University of Hawai'i defensive ends Keala Watson, Renolds Fruean and Amani Purcell will miss this week's road football game against Utah State — and, maybe, up to the rest of the regular season — because of injuries suffered in Saturday's 68-10 victory over Idaho.

All three took turns as injury replacements for right defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis, who was held out of that game because of a strained lumbar.

Watson had said he believed he suffered a chipped meniscus in his right knee. If so, he would require arthroscopic surgery to clip the affected area. The recovery period for such a surgery is at least four weeks.

Fruean said he suffered a severe sprain to his right ankle. He suffered a right high-ankle sprain last year.

"Same ankle, probably the same injury," Fruean said.

Fruean said he was attempting to bull-rush the left tackle when "somebody came in and rolled in from the left. Somehow he missed my left leg and got my right leg when I planted it. I rolled my ankle."

Asked if he felt he was a victim of an illegal chop block, Fruean said, "I don't know. It happened so fast. I couldn't see what was going on."

He predicted he would miss at least "four weeks. We'll see how long it will take. It's tough. Plus, it's my senior year. I don't want to miss any more games."

Purcell suffered what is believed to be a tear to the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He was scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging, a procedure in which magnetic fields are used to create a picture of the body's interior.

Head coach June Jones said he is hopeful Alama-Francis will be available to play this week.

"I held him out (of the Utah State game) because he didn't practice all week," Jones said.

Even if Alama-Francis were to return, the Warriors will have to give increased playing time to seldom-used reserves.

Alama-Francis, nose tackle Michael Lafaele and left end Melila Purcell III are the starting defensive linemen. But this season, the Warriors have tried to rotate defensive linemen every fifth or sixth play.

Watson and Fruean can play each of the three line positions in the Warriors' 3-4 scheme.

Amani Purcell can play both end positions. Purcell was a defensive end at Penn State for two years before transferring to UH. He did not play last season. He practiced as an outside linebacker from the end of training camp until three weeks ago, when he moved to the defensive line.

For the final defensive stand against Idaho, UH played three nose tackles on the defensive line. Lawrence Wilson and Rocky Savaiigaea were the ends and Kahai LaCount, who started his UH career as an offensive lineman, was the nose tackle.

"That's not all bad," defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold said. "Even though you lose a bit from a pass-rush standpoint, those are big 300-pound guys in there. It's tough to move people like that. If we have to rush the passer, we have alternatives."

Reinebold said David Veikune, who can play all three line positions, and Karl Noa, who recently moved from outside linebacker, could boost the pass rush.

"Karl, people need to remember, was an end for most of his career," Reinebold said. "I don't like the thought of him going in there and playing 55 natural run downs. But if it's a passing game, he's a real good pass rusher. And he can hold his own playing down on the guard."

Jones said Savaiigaea, a second-year freshman from 'Aiea High School, and Victor Clore, a 2005 Castle High School graduate, will join the mix.

Clore, who did not play football last year, is 6 feet 2 and 225 pounds. Redshirting Clore this season was not an option.

"We don't have a redshirt policy," Jones said. "If we need him, we'll use him. He's got a motor. He can get bigger. He's a young Ikaika and a young Mel. He's undersized right now."

Reinebold said: "We love his effort. He's a kid who busts his butt every day to make plays. He's learning how to play the game. The one thing you don't have to teach him is how to play hard."

Reinebold added: "Whoever goes in will have to be an effort guy. That's how we play. Regardless if somebody has played a lot or a little, what has to remain consistent is he has to play hard, and he has to play tough. Otherwise he won't play. I'll start some guy off the cheering squad before I put in somebody who's not going to work hard."

Jones said defensive lineman Fale Laeli has made progress, but probably won't be available to play this week.

Laeli is recovering from partial tears to the anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus in his right knee.

Last week, he was greeted with rousing applause when he walked into the breakfast room without a heavy knee brace.

Meanwhile, Jones praised strong safety Jake Patek for the fumble-causing hit on Idaho quarterback Steve Wichman.

"It was a good lick," Jones said.

Jones said opponents take notice of UH's hard hits. UH is required to exchange videotapes with future opponents.

"There are a lot of hits on film," Jones said. "That's a collective thing for the teams we're playing to watch. They see a lot of whacks and a lot of hitting, and I think they're noticing. Jerry (Glanville, UH's defensive coordinator) creates that with the way he coaches. It alters what (opponents) do, most definitely. If you watch some of the hits, you might not want to go across the middle as much."

This season, UH has kept a running count of opposing players forced out of games because of big hits.

The knockout scorecard now reads: 10 running backs and six quarterbacks. Wichman and two Idaho running backs left the game on Saturday.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.