It was near the end of the first practice of the University of Hawai'i's football training camp when Tyler Graunke approached fellow quarterback and roommate, Colt Brennan, and offered this advice: "Let it rip!"

Brennan, hunched with his hands on his knees after running his 10th sprint, obliged — in Linda Blair fashion.

"Puking makes everybody feel better," Graunke said. "I puke after I run hard. ... It shows a lot of dedication when someone can throw up and keep going."

Graunke and a groggy Brennan were among more than 50 players to complete the annual rite-of-Warrior drill: 10 sprints of 220 yards, with maximum lap times and rest breaks set according to a player's position.

"Overall, I thought we were in good shape," said UH coach June Jones, noting 52 completed the discipline last year. "The (freshmen) who reported from the Mainland, like (offensive lineman) Laupepa Leituli, made the number. But I was kind of disappointed in a couple of veteran guys. That happens every year. Someone will pass them up and get to play ahead of them."

Three offensive linemen quit after one lap.

Although a player will not be demoted for failing the test, Jones said, there is a correlation between a player's fitness and playing time.

"The best guys are going to play, but if you're not in shape, you're not going to be the best guy. Somebody will pass you up."

Free safety Leonard Peters, a fifth-year senior, ran the 10 laps in bare feet.

"It's like elementary school days," he said. "You have to take off the shoes to run faster. We can't be messing around. We've got USC, the No. 1 team in the nation coming up. The only thing I could think of when I was running was (USC All-America running back) Reggie Bush, chasing him down the sideline. That's the only thing I repeated in my head. He's an unbelievable athlete. To play against him is an honor."

Paul Harmon was the seventh offensive lineman — and last player — to complete the distance. As he approached the finish line, his teammates chanted "Paul! ... Paul!"

"It's about time," he said. "My legs gave out. They were heavy, tired. Last year, I did five (laps). I told myself I was going to do all 10 this year."

GRAUNKE WORKED WAY TO TOP OF QB CHART

Graunke, who entered training camp as the leading candidate to succeed quarterback Tim Chang, has embraced his starter's role.

He remained in Hawai'i this summer instead of returning to Arizona, working out daily in the unsupervised passing drills.

"You can study the playbook and tapes, but it's a whole other thing when you get on the field," said Graunke, a second-year freshman. "The game speed is so much faster. That's why I wanted to stay out here. I wanted to be out here with my receivers, like Jason Ferguson, Ryan Grice-Mullen, Davone Bess. ... The guys on the team are my brothers. I miss my brothers back home, and these guys kind of take their place. There's nothing like football to bring everybody together. Everybody sweating and bleeding together, there's nothing like it."

Graunke, who is 5 feet 11 1/4, weighs 177 pounds. His body fat is 8.9 percent.

"Tyler Graunke is Tyler Graunke," Bess said. "He's aggressive, and very confident. He's a leader. Even though he's, what, 5-10, people look up to him. His heart is like he's 6-11."

There are five quarterbacks in camp. Third-year sophomore Jack Rolovich and fifth-year senior Kainoa Akina will report Aug. 22, when the roster expands. Graunke said he is not ready to cede his place atop the depth chart.

"Ever since last year, I knew I would have the opportunity to start when Timmy left," Graunke said. "It's the opportunity of a lifetime. I'm not going to let it slide. I'm not going to start working not as hard. I'm going to work hard until the No. 1 spot is all mine, and then I'm going to keep working hard."

FRESHMAN QB GARDNER WEARING CHANG'S NO. 14

Sentimentality gave way to practicality when it came to issuing jerseys.

Although Chang's No. 14 jersey is in the College Football Hall of Fame — he is the most prolific passer in NCAA history — it was not retired by the school. Freshman quarterback Anthony Gardner is wearing No. 14.

"He came out, and we said, 'Hey, another Timmy Chang,' " Graunke said. "That's fine. It's just a number. It's how people play and not the number on their back."

Graunke, meanwhile, has switched from No. 13 to No. 6, worn last season by 5-foot-5 running back Michael Brewster. "I wanted to switch it up a bit," Graunke said. "I like single-digit numbers."

All-America receiver/returner Chad Owens handed his No. 2 to his apprentice, slotback Jason Ferguson.

Kicker Daniel Kelly is wearing defensive tackle Lui Fuga's No. 99.

NAVY AGREES TO OPEN 2009 SEASON WITH UH

Navy has agreed to serve as the Warriors' season-opening opponent in 2009, Jones confirmed. The game will be played in Aloha Stadium. The contract has yet to be signed.

"I've been a proponent of playing the military (academies) forever," Jones said. "It's beneficial to us. I'm glad we got them on the schedule."

Asked if he would still be UH's coach, Jones, whose contract expires at the end of the 2007 season, said, "I'm worried about USC. I don't worry about 2009, I can tell you that."

Navy's head coach is Paul Johnson, a former UH offensive coordinator.