasn't going to quit. Nothing was going to make me quit."

He endured, even when he was assigned to the scout team, whose membership usually includes redshirts, walk-ons and freshmen.

"I was a junior on the scout team, and it was humbling," he said. "You're with all of the young guys and they're looking at you like, 'What are you doing here?' Aren't you supposed to be up there?' It was very humbling, but then again, it was very good for me. The scout team is a different world. Everything is against you. I think I got a lot better from being on the scout team this year. I'm much more thankful for what I'm doing now."

He said he is on track to earn a bachelor's degree in education. He also hopes to coach basketball.

"I'm excited about it," he said.

Brewster will handle kick returns in bowl

With slotback Jason Ferguson's availability in question because of a groin injury, running back Michael Brewster will handle kick returns.

Brewster, a 5-foot-5, 180-pound senior, was stunned by the decision, especially because he was chosen over All-America punt returner Chad Owens.

"I'll do whatever Coach (Jones) tells me to do," Brewster said. "Chad is one of the greatest returners ever. If I get one or two (returns) after him, I'll be happy."

Jones said Brewster deserved the chance.

"He's good at it," said Jones, a reference to Brewster's 24.7-yard average on kick returns in 2002. "But he's a valuable player on offense, so I held him out earlier."

Brewster also can use the opportunity as an audition for Canadian Football League scouts.

"I want to get him on film" returning kicks, Jones said. "He did a good job when he returned kicks (in past seasons). He'll probably sign with Canada after this. He'll get a shot to play (professionally)."

Ferguson, a 5-foot-4, 157-pound freshman, said he hopes to increase his strength during the offseason.

"I want to get a lot stronger," he said. "I want to develop that burst. ... I'm still out here looking like a high school player."

Warriors, Blazers almost met before

The Hawai'i Bowl will be the first football game between UH and Alabama at Birmingham, although the teams tried to set up a unique postseason meeting in 2001.

Despite upsetting previously unbeaten Brigham Young to finish the 2001 regular season with a 9-3 record, the Warriors did not receive an invitation to a postseason bowl.

Evan Dobelle, then UH's president, petitioned the NCAA to allow the Warriors to play a "bonus" game. The proposed opponent was UAB, which also was left in the cold despite a 6-5 regular season.

"I liked the thought of it," UAB coach Watson Brown said. "June and I both didn't have any place to go. There were a lot less bowls then."

The NCAA rejected Dobelle's request. But the proposal sparked ESPN Regional Television, the Western Athletic Conference, Conference USA and UH to create the Hawai'i Bowl.

This year, there were 57 bowl-eligible teams for 56 bowl berths. "I think bowl-eligible teams deserve to go somewhere," Brown said.