The past eight days have been difficult for the Hawai'i football team.

During the span, they lost a game (27-7 to Boise State) and their best offensive player (Kealoha Pilares, sprained foot).

Special teams coordinator Ikaika Malloe underwent an emergency appendectomy. Freshman offensive lineman Tuiatua Tuiasosopo underwent surgery after suffering side effects from an infection. Wideout Jovonte Taylor withdrew from school after losing more than 20 pounds from a viral infection.

"It's been tough," head coach Greg McMackin said. But those incidents are part of life, McMackin acknowledged.

Self-created mistakes on the field, McMackin said, "are not acceptable."

And that is why McMackin has authorized modifications to the offense, return teams and depth chart.

The changes were made in relative secrecy. McMackin allowed media members to attend closed-to-the-public practices this past week on the condition that they do not report nor show several key changes in personnel and strategy.

But McMackin confirmed that a lack of productivity in post-catch running prompted some of the changes. Against Boise State, the Warriors' yard-after-catch (YAC) average was 3.94 yards. The starting receivers dropped five passes.

"There are always going to be mistakes," McMackin said. "But we can't have big mistakes."

McMackin, who already made alterations to fit quarterback Inoke Funaki's running skills, will further expand the offensive menu. Some modifications were derived from hours of studying videos of UH practices and Nevada's games. Others were kept in storage, culled from different programs at all levels of college football.

"We've worked very hard this week, and the fans will see that," McMackin said.

McMackin also commissioned changes to help improve the Warriors' field position. He had been disappointed in the punt returns; the Warriors are dead last nationally, averaging minus-0.33 yards per return.

Aaron Bain has been promoted to No. 1 punt returner. Nate Nasca and Daniel Lofton also have been trained for duty.

Malcolm Lane, who was 10th nationally in kickoff returns last season, will be the primary kick returner. The Warriors also conducted an audition for the wedge-setter, a position vacated when Victor Clore suffered a knee injury. The wedge is a series of partial blocks that create a lane for the kickoff returner.

Malloe said Antwan "Tua" Mahaley will be the wedge-setter, a position aligned on the right hash, at about the 25. Mahaley actually earned the job because of his work as a wedge-buster. Mahaley had volunteered to play on the scout kickoff team. On a kickoff, he raced downfield and floored a wedge-setter.

"He wasn't intimidated," Malloe said, noting that was when it was apparent Mahaley also would be suitable to set the wedge.

Malloe said C.J. Allen-Jones, who plays on the front line of the kickoff-return unit, and Cameron Allen-Jones will be available to play wedge-setter.

The Warriors are entering the final stretch of the regular season. At 3-4 overall, they need to win four of their final six games to ensure a winning regular season and claim the accompanying berth in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

"This is a very important and very crucial game for us," McMackin said. "We're at home. We're playing a good football team. And we need to win at home."

McMackin said the team is in a "position where we have to win out. It's important for us to get better every game and go to a bowl game. This (game) is in our way. This team is coming over to keep us from our goal."

The Warriors begin a two-game road trip next week. They play at Utah State Nov. 1 and New Mexico State Nov. 8. They will stay in El Paso between those games.

Visit his blog at http://warriorbeat.honadvblogs.com.