Could it be that we were a bit hasty in judging University of Hawai'i athletic director Herman Frazier's, uh, scheduling savvy?

Upon further review, is it possible the condemnation directed at him for scheduling two Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) opponents this season was, perhaps, premature?

What sure seemed like a colossal fumble when the schedule came out in June, gave Frazier the opening to claim "strategic placement" last night as the lightness of schedule afforded the Warriors the luxury of working out the kinks until coming up with a 28-point third quarter overdrive to put away plucky Charleston Southern, 66-10.

What he was bashed like a pinata for this summer, Frazier was able to stand at midfield last night and cite as scheduling "by design."

Intuitive scheduling or astoundingly good luck, the step down in competition came in handy in a game where the Warriors could manage but a 7-7 first quarter tie and 21-10 halftime lead while their Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback, Colt Brennan, dressed for but did not play in the game because of a sprained right ankle.

And the Warriors, 58-point favorites on the betting lines, needed it, until being able to put distance between themselves and the outmanned Buccaneers in a strikingly sudden return-to-form third quarter.

"Glad to get out of there with a win," head coach June Jones put it. "There were a lot of good things, but we were a little rough early."

How Frazier knew this would be a necessity back on Feb. 21, when the game was scheduled, is a mystery.

But the Warriors — whether by design or dumb luck — should thank their lucky stars they weren't playing someone their own size last night.

Especially on the road. You shudder to think what might have happened to their No. 18 national ranking had they found themselves in one of those scenarios.

So, here the Warriors are, 4-0 for the first time since 1988, and positioned to move to their highest point ever in the national polls since few voters, unlike the 34,101 on hand at Aloha Stadium will know what a ragged struggle it was early on.

Only against these 1-3 Buccaneers, perhaps, could the Warriors have been able to mark time until special teams and defense lit a fire under them.

Not until Ryan Mouton's 90-yard kick return for a touchdown to open the second half and Adam Leonard's 36-yard interception return for a touchdown on the third play of the third quarter were the Warriors able to put their ragged play and the Buccaneers behind them.

Only then did the good times begin to roll.

As it was, even a good I-AA team would have given them fits in a dysfunctional first half where they committed three turnovers and punted three times while starting quarterback Tyler Graunke and his receivers searched for their touch.

And it wasn't just Graunke. The Warriors generally seemed slow to warm to the challenge at hand, even calling a timeout that helped the Buccaneers line up for a 48-yard field goal in the final 21 seconds of the first half.

They punted three times in the first half, this by a team that was forced to punt just 17 times in a 14-game season last year.

Now most Bowl Championship Subdivision (formerly I-A teams) schedule but one I-AA opponent, if they take on any at all. Only two of the 119 I-A teams play a second one this season.

For a while last night, it was fortunate UH was one of them.

Even if a handful of Frazier's regular sign-waving detractors in the south end zone seats ("Fire Frazier") weren't about to give him any slack for it.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.