HOUSTON — Even at the risk of incurring a 15-yard penalty, the Hawai'i football team has decided to perform the haka before Saturday's non-conference road game against host Nevada-Las Vegas.

"We're going to try and abide by the rule, but at the same time, we're not going to change what we do," head coach June Jones said.

Last Saturday, the Warriors were penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct when they performed a pre-game haka while the Louisiana Tech players were ascending the ramp leading to their locker room. The Warriors argued that the penalty was unwarranted because the haka was done in front of their locker room at the top of a hill overlooking the field. They also said they did not face the Louisiana Tech players.

The NCAA has rules against taunting, but nothing specific in regards to the haka. The Western Athletic Conference, of which UH is a member, sent out a memo suggesting that it is unsportsmanlike to perform the haka while another team is on the field.

Jones and WAC commissioner Karl Benson discussed the matter in a telephone conversation Monday.

"I told Karl we'll try to abide by the rule," Jones said. "But we're going to do it. ... We'll wait the proper amount of time. If a team is going to stay out there, we'll do what we have to do."

Jones also consulted with his senior leaders, who decided to perform the haka at the risk of being penalized.

"We'll take the penalty and do it," quarterback Colt Brennan said. "We're going to make the message."

Brennan noted how several college teams have several pre-game rituals intended as motivation, yet none face penalties.

"It's part of our culture," Brennan said of the haka. "It's a part of what we are. It's wrong of the WAC to say we can't do it."

Brennan said the Warriors use the haka as motivation and as a tribute to their fans.

"The sad thing is, if the coaches are that scared and that intimidated, then turn around and don't watch," Brennan said. "You don't have to cry to the refs or cry to officials to try and penalize us for not doing anything wrong. ... We did it last year with no penalties. It's completely wrong for them to penalize us. But if they're gonna, they're gonna."

ROAD WEARY

It took the morning rain to wash away the blahs.

The Warriors were particularly fatigued because of the travel schedule — they are on an 11-day trip — and the taxing overtime victory over Louisiana Tech.

"We were so worn down," Brennan said. "You could tell by the hours we were sleeping. I had two nights where I slept over 10 hours."

The rain and ensuing breeze provided temporary relief from the steamy conditions in the Southwest.

"Once the rain stopped, it was nice because it was cool," Brennan said. "It actually turned into a pretty good practice."

Because the workout was held on Rice Stadium's FieldTurf, cornerback Gerard Lewis noted, "It wasn't muddy at all. Just a little wet. It was a nice practice."

The Warriors practiced in the morning, from 8 to 10, for the first time this trip. When they are in Honolulu, they also practice in the morning.

"We're trying to get them more on a Vegas-West Coast time," Jones said, noting the Warriors will arrive in Las Vegas tomorrow. "By Saturday, we'll be back on the regular schedule. Then we'll have to go back to Hawai'i and get screwed up again."

The change in times was not easy for some players.

Roommates Viliami Nauahi, B.J. Fruean and John Fonoti, who arrived Tuesday afternoon from Honolulu, woke up late. Nauahi said the maintenance workers inadvertently unplugged the telephone and alarm clock when they added Fonoti's bed to the room.

"We relied on our alarm clock," Nauahi said.

The three tried to walk the mile to Rice Stadium when they noticed equipment manager Al Ginoza was driving a van in traffic. They hitched a ride.

Offensive linemen Keith AhSoon and Laupepa Letuli also overslept.

"I think this time difference messed with my mind," AhSoon said. "I woke up, and I thought something was wrong. I asked my roommate, Pepa, 'What time is it?' He said it was 8:30. We checked the schedule, then we started running. We went downstairs and grabbed our stuff. We just ran. I told him to wait for me, but he was gone. I just ran, too. I was running in flip-flops in the mud. People were looking at me. I didn't care. I was scared. When we got there, coach (Jones) was mad."

As punishment, each had to run eight gassers. One gasser is the equivalent of four 50-yard sprints.

"That's 1,600 yards," AhSoon said, noting that was in addition to running the mandatory three 70-yard sprints. "I'm never going to be late again."

Visit Tsai's blog at www.HawaiiWarriorBeat.com.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.