Who says 40 times are not meaningful?

No, not 40-yard dashes. The Hawai'i football team worked on the 40 — the number of seconds allowable between plays — in yesterday's first workout at Aloha Stadium.

Under the NCAA rule implemented for this season, at the end of every play, the referee takes a deep breath, then signals for the 40-second clock to start. That rule is similar to the one used in the National Football League. Last season, the NCAA 25-second clock did not start until the officials marked the ball ready for play.

On most plays, the change is not noticeable. It becomes apparent on long incompletions.

"Then you have to come all the way back (while the clock is running)," right wideout Malcolm Lane said.

Quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich said there was more flexibility in last year's rule.

"When the refs took their time to put the ball down, there was more thinking time," Rolovich said. "Now, it's pretty fast, especially when guys take deep routes. You have to take (into consideration) substitutions, fatigue, and all of that stuff. You almost have to have two scenarios ready in your head for a completion and an incompletion."

Head coach Greg McMackin said yesterday's 2 1/2-hour workout was an ideal laboratory. The Warriors practiced in game conditions, complete with blitzing linebackers, a full officiating crew and a 40-second clock.

"We went the whole (practice) and didn't have a penalty on the 40-second clock, and we had officials," McMackin said. "I was really pleased at how our tempo is right now."

Center John Estes said the offense was mindful of making the right pre-snap reads.

"We might not get delay-of-game calls, but we don't want to snap the ball before we want to," Estes said. "We have to have our calls before we snap it."

At some points, it seemed, the Warriors' regular offense was set to the metronome of a two-minute drill.

"I was trying to get used to the pace of the game — running every play and turning around and getting back to the huddle real quick," said starting quarterback Brent Rausch, a first-year Warrior. "It definitely takes some getting used to."

The coaches also tried to get the Warriors accustomed to the warm conditions they will face for the Aug. 30 opener against Florida.

The Warriors, who usually practice in the morning, began yesterday's workout at 12:30 p.m.

The Aloha Stadium crew also watered the FieldTurf in the morning. The combination of moisture and mid-day sun was to create a sauna effect.

"It was hot," McMackin said after the workout. "I'm sweating."

Lane, who lived in Florida, said: "There's nothing you can do to simulate the Florida weather. It's a lot more humid. ... It'll be all right. When there are tough times, tired times, you have to fight through it."

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