Route 66 — the football-career path for Hawai'i offensive tackle Adrian Thomas — has been long and circuitous.

Thomas, a fourth-year junior from Australia who wears jersey No. 66, will earn his first collegiate start when the Warriors play Louisiana Tech Wednesday in Ruston, La. He is replacing right tackle Laupepa Letuli, who has an injury to his left knee.

"I had to be patient," Thomas said, "and work hard."

It would have been easy to be a doubting Thomas, especially after the false start to his UH career.

Thomas made a verbal commitment to UH in February 2004, and completed his high school studies in December of that year.

But the NCAA could not immediately determine whether some of the classes he took in Australia met the NCAA's core requirements. For instance, the NCAA struggled to figure out the equivalence of a social science class.

Days turned into weeks and then into months.

"There was a little bit of a concern when they weren't getting back to us, and we were still having trouble getting the academics together," Thomas said.

Meanwhile, Thomas was in limbo. He worked various jobs because he did not want to commit to full-time employment. He also was advised not to take any university classes because it might trigger his NCAA eligibility clock.

"I had to wait," Thomas said.

Finally, he received clearance, and was allowed to enroll at UH in January 2006.

Thomas had a background in American football, joining a club team as a 14-year-old, at the suggestion of his father.

"I was playing rugby at the time, and I was interested to see it," Thomas said. "I tried it, and ended up liking it."

While the rules and techniques of rugby and football are different, Thomas noted, "at the end of the day, it's the same concept."

Thomas was buried on the Warrior depth chart until this past spring.

"He's really our sixth-best offensive lineman right now," line coach Gordy Shaw said.

Thomas, who is 6 feet 6 and 306 pounds, has remained fit through an intensive conditioning program. In Australia, he trained by running sand dunes. He is capable of bench pressing 385 pounds. His vertical jump is 29 inches.

Thomas has displayed agility and good footwork. But because he has worked with the first team for only three practices, Shaw said, "he's been a little rusty. But he's getting settled pretty quickly."

Shaw said Thomas was "so-so" in Friday's practice. Yesterday, Shaw said, "he had a good practice. We're counting on him."

Thomas said: "I've been working on the technique of things. Coming from Australia, I had to pick up the technique from the older players."

POLLARD EXPECTED TO START

All signs point to Royce Pollard serving as the No. 1 right wideout and, most likely, the featured kick returner against Louisiana Tech.

"Pollard is looking good," head coach Greg McMackin said. "He's going to get a lot of playing time."

Pollard said: "I'm with that. I'm ready to go. I'm excited."

Pollard, a third-year sophomore, has been playing in place of Jovonte Taylor, who suffered a sprained left ankle in last week's game against Nevada-Las Vegas. Taylor resumed practicing yesterday.

Pollard's only UH start was against Idaho last season.

"I had a fake start," Pollard said, smiling. "Malcolm (Lane) took the kickoff return, but he had an equipment malfunction. I went in. First play, first catch."

Pollard, who attended a high school in San Diego, turned down a scholarship offer from San Diego State to join the Warriors as a walk-on in June 2007. He relied on a Pell grant and student loans to pay for his first year of school.

During last year's training camp, McMackin asked Pollard about his school work.

Pollard, a political science major, said he had a 3.4 grade point average. McMackin smiled, then walked away. Two days later, during a team meeting, McMackin awarded Pollard a football scholarship.

"I was real happy about that blessing," said Pollard, who aspires to have a career in law enforcement.

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