Hawai'i football player Jon Medeiros is suffering from injuries to his hip flexor and patellar tendon.

But Medeiros does not have time for the pain.

Then again, he does not have much spare time at all.

Every day, he gets up at 4 a.m. and arrives, by bus from Kapolei, at UH by 6:15.

His weekdays are filled with workouts, practices, meetings, video sessions and classes. What's more, he works in the university's maintenance department, helping to take care of the Lower Campus.

The maintenance department is "pretty lenient with my hours," said Medeiros, a Kapolei High School alum. "They understand I have football and school, and I'm catching the bus from home. I try to do what I can do."

Medeiros is listed as the Warriors' No. 1 left slotback. He faces daily challenges from wideout Greg Salas, who is working at slot this spring, and Ryan Henry. "They're right on my tail," Medeiros said.

Which is why he ignores his injuries.

"I suck it up and play hard," Medeiros said. "My spot out there is on the line. I have to continue to work hard."

Offensive coordinator Ron Lee said Medeiros is making the most of this opportunity to claim the job vacated by Michael Washington's departure.

"He's in great shape, and he understands what we're doing," Lee said. "He has to keep working and getting better."

Medeiros, who is 5 feet 9, said he has lost 10 pounds since the end of the 2008 season, and now weighs 188. During the offseason, the players have the option of participating in morning or afternoon workouts. He X'd both boxes.

Medeiros said he uses student loans to pay for his tuition. His campus job pays for his meals and school expenses.

UH supplies a training-table breakfast for football players on scholarship. The meals include eggs, various meats, cereal, oatmeal and fruits.

"I walk past and smell the food ... it smells so good," Medeiros said. "I don't have that kind of money to pay for that."

Instead, he often skips breakfast. He usually brings a home lunch.

Medeiros is hopeful of earning a scholarship. He acknowledged: "To this day, I don't know how I'm going to pay for next year. I'm trying to work as much as I can during the spring."

Even if he does not receive a scholarship, Medeiros said: "I'm going to keep working hard. I'm not a quitter. At times, I had thoughts like, 'How am I going to pay for school?' I don't know how I'm going to make it through. I always find some way."

THOMAS ON THE BLOCK

Right tackle Laupepa Letuli did not practice yesterday because of a "tweaked" right knee. He promises to resume practicing tomorrow.

Letuli's absence opened the way for Adrian Thomas to work with the first team. Thomas, who was raised in Australia, said he has to "work on the technique and the plays. I haven't had as much practices as these guys."

Offensive line coach Gordy Shaw described Thomas as "one of the most improved guys in camp right now."

Thomas, who is 6 feet 6 and 300 pounds, has the build to serve as a perimeter blocker.

"Technically, we had to clean him up," Shaw said. "He has to play pretty flawless to be outside there. He's doing the things he's getting coached to do."

Shaw said he has worked mostly on Thomas' footwork.

"He's not super quick, but he's a big guy, and when he does things right, he's hard to get around," Shaw said. "I think he's going to be a really solid backup for us."

Shaw said the Warriors did not relinquish any sacks during yesterday's drills.

LEATIGAGA IN ROTATION

Defensive tackle Chris Leatigaga was a heralded recruit in 2007. But a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee short-circuited his 2007 season.

Ineffectiveness restricted him to the practice squad last season.

But in the past week, Leatigaga has worked his way into a widening defensive rotation.

"After I got hurt, it went downhill from that," said Leatigaga, who is 6 feet and 290 pounds.

Leatigaga was 260 when he first arrived in Manoa in August 2007.

"When I hurt my knee, I couldn't run," said Leatigaga, who ballooned to 305 pounds.

He said he is focused on contributing during his senior season.

"I'm not where I want to be, but after the summer, I will be," Leatigaga said.