The 15 days of practice over four weeks did not produce a successor to quarterback Tim Chang.

Jack Rolovich, Tyler Graunke, Jeff Rhode, Kainoa Akina and Inoke Funaki received an equal amount of snaps. Colt Brennan, who played at Saddleback Community College (Mission Viejo, Calif.) last season, will join the Warriors this summer.

Jones predicted he will announce the starting quarterback "a couple of weeks before the USC game."

Based on their experience and remaining eligibility, the favorites from spring practice are Jack Rolovich, a third-year sophomore, and Tyler Graunke, a second-year freshman.

"From here," Graunke said, "it's who works the hardest during the summer. I have to keep doing what I'm doing."

Funaki, who enrolled in January after completing a church mission to the Dominican Republic, struggled to master the offense.

"It was a long spring for me," he said, "but it feels like I'm just starting. I have a long way to go, but I'm working on it. I'm learning the reads, understanding what's going on with the routes, just throwing the ball. Man, I've never thrown so much in my life."

The Warriors entered spring training with no returning starters at the four receiver positions. Last year's starting left wideout, Jason Rivers, was ineligible to compete during spring drills. Although he is attending a community college this semester, he attended most of the practices.

Jones said he was impressed with slotbacks Davone Bess and Jason Ferguson and left wideout Ian Sample.

"We still have some question marks," Jones said. "We have to get some young (recruits) who are coming in the fall to grow up in a hurry. Davone Bess really showed what he can do. Ian Sample and Jason Ferguson had good springs. I was hoping some of the other guys would step up. At times they did, but at times they didn't."

Ferguson and Bess are competing at left slotback, the position vacated by the departure of All-American Chad Owens. Ferguson, a sophomore, did not play in 2002 or 2003 after suffering a knee injury as a high school junior.

"Spring was exhausting, but I loved being out on the field," Ferguson said. "I missed two years of it. To be out here is a blessing. I love practice. Now that it's over, there's nothing to do. Those 15 practices were tiring, but they were fun, too."

Bess also missed two seasons. In August 2003, he was sentenced to 15 months in a juvenile detention ranch after being convicted as an accessory for possessing stolen goods. Bess was released in September, and he enrolled at UH in January.

"I'm thankful I had the chance to be out here in the spring," Bess said. "I feel I learned so much. I feel I have the advantage over a lot of dudes who are going to come in during the fall."

As spring training progressed, "you could see a lot of guys dragging," Bess said. "But you can't quit. You have to suck it up. This is where it starts."

Jones said he was pleased with the offensive line. While left guard Samson Satele and center Derek Fa'avi recovered from injuries, UH was able to experiment. Right tackle Brandon Eaton practiced at right guard. Tackle Jeremy Inferrera was used at left guard. Dane Uperesa, largely ignored since starting the 2003 opener, emerged as the top right tackle.

"We'll be better because of the injuries" to Satele and Fa'avi "because we got a lot of reps with those other guys," Jones said.

The Warriors also made an easy transition to new defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville's multiple-blitzing schemes. Glanville was the head coach of the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons.

"He definitely turned us into an attacking defense," linebacker Tanuvasa Moe said. "Glanville actually clicked with the defense real fast. His style of coaching and how funny he is, it made the transition on defense a lot smoother."

Several key defenders were injured, including linebacker Ikaika Curnan, defensive ends Melila Purcell III and Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan, and cornerback Ryan Keomaka.

"Spring is a time for the coaches to evaluate the guys they haven't really seen before," said Moe, who missed the past week because of bone spurs. "A lot of new guys stepped up to the plate and did a good job. It was a good spring."