HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors football team went in for their third Saturday practice and ninth of the 15 spring practice sessions, making their first appearance on the turf field at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
 
Opening up promptly at 9:00 a.m., it was a lively and very spirited practice session, yet again in full pads for the eighth time. The practice structure led to plenty of contact and live scrimmage drills, which provided quite a show for the largest spring crowd to date under first-year head coach Nick Rolovich, numbering over 230 spectators.
 
Saturday was also a special event, allowing an up-close-and-personal view for about 55 local coaches who were in attendance to check out practice before heading to Rolovich's inaugural coaching clinic.
 
In the early adjustments of the new offense this spring, the wide receivers have started to shine, making big plays each day, and at the heart of that is new wide receivers coach Kefense Hynson. The experienced staffer who's held positions coast-to-coast is looking to bring UH's production in line with its talent in the spring, laying a foundation heading into the 2016 season.
 
Hynson came from Norfolk State in Virginia as wide receivers coach, where he helped the Spartans up their production 450 yards receiving and 36 spots in the national rankings in just one season. Before that, he was co-offensive coordinator for nationally-ranked Montana, coaching the quarterbacks. He also comes in with experience from Yale and Western Washington.
 
A true teacher, Hynson was not only able to take a few moments for UH Media Relations to get some inside information, but also donned a field microphone during practice to let Hawai'i fans into the wide receivers' world under the new coaching staff.
  
Q: You're one of the more well-traveled and experienced coaches in the new staff. Coming from the places you've been, how does Hawai'i compare so far?
A: It reminds me a lot of the Bay area in terms of the demographics and diversity. I like the family atmosphere you get here; it's just different, I've never been anywhere that it's been like that. I'm enjoying it and just taking it all in, learning about the culture and just trying to grow as an individual from it.
 
Q: With a few months on O'ahu, you've picked up that there's a unique vibe here. What do you think it is that makes Hawai'i so special?
A: Just the sense of family and the pride that the people here have in this place. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact it is so isolated from everywhere else, the culture has been able to be maintained. It's not the same everywhere else, here the culture has been able to survive the test of time, and when you come here you notice it right away. The idea that everybody's family is very welcoming when you're not from here. Knowing that everybody here appreciates you and welcomes you is a big deal.
 
Q: Is there a simple way to explain your coaching philosophy in working with the wide receivers?
A: Speed and knowledge would be the two words I would use. Being able to play fast with the absence of fear, and understanding what to do and how to do it. I like to teach and I think knowledge is power. The more our kids understand and learn, the better players they'll be and faster they'll play.
 
Q: You inherit a talented unit that made some really outstanding plays last season, but also had some miscues at times down the stretch, what's the starting point to bring everybody to their potential?
A: I watched tape from a year ago; I didn't watch it to judge anybody, but just to learn and get a feel for those guys. I think it helps guys when they can start over, to a degree. I'm not really holding anything they did last year against them. They've got a clean slate with me; I know what I teach and what I coach. There's a number of reasons why guys make mistakes, sometimes it's confidence, lack of technique; sometimes it's that these are 18-22 year-old guys and there's a lot that can happen that can affect their mood, temperament and their ability to perform. Sometimes when you start fresh, you can cleanse your mind and focus on the things you need to focus on.

Q: A lot of the staff talk about the players trusting each other and coming together as a family, do you think we're starting to grow together like that this spring?
A: Where it starts is they've got to trust us and believe in what we're teaching them, having enough confidence to do what we ask them to do. It's just as important among the players. When you play, it's important that you trust the guy next to you, that's when you play fast. If you're thinking about what the other guy's doing or trying to overcompensate for what you think he's not going to do, then you can't play fast. We're getting there and we've still got a ways to go, but you can notice it, and I notice, that from day one to where we're at now, we're getting to that point.
 

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The Rainbow Warriors return to Cooke Practice Field on Tuesday at 7:00 a.m., opening up their fourth week of spring practices under the new staff.