2016 Hawai'i Football Fall Camp
Day 1: Into The Fire: Football Opens 2016 Camp With Strong First Day
Day 2: Football Building The Team Behind The Team
Day 3: Shells On And It's Sweet Home Hawai'i For Football Staff
Day 4: Summer Dedication Paying Off As Football Camp Rolls Into Day Four
Day 5: Football's Offensive Line Leading The Drive Into 2016
Day 6: Experienced Outside Receivers Unit Looking For Big Plays In 2016
Day 7: Returning Inside Men Provide Versatility For Football's Offense
Day 8: 'Bows Rise To Meet Challenges
Day 9: Deep, Experienced Running Backs Look To Propel Offense In 2016
Day 11: Cornerbacks Rely On Experience, Depth To Reload In 2016
Day 12: The Combination Of Experience And Youth Strengthens 2016 Safeties
Day 13: Few Questions Exist Among Football's 2016 Specialists
 

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HONOLULU  – The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors football team jumped back into action on Monday morning at Cooke Practice Field, setting off the third week of 2016 season practices under first-year head coach Nick Rolovich.
 
Like many camps across the nation, the defensive unit has made strong showings at times against the offense. However, the University of Hawai'i has also made a seamless transition with a new staff into a new system—switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 base. The "darkside" hasn't missed a beat, despite the loss of five of the top six tacklers—in fact, the unit looks as strong as ever under the guidance of defensive coordinator Kevin Lempa.
 
Lempa returns to UH after a 13-year run on the eastern seaboard, including two stops at Boston College. Before that, he served as defensive coordinator for the first time for the Rainbow Warriors, aiding UH to some of its best historical teams in 2001 and '02 under then-coach June Jones. Rolovich and three other current staff members played on those teams. Over the past three seasons as defensive backs coach at Boston College, Lempa was instrumental in developing the coverage schemes that aided BC to its No. 1 national ranking in total defense and top ranking on passing downs in 2015.
 
Employing multiple formations and attack schemes, Lempa has been working to instill that same aggressive toughness in the Rainbow Warriors over his past few months on staff. Clearly it's not just formations and schemes that will accomplish that goal, but a culture of how the unit practices and mentally prepares. From the hits distributed, to the drills, to the hustle, it's easy to see the defense has bought in.
 
Over the course of a pair of days, coach Lempa worked with HawaiiAthletics.com to give fans the unique experience of 'being warrior with coach Lempa' in the point-of-view clip from H-TV below.
  The countdown to travel time has begun for the Rainbow Warriors, who head to the airport on Saturday morning, following their final practice on O'ahu. For now, the only date on the schedule is a 6:30 a.m. practice session on Tuesday, as UH continues to prepare for the season opener against California.