UH's Flint realizes that three's a crowd
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
On Halloween, Jared Flint pondered what it would have been like to be University of Hawai'i quarterback Nick Rolovich.
Five weeks ago, Flint, the Warriors' No. 2 quarterback, was poised to replace Tim Chang, who suffered a sprained right wrist Sept. 29.
"I thought I had, maybe, a 50 percent chance of playing," Flint recalled.
Instead, UH coach June Jones summoned Rolovich, a senior who was expected to redshirt, and the Warriors then won four in a row.
"It's tough individually," said Flint, also a senior. "It's a lot easier to swallow when you're winning. I'm happy for Rolo. Being good friends, I'm glad to see him succeed out there."
Still, Flint said, "You kind of have some 'what ifs' on your mind."
This was not the first time Flint relinquished an opportunity since transferring from Orange Coast (Calif.) Community College in January 2000. At the end of spring practice in April 2000, Flint was regarded as the Warriors' top quarterback.
But Flint's right arm was sore, although he didn't complain. "I really bit the bullet then," he said.
When his throwing shoulder still ached that fall, he underwent medical tests that showed he was suffering from torn ligaments near his right rotator cuff. He underwent surgery in August 2000 and did not play last season. (The NCAA recently indicated that Flint, who attended Indiana for a year and played two years at Orange Coast, does not have a redshirt year or medical hardship available. He is appealing.)
In training camp, he said, the condition of his right shoulder was at 60 percent. Now, he said, the shoulder is at 90 percent.
But being the No. 3 quarterback — Chang, who is expected to apply for a medical hardship, is No. 2 — has not been easy. Rolovich and Chang receive the majority of the snaps in practice.
"It's hard to stay sharp," Flint said. "It almost takes more concentration than when you're playing all of the time. You have to watch more film and pay more attention in practice."
Still, he has remained upbeat, in large part to pep talks from his family. The last one came before last Friday's 38-34 victory over Fresno State, then ranked No. 18.
"My parents said to make the most of the situation," Flint said. "They said if you have a bad attitude, you'll come away with not liking Hawai'i in general. If you have a good attitude when you go into a game like (the one against) Fresno State, you'll remember that the rest of your life."
Flint helped lead the cheers; once, he started a wave. He also played a down when Rolovich left briefly with a bruised left shoulder.
"Playing or not playing, that was the greatest game I've ever been associated with," Flint said. "I can say I played in that game against the No. 18 team in the nation on ESPN. That's what it's all about. We came away with a win and I had fun out there. I was happy for my friends."
The only thing left, he said, "was to tear down the goal post. But we have more games to try to do that."
