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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Successor to Brennan will be picked soon

By Stephen Tsai
HawaiiWarriorBeat.com Editor

As early as tomorrow, the Hawai'i football team might select its No. 1 quarterback.

"I think it's the right time to make the decision," UH head coach Greg McMackin said.

Fourth-year junior Inoke Funaki, and junior-college transfers Greg Alexander and Brent Rausch have received the majority of snaps in training camp.

McMackin, offensive coordinator Ron Lee and quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich will discuss the depth chart tonight.

"We need to move on and get one guy the others can look to," McMackin said. "(Center) John Estes is the leader of the offensive line. But the quarterback, by the nature of the position, is the leader of the offense, and we need to make a decision. We worked hard on our evaluations. We need to sit down and call the shot. We feel the guy we choose needs more reps. ... It's time we get whoever is the best at the quarterback position."

The chosen quarterback would start against Florida on Aug. 30, and receive about 75 percent of the reps in team passing drills.

One player no longer in contention is Tyler Graunke, who has been withheld from team activities while an academic issue remains unsettled. Graunke had hoped to rejoin the team by yesterday. But he was a no-show at practice yesterday. Even if he were to resolve his academic issues, he still would need to file paperwork, take medical examinations and attend orientation sessions — a process that would keep him off the field for another week.

Funaki, Alexander and Rausch have played well as the coaches continue to implement new plays. Rolovich has charted every pass of every practice. He grades each play on a 0-to-5 point system. The categories include footwork, quality of throws, going through progression, decision-making and, even, eye contact.

Rolovich then has a comment for every play, some expansive, some in text-message code. Alexander said one comment read: TWTDGY.

"Take what the defense gives you," Alexander said, smiling.

Funaki said: "It's very helpful. He points out the little mistakes we do, any mistakes."

Rolovich also said he does not want to reduce the competitions to statistics.

"It's not all by the numbers," Rolovich said. "There's leadership, composure, those type of things you can't put a number on. The numbers are the numbers, but there's also the personality thing that's hard to judge. You have to get a feel for that."

SAVAIIGAEA TO HAVE MRI

Defensive tackle Rocky Savaiigaea was scheduled to undergo an MRI on his sore left triceps.

"We're just waiting to see what it is," said Savaiigaea, who was part of the rotation at defensive tackle.

He missed the latter part of spring training because of an injury to his right leg.

"It's frustrating," Savaiigaea said. "It sucks it had to be at a time like this. I was getting comfortable again. It's just a game. (Stuff) happens."

NOTES AND UPDATES

  • Estes did not participate in the second half of practice yesterday because of a sore right shoulder. Sila Lefiti filled in at center.

    Estes said if there were a game today, "I would have wrapped it and played."

    He said he cannot trace the origin of the injury.

    "Maybe I got hit wrong or something," Estes said. "When I woke up Sunday morning, it hurt."

  • Right slotback Dustin Blount, who arrived in town Saturday, was a spectator at yesterday's practice. Blount had to complete a summer-school class before joining the Warriors.

    "Everything is fine," he said. "I'm ready to go."

    Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.