QB candidates look for edge in summer
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
It was neither an unforgiving Manoa sun nor a soccer camp that spilled onto the upper-level field that prevented the University of Hawai'i football players from starting their unsupervised workouts last week.
Photos by Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
The glitch? Nobody brought a football.
Colt Brennan, a California junior college transfer, moved to Hawai'i this month to participate in workouts.
"That's your job," Ross Dickerson told Colt Brennan. "You're the quarterback."
Five minutes later, quarterback Tyler Graunke showed up ... carrying a supply of footballs.
"We're all trying to help each other out," Graunke, a second-year freshman, would say later. "It's all a friendly competition."
Told of Graunke's thoughtfulness, UH coach June Jones said, "That's what we try to permeate, that the 'team' is more important than the 'me.' They're learning how to think about each other."
By NCAA rule, on-field summer workouts are "voluntary" and "unsupervised." Coaches may distribute workout guidelines and instructions, but they are not permitted to attend.
Although players are not required to participate in the summer workouts, "it definitely helps if they do," Jones said. "The guys who are out there probably have a tremendous advantage when they come to (training) camp (in August)."
The summer workouts are particularly important for Graunke and Brennan. They are widely regarded as the leading candidates to succeed quarterback Tim Chang, who completed his eligibility following the 2004 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.
Graunke decided to remain in Hawai'i this summer instead of returning to his home in Arizona.
"I want to get back on the field and I love it here," he said. "Why not stay in Hawai'i all summer? If I went back, it might be a little distracting. There are too many distractions at home. I can't really focus."
Brennan, who transferred from Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, Calif., arrived in Honolulu last week. He will be a sophomore in the fall, and have three seasons of eligibility.
Second-year freshman Tyler Graunke is eager to show a shoulder injury he suffered last season has healed.
He sleeps on the floor of a Waikiki studio rented by UH wideout Julien Petit. They are searching for a two-bedroom apartment, a hunt that lacks energy because of the workouts.
"I just want to find an apartment and get all situated for the football season," said Brennan, who is not receiving a football scholarship.
Last month, Brennan earned an associate degree, an eligibility requirement to play this coming season. He opted to move from California this month to participate in the conditioning drills.
"I don't want to fall behind," Brennan said. "Right now, I'm doing fine, because everybody is learning out there. There's no way to differentiate between who's ahead and who's behind. It's everybody learning."
There will be seven quarterbacks on the roster this fall. Five, including Graunke and Brennan, have been invited to training camp. Two others, Jack Rolovich and Kainoa Akina, will rejoin the team on Aug. 22, the first day of UH's fall semester, when the NCAA lifts the training-camp roster limit of 105 players.
Based on skill and remaining eligibility, Graunke and Brennan are viewed as the top quarterbacks. Jeff Rhode, who ascended to No. 2 by the end of last season, is a senior. Inoke Funaki missed the past three seasons because of a church mission. Anthony Gardner is an incoming freshman.
Last season, UH brought in three freshman quarterbacks. In a meeting following the first week of training camp last year, Jones deemed Graunke as the best of the three. The other two ended up transferring.
Graunke redshirted after suffering a shoulder injury. He said he is completely healed. He did not experience any health problems during spring practice.
"It'll be exciting for Tyler to get some reps," Jones said. "With quarterbacks, until the game starts, you don't know what you have. That's just the way it is. You want a guy who gets better once the game starts. When we put Tyler in competitive situations, in scrimmages and stuff, he raised his game. Hopefully, that will be the case when the lights go on."
Both Tyler Graunke, left, and Colt Brennan have brought enthusiasm to tedious summer drills.
Jones is not allowed to discuss Brennan because of an NCAA rule limiting public comments on players who are not enrolled in school. But Brennan has drawn praise with his quick release and powerful right arm.
Brennan, who is 6 feet 3, weighs about 202 pounds. "The first couple of days, after the first couple of runs, I lost weight," he said. "Now that I've got more food in my system, I'm feeling stronger."
Graunke, who is about 6 feet, said he gained five pounds since spring practice and weighs 184. After a year in the program, he said, "I've got the offense. It's in the brain chip."
Both have brought enthusiasm to what could be tedious pass-and-catch drills.
"It's never tough to motivate myself," Graunke said. "I just keep my eyes on the prize. It's enough motivation for me."
Brennan said: "The starting job is won in the spring and the summer. It's whatever you're doing off the field to win the job. That's pretty much when it's won. Whoever puts in the most time and work will probably get the job."
Jones agreed, saying, "If they're not here doing what we do ... they're not going to be ready to roll when the time comes. They need to be out there working, and their teammates need to see them out there working. They'll earn a lot of respect if their teammates can see how much work they're doing."
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
