The Hawai'i football team is hopeful of meeting one of the criteria of battle: protect the perimeter.

Right tackle Adrian Thomas, who has been an effective blocker in his two starts, is expected to resume practicing today.

"I think I'm ready," said Thomas, whose lower-back pain prevented him from playing in the second half of last Saturday's 42-17 loss to Fresno State.

Thomas, a fourth-year junior from Australia, has been playing in place of Laupepa Letuli, who has been sidelined with an injured left knee.

A UH official said Letuli's condition is being monitored each week. Letuli said he will not play in Saturday's road game against Idaho.

Line coach Gordy Shaw said Thomas, who is 6 feet 6 and 310 pounds, is a "physical guy who locks on you. He's been doing great."

In one of the practices leading to the Fresno State game, Thomas felt a sharp pain in his lower back. He said the accompanying tightness was "enough to limit my movement."

Ice treatment and core exercises gave him enough flexibility to start against Fresno State. But by halftime, he said, "I felt pain, and it kept getting worse and worse."

For a replacement, Shaw chose Austin Hansen, who is 6 feet 4 and 285 pounds, over Kainoa LaCount, who is 6-6 and 320 pounds. Shaw believed Hansen would be a better matchup against Fresno State rush end Chris Carter.

On one drive, Hansen was called for three penalties — two false starts and holding. In reviewing the video, one of the false starts and the holding were debatable.

"After he got comfortable, he did well out there," head coach Greg McMackin said of Hansen. "It was the first time he ever played out there."

Hansen, in fact, had practiced at right tackle during training camp. Since then, he has practiced as a guard.

Hansen said his penalties were traced to a "lack of technique and focus. ... I have to use good technique and not do silly things to hurt the team in the game."

But Hansen said he was not nervous, and that he felt prepared.

"Coach Shaw keeps it really simple," Hansen said. "And the rules never change about our protection. There's no excuse to not know what's going on."

MEATOGA WON'T TRAVEL

Defensive tackle Vaughn Meatoga said he will not travel to Idaho.

During Monday's news conference, McMackin said he felt it would be best to not play Meatoga until his sprained right ankle is completely healed.

After yesterday's practice, McMackin left open the possibility that Meatoga would travel with the team, receiving treatment on the road.

But last night, Meatoga said he would not make the trip.

"I'm going to rest it," Meatoga said. "I went to see the doctor (yesterday). It's best I rest it this week. It should be better next week."

Meatoga suffered the injury during the second half of the Sept. 19 game against Nevada-Las Vegas. He was limited to five and eight plays, respectively, in the next two games.

"I'm disappointed," Meatoga said. "I've got to be smart and know when enough is enough."

The Warriors did receive a boost when defensive tackle Geordon Hanohano, a second-year freshman, was cleared to play against Idaho. Hanohano suffered a stinger against Louisiana Tech. Last week, he was cleared to practice but not play in the Fresno State game.

"They said they didn't want to chance it by having me come back too early," Hanohano said.

Dave Aranda, who coaches the defensive tackles, said Hanohano has "made the most improvement by any of the defensive linemen."

Aranda added: "Geordon is athletic for a big person. He's playing with technique better. He's more polished. He's more of a complete player."

Hanohano said he lost 15 pounds during summer and now weighs 295.