The University of Hawai'i football team was scheduled to arrive in Boise, Idaho, early this morning, bringing 60 players and a few concerns.

"There are some game-time decisions we have to make," defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said, referring to the team's health status for tomorrow's game against 25th-ranked Boise State.

A.J. Martinez, who moved from left to right cornerback and is expected to start, did not practice yesterday because of a recurring groin injury.

"I treat them like pros," said Glanville, who was head coach to two National Football League teams. "If they've got a twinge, don't turn it into something worse by putting stress on it. I'm hoping it's not bad. He reminds me of a track guy. He always has a twinge here or a quiver there."

Yesterday, the cornerbacks were Kenny Patton, who is set to make his first start this season, and C.J. Hawthorne, who had started the first two games at right cornerback. If Martinez is able to start, then Hawthorne can return punts. The coaches limited Hawthorne's work on special teams while he was a starting cornerback.

Inside linebacker Solomon Elimimian, who has practiced once since suffering a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee in the Sept. 2 opener, skipped contact drills yesterday.

Glanville said he is preparing as if Elimimian will not be available to start. Brad Kalilimoku, who earned the game ball in the 42-13 rout of UNLV last week, is set to start at inside linebacker.

"It's a day-to-day thing," Glanville said. "Solomon is going to have to tell me he's 100 percent. In all of my years of coaching, I've learned your best guy at 80 percent is not as good as the backup at 100 percent. He never has been, never will be."

Brashton Satele, who is in the rotation at outside linebacker, continues to practice sparingly because of a sprained acromioclavicular (AC) joint in his left shoulder.

Satele was included on the 60-player travel roster, and might be used on special teams. Karl Noa has replaced Satele as the No. 2 left outside linebacker.

For this trip, the Warriors brought 12 defensive backs, 12 linebackers, 10 offensive linemen, nine receivers, eight defensive linemen, three running backs, three quarterbacks, a kicker, punter and long-snapper.

BROGAN, RUSSELL ACTED IN UH'S BEST INTEREST

Assistant coach Jeff Reinebold praised quarterback Will Brogan and offensive lineman Nate Russell for their performances as "Boise State players" during defensive drills this week.

Reinebold doubles as the casting director for the scout team, selecting players to portray key members of an opposing team. Some roles were difficult to fill. The Broncos' multiple-formation offense sometimes employs two tight ends; UH's roster has no tight ends.

Reinebold knew of Russell's background as a tight end in junior college and Wai'anae High School, and quickly sent out the call.

"He just did a great job for us," said Reinebold, indicating Russell will be cast in future roles.

Reinebold said Brogan, a freshman who is redshirting this season, did a dead-on impersonation of Bronco quarterback Jared Zabransky.

"It's tough to mimic a guy who's as athletic as (Zabransky) is, but Will did a good job," Reinebold said. "I told him, 'I'll even pay for you to get a tattoo on your right arm, if you want.' He wasn't buying that."

JOHNSON MADE 'ALL THE RIGHT MOVES' TO BOISE

Before Boise State's Ian Johnson was the nation's fifth-most productive running back, he was Tom Cruise. Not the couch-jumping Cruise, but the actor's Stefen Djordjevic character in "All The Right Moves," a player who dropped off recruiting radars after falling in disfavor with his high school coach.

When recruiters asked about Johnson, they were redirected to other prospects. After the coach left the California high school, workers found a box filled with recruiting inquiries addressed to Johnson.

"Once we found that, it was the beginning of my senior year," Johnson recalled. "We tried calling all of those schools back. A lot of them said, 'Hey, you were up on our list, but we heard you weren't interested, you didn't want to come, so we looked past you. We're sorry.' "

Johnson then began his own marketing campaign. "Next thing you know, I'm doing my own film (editing), sitting in my living room cutting up and making my own highlight tape," he said. "It really didn't do much for me."

Oregon and Oregon State placed him on hold, each basically saying he was one of four prospects who might receive an offer on signing day.

"It really got wearing," he said. "The next thing you know, Boise State finds out about me from a guy down the street that they were recruiting. (The coach) comes over, watches my film, and offers me a scholarship within two weeks."

Johnson verbally committed, but didn't make it official until after visiting the Boise campus.

"I felt that was a school that wanted me as much as I wanted to be there," he said. "Why would I want to go to another school that makes me feel like they're settling for me? Boise made me feel wanted. When I committed, it sounded like they were throwing a party back there. It turned out great. I love this place."

Johnson redshirted as a freshman in 2004, and was part of the Broncos' so-called tailback-by-committee quartet last season. Jeff Carpenter, a senior running back last year, told Johnson: "Learn everything you can from the other backs, because next year they're leaving."

Johnson learned power running from Antwaun Carter; blocking and play recognition from Carpenter, and cutback moves from Lee Marks.

This season, Johnson is the featured back, coming out only for short breaks.

Johnson, who rushed for 240 yards and five touchdowns against Oregon State, is third nationally in scoring (14.0 points per game), fifth in rushing (149.33 yards per game) and eighth in all-purpose running (156.33 yards per game).

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.