For future opponents, the scary revelation is that University of Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan is the nation's best even when he is not at his best.

After college football's first weekend, Brennan has the most passing yards among NCAA Division I-A players — 416, all accumulated in the first half of the Warriors' 63-6 rout of Division I-AA Northern Colorado Saturday night. He did not play in the second half.

Brennan was 34 of 40, with six scoring passes and no interceptions. Two passes were dropped.

Still, Brennan said, "I threw some bad balls. The football wasn't coming out clean. I probably did a good job of getting to the right reads. But for some reason, they didn't come out clean. I don't know why."

Quarterback coach Dan Morrison said: "Even he knows he could do better. He made some good throws, but he wasn't razor sharp.

"Expectations get so high," Morrison added. "He has great expectations for himself. He wants his throws to be better then they need to be. That's why he's as good as he is."

Told he was leading the nation in passing, Brennan said: "That doesn't mean anything. ... I could care less right now. I've seen a lot of guys lead the nation the first week and then not even come close to leading the nation by the end of the season. The main thing is we got the job done, even if it was against a I-AA team."

Division I-AA teams are limited to 63 scholarships, 22 fewer than the I-A maximum. The Bears have 60 scholarship players, but only 57 were available for Saturday's game.

BRUISED, NOT BROKEN

Tyler Graunke, Brennan's primary backup, vowed to be ready despite a painful bruise and swelling on his left (non-throwing) hand.

X-rays did not show any fractures. But yesterday afternoon, Graunke said: "It's extremely painful in everything I do. I can't make a fist. I can't hold a bowl of cereal. But I'm getting more movement every minute. I'm trying to keep the blood flow going."

Graunke suffered the injury when he was tackled at the end of his first play, a third-quarter scramble. He played the next three series.

"It happened the first play, then it (was hit) three different times," Graunke said. The swelling and pain "got worse and worse. By the last time, my knuckle and my hand really popped up, like two inches. I told coach (June Jones) I couldn't even go. I couldn't even take a snap."

Graunke said he had feared his hand was broken.

"I took the X-rays, and (the doctors) said, 'No break,' " Graunke said. "I must have broken a few blood vessels. That's why it swelled up. It's full of pus. My hand is almost twice the size as it was."

Graunke said he applied an ice pack every hour yesterday. He also applied a medical lotion intended to "keep the blood flow."

Graunke said he hopes to be able to practice by using his left hand "as a guide, like in basketball. You don't shoot with both hands. You use it for support and guidance. That's what I'm going to have to do. ... We don't get hit in practice, and I don't have to use my left hand much. We'll have to see what coach has to say about it."

Jones said Graunke needs to be more cautious when he scrambles.

"He needs to learn to get down or get out of bounds," Jones said, noting Graunke was injured after cutting back during the scramble. "I already know he's tough. He doesn't have to run like a linebacker."

Graunke said: "That's not part of my style, especially being a backup. I don't consider myself that valuable to where I need to avoid contact. Maybe next year. ... That's Colt's job to avoid tackles for this year. I'm trying to get my nose in there whenever I can."

Morrison said Graunke, who was 7 of 15 for 66 yards and two interceptions, will retain his No. 2 role.

Inoke Funaki was 4 of 4, including a 24-yard scoring pass to second-year freshman Greg Salas.

"That was so sweet," Brennan said of Funaki's pass. "He actually messed up. He missed the (first) read. He knew to keep going (through his reads.) He went to the next guy who was wide open. That's just Inoke for you."

Brennan said he has marveled at Funaki's increased knowledge of the four-wide offense.

"He's an unbelievable football player," Brennan said. "People say his strength isn't necessarily his arm, it's his feet. But he can throw the ball and make reads and make good decisions. His growth has been awesome."

NO PADS, NO PLAY

Jones said it is his policy for players who will not be used to remove their pads.

At halftime of Saturday's game, Jones told several starters, including Brennan and slotbacks Ryan Grice-Mullins and Davone Bess, that they would not play in the second half.

"I knew the game was in hand," Jones said of UH's 42-0 halftime lead. "I wasn't going to risk anything at that point. I knew (those players) were taking (the pads) off at halftime. Every time that happens like that, they go in no pads. I mean, they take everything off. I told them they were done for the night."

Jones acknowledged it was an unusual sight for so many starters to be in street clothes for an entire half.

"I knew they were doing it, and it didn't bother me," Jones said. "It might bother the coaches, but it doesn't bother me."

BACK IN HIS CORNER

Upon further review, the UH media relations department correctly credited reserve cornerback Keenan Jones with an interception. Jones also blocked an extra-point attempt.

"I did what they needed me to do," said Jones, who did not play last season because of a back injury. "It's been a while. It's been a long season. To be back out there was fun."

LOADED AT LINEBACKER

Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin will have a pleasant dilemma when strongside Blaze Soares returns to the active list tomorrow.

Soares did not play Saturday because of an injury to his left hamstring and a stinger in his left shoulder. In his absence, Brad Kalilimoku had a team-high 10 tackles.

"I expect (Soares) back this week," McMackin said. "I could hardly keep him off the field last week. He's a riot. He's just rarin' to go. There's no way we can keep him off the practice field this week."

Although UH's base defense employs three linebackers, McMackin regards Soares, Kalilimoku, weakside linebacker Adam Leonard and middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian as first-stringers.

"Everybody assumed Brad was taking Blaze's place," McMackin said. "But we never practiced it that way. Brad was always one of the four starting linebackers, and that hasn't changed. He got the same amount of reps."

McMackin said backup middle linebacker Timo Paepule also is emerging as a top-tier player. The original plan called for Leonard to slide over to the middle if Elimimian needed rest. But then it was decided that Leonard, who can play both outside positions as well as the blitz linebacker in the 3-3-5 scheme, had enough responsibilities.

"Timo impressed us so much that we felt Adam didn't have to be the next guy if there were any problems with (Elimimian)," McMackin said.

McMackin said Paepule has strength, speed and a high football IQ. "If he keeps improving he could be a guy who could play at the next level," McMackin said.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.