Yeah, yeah, after constant requests, here’s the skinny on the new Hawaii exemption.

> The rule: The year an FBS team plays in Hawaii, it may open the regular season five days earlier than the usual Thursday opening to the NCAA football schedule. If Hawaii has six home games, for instance, Hawaii and those six teams may start earlier. Rule goes into effect this Aug. 1.

> But wait: While the FBS has fully approved the rule, the FCS has given only conditional support because the voting members did not pass the measure by 85 percent or more. The FCS may rescind the approval within 60 days.

> Benefit I: The extra week means UH can avoid playing a bye-less schedule of 13 games in the 13-week window for the regular season. Now UH can still play 13 games but also have a bye. “It’s a positive for student-athletes to get a bye,” UH AD David Matlin said.

> Benefit II: NCAA limits FBS teams to 12 regular-season games. But FBS teams are allowed to play a 13th regular-season game in Hawaii. But some were reluctant because they did not want to squeeze a 13-games-in-13-weeks schedule. Now they, too, can play in Hawaii, get a 13th game, and also earn a bye. “I think it definitely will help us reach out to a broader base of opponents,” Matlin said.

> How it began: Several years ago, Jim Donovan, who was UH’s AD at the time, crafted an outline for the early-start exemption. And then when Donovan left, the draft was left in the wind. Matlin, who was hired last year, recalled Donovan’s proposal. Matlin and associate AD Carl Clapp revised the draft, then sent it to the Mountain West Conference. The MWC leadership approved the measure, forwarding it to the NCAA committee on rules oversights. That proposal was approved, then forwarded to a top NCAA committee, which gave its blessing. “I was very pleased the Mountain West helped us,” Matlin said. “That would be all our colleagues It’s a good decision for our student-athletes, and it enables us to more effectively schedule 13 games.”

> Not yet: The Warriors used a different rule — the international exemption — to open the 2016 season on Aug. 27 in Australia. UH will try to use the new Hawaii exemption beginning in 2017.