Concerned about playing in high altitude and chilly weather, the University of Hawai'i football team has stocked itself nearly three deep at every defensive position for tomorrow's road game against Nevada.

There are 32 defenders on the Warriors' 60-player travel roster to Reno.

A 33rd player, long-snapper Jake Ingram, also can play defensive end.

Twenty-four offensive players made the trip; the others are kicking specialists.

Reno is 4,700 feet above sea level, and the thinner air can be a breathtaking experience. UH coach June Jones said visiting players usually tire easily in the first two series before adjusting.

Defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said he wants to constantly rotate defenders, particularly at nose tackle. Michael Lafaele and Keala Watson have split time at nose tackle, but defensive end Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan and Kahai LaCount also are available.

There are a few significant changes to the travel roster. Nose tackle Reagan Mauia, returner Andre Taylor and wideout Michael Washington were left home. They had made UH's previous four trips.

Taylor has ceded his job as returner of punts and kickoffs to A.J. Martinez. Taylor is an accomplished wideout who is effective on inside screens. Martinez, who was recruited as a defensive back, is learning to play wideout.

Freshman Mikhail Kafentzis was added, making him the fourth running back — and third Kafentzis — on the travel squad. His cousins are linebacker Tyson Kafentzis and free safety Landon Kafentzis.

PROVEN WINNER

As it turned out, a fitting replacement for Chris Ault, Nevada's winningest football coach, was . . . Chris Ault.

Ault, 58, is in the second season of his second comeback. In 17 years after being hired as head coach in 1976, he transformed the program from a Division II affiliate into a Big West powerhouse. In 1993, he "retired" from coaching to serve as the Wolf Pack's full-time athletic director, then returned to the sidelines to coach for another two years. The Hall of Fame coach decided to become the full-time athletic director again after the 1995 football season.

The school president named Ault football coach again last season, after which Ault relinquished his job as athletic director for good.

"When I stepped down (in 1995), we were on top of the mountain," he said. "And we fell off the mountain. We're trying to climb that mountain again."

After the Wolf Pack went 5-7 last season, Ault reconfigured his plans. He scrapped the shotgun passing attack for his own creation, the "Pistol," a balanced offense in which the quarterback is aligned 4 yards from the line of scrimmage. In the shotgun, the quarterback is 6 yards back.

He also discarded his pet defensive scheme, the 4-2, in favor of a 3-4 alignment that, he hopes, will attract speedier linebackers from Southern California.

"In all of my career," Ault said, "I've never been afraid of change. I have no problems admitting I made a mistake. That's one of my strengths."

The Wolf Pack is 3-1 in the Western Athletic Conference this season.

COURTING GLANVILLE

A third party has approached Glanville about the possibility of becoming a candidate for the head coaching job at Temple, according to people familiar with the situation. But Glanville said, "I have not talked to anybody at Temple University. That's the end of that."

Asked if he would be interested in another coaching job, Glanville said, "I'm trying to find a way to beat Nevada. ... I've got my hands full."

Glanville, who was head coach of two National Football League teams, had not coached in 12 years before accepting UH coach June Jones' offer in April. He has said he signed with UH as a favor to Jones.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.