The Hawai'i football team remains confident that its top running backs will be healthy and at full speed for tomorrow's homecoming game against New Mexico State.

Two-thirds of the committee of running backs — Kealoha Pilares and Leon Wright-Jackson — have been hampered by sore knees.

Pilares suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee in the Oct. 12 game against San Jose State. Wright-Jackson incurred a sore right knee when he was tackled by safety Erik Robinson during Wednesday's team drills.

Both vowed to play tomorrow.

"It should be all right," said Pilares, who is considering wearing a light brace. "Something to keep it tight."

Although Pilares practiced yesterday, Wright-Jackson did not.

Wright-Jackson described the soreness in his right knee as a "little owwie."

"I'll be good," Wright-Jackson said.

Pilares, a freshman, leads the Warriors with 247 rushing yards in seven games. Wright-Jackson, a third-year sophomore, is second with 149 rushing yards. Wright-Jackson did not play against San Jose State because the Warriors limited their playing rotation because of the muddy field.

Meanwhile, safety Kealoha Dane Porlas yesterday resumed practicing. He had suffered a hyper-extended right knee during Tuesday's workouts.

"It's tight still," he said of his right knee, "but I'm good. I'm playing."

Nickelback Ryan Mouton and safety Desmond Thomas practiced for the second consecutive day. Mouton is recovering from a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Thomas has a left-hip flexor.

Before suffering the injury that forced him to miss two games, Mouton was the nickelback in schemes utilizing five defensive backs. With Mouton unavailable, Thomas or Porlas would enter as a safety, and left safety Keao Monteilh moved to nickelback.

Jones said Mouton "will get some time" against New Mexico State.

"He won't get a lot, but he'll get some time," Jones said.

BLOCKING OUT THE FUTURE

The Manoa air was filled with laughter after tight end Cameron Allen-Jones broke free and then dropped an easy pass from Colt Brennan during yesterday's team drills.

"Go back to blocking!" one teammate yelled.

Indeed, that appears to be the future for Allen-Jones, who is expected to compete next year as the successor to Hercules Satele or Larry Sauafea, both senior offensive guards.

"I think he has all of the tools to play guard," offensive line coach Dennis McKnight said of the third-year sophomore from Aberdeen, Md.

"He has good athleticism," McKnight added. "He's quick. He's agile. He's strong. He'll be a good trapper."

Allen-Jones was a defensive lineman in high school and at Marshall, which he attended for a year. He transferred to UH in August 2006, reuniting with his brother, linebacker C.J. Allen-Jones.

He moved to offense last spring, first as a blocking back and then as the first tight end in Jones' nine-season tenure as UH head coach. Although there are plays designed for Allen-Jones as a receiver, his primary responsibility is to serve as a perimeter blocker.

"I haven't been working at receiver," Allen-Jones conceded. "It's more like, 'Go out there and catch the ball if it comes.' "

He has started using the automated ball-throwing machine.

But McKnight emphasized: "He's in there because of his pass-blocking. He's very good at that."

Although Allen-Jones appears to be easy-going, McKnight said, "he has a nasty attitude. You don't want to (tick) him off."

Mean side?

"Walk up to him and shove him late after a play's over, you'll see it," McKnght said.

Allen-Jones, who is not on scholarship, lives with his brother and sister-in-law.

"It's a lot cheaper than staying out in the dorms," said C.J. Allen-Jones, who is on scholarship. "We can save some money. He can cook and eat whenever he wants instead of spending money with the meal plan."

Cameron Allen-Jones said he is hopeful his girlfriend and son will move to Hawai'i from Maryland next semester.

"It's tough," he said. "I have to keep focused."

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