The Hawai'i football team received a special surprise with the return of Rustin Saole.

Saole, a valuable member of three special-team units, missed the past two games because of a partially torn medical collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee.

But he received medical clearance, and he was back on the kick-return and punt units yesterday. He is expected to rejoin the kickoff team today.

"I feel pretty good — 100 percent," Saole said.

On kick returns, Saole is positioned second from the right on the front line. Against Nevada, Saole's replacement missed a key block. "If Rustin were in there, it would have been a touchdown," said Rich Miano, who helps coordinate special teams.

On punts, Saole serves as the right guard. In Saole's absence, middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian was the right guard.

"Solomon is a leader on defense, and we'd rather have him on the sideline during punts," Miano said.

On kickoffs, Saole is one of the inside wedge-busters.

"He's one of the guys who takes great pride in playing special teams," Miano said. "When he's in there, it makes a big difference."

PILARES IMPROVING

Running back Kealoha Pilares appears to have recovered significantly from a sprained MCL in his right knee.

Pilares did not play in the previous two games.

Despite wearing a knee brace, Pilares made several quick cuts.

"It takes a lot away," Pilares said of the brace. "It's like baggage. I'm getting used to it, because I might have to play with it."

Pilares said he will try to run without a brace today.

It will be a reunion of sorts when the Warriors host Boise State in a nationally televised game Friday night.

The Broncos recruited Pilares in 2005, when he was the state's Offensive Player of the Year as a Damien Memorial High senior. But Pilares balked when he was encouraged to join the Broncos as a defensive back.

"I didn't want to play defense," Pilares said. "That was the major key why I didn't want to go there."

He also said he felt pressured to make a quick decision.

Pilares accepted an appointment to the Air Force Academy, but left during the equivalent of basic training. He then enrolled at UH.

BESS HAS NFL THOUGHTS

Left slotback Davone Bess, who recently became the Western Athletic Conference's career leader in receptions, said he will wait until after the Warriors' bowl game to decide if he will apply for the 2008 National Football League draft.

"It's in the air still," said Bess, a junior who has 81 catches this season and 266 in 36 UH games.

Asked about the compelling reasons to return, Bess said: "Hawai'i, the people here. Obviously it will help to have an extra year to put up good numbers. And I can graduate. Right now I'm on track to graduate right after my senior season. Graduating is the main thing."

COLT'S QUICK ON HIS FEET

Colt Brennan said he has no hard feelings from an incident last year in which an airborne Boise State cornerback appeared to be aiming for his knees. Brennan had to jump to avoid being hit. The play drew the ire of the UH coaches.

"It was a corner blitz," Brennan said. "Cornerbacks — I'm not speaking of all cornerbacks — they're not big hitters, so they usually go low, anyway. I think the guy was just trying to get to me. Luckily, I felt him and was able to get off the ground."

WARRIORS' TURNING POINT

Defensive backs coach Rich Miano said the Warriors' 34-19 victory over Boise State in 1999 was the turning point for the program. The Broncos finished 10-3 that year.

"That's when I knew we were a good football team," Miano said. "To me, that's when I knew the June Jones era arrived."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.