The votes are in, and the University of Hawai'i football team:

• Named center John Estes, defensive tackle Rocky Savaiigaea and outside linebacker R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane as team captains.

• Decided to perform the haka, a Maori war chant, before games. The Warriors performed the ha'a, a Hawaiian-influenced Polynesian war chant, the past two seasons.

• Released a revised depth chart, although the battle for the No. 2 quarterback will be extended another two days. Bryant Moniz and Brent Rausch are competing to be Greg Alexander's primary backup.

Head coach Greg McMackin said 10 players received votes for captain.

"That shows how much leadership we have on the team," McMackin said. "We let the players vote. It's their team, and they were serious about picking their leaders."

McMackin said a different honorary fourth captain would be named for each game.

Estes is being trumpeted as an All-America candidate. Savaiigaea and Kiesel-Kauhane are both 'Aiea High graduates.

"Na Ali'i power," Savaiigaea said.

Savaiigaea was limited to parts of one game last season because of torn left triceps. He underwent successful surgery. This summer, he went through an intensive training program in Arizona.

"I feel very privileged to be a captain," Savaiigaea said. "It's not by the coaches, it's by the team. To earn respect from your peers is something I really appreciate. And I feel privileged to be picked alongside John and R.J. — two of the great players. A lot of players deserved this. We have a lot of leaders on the team."

Kiesel-Kauhane said he felt he "earned a lot of the guys' respect. I feel my actions on and off the field paid off."

Kiesel-Kauhane is one of the most athletic Warriors. The past spring, he bench pressed 450 pounds and had a 38-inch vertical jump.

"I'll take pride in being a captain, and I look forward to leading by my actions," Kiesel-Kauhane said.

HAKA MAKES COMEBACK

The captains were selected during a team meeting yesterday afternoon. After that, the seniors met to vote on whether to continue the practice of performing a pre-game chant.

"We decided to do the haka," Savaiigaea said of the chant the team used during the 2006 season.

The following year, June Jones, who was the head coach at the time, empowered his players to create their own chant. After consulting with Hawaiian leaders, Keala Watson, Guyton Galdeira, Brad Kalilimoku and Keao Monteilh came up with the ha'a. That chant and revised version were used the past two seasons.

The Warriors did not practice the ha'a during spring training nor the recently completed 2 1/2-week training camp.

Savaiigaea said the seniors agreed to revive the haka.

"We haven't finalized the details, but we want everyone to participate," Savaiigaea said. "This has to be a team thing."

RAUSCH, MONIZ NO. 2 QBS

The Warriors yesterday also released a revised depth chart.

One of the key battles — the No. 2 quarterback's job — will be extended for at least two more practices.

Entering training camp, Rausch and Shane Austin were bracketed at No. 2, with Moniz at No. 4. Despite a sore right (throwing) arm, Moniz has played well in training camp — enough to move into the competition for the role as top backup.

After a lengthy meeting Sunday, it was decided that Rausch and Moniz would be bracketed at No. 2, and Austin would take mental reps during practices.

McMackin said establishing a clear No. 2 quarterback is important in setting the practices leading to the Sept. 4 opener against Central Arkansas.

McMackin said Alexander will get two-thirds of the reps in 6-on-7 and team drills; the No. 2 quarterback will receive the other third.

"And the third guy has to be ready by watching," McMackin said. "He's not going to get a lot of reps."

Rausch, a fourth-year junior, transferred from College of the Desert last year. He was named the starter after two weeks of training camp last year. But after Rausch suffered from a sore arm, Alexander was named the opening-game starter.

"I think I've improved in general," Rausch said. "Definitely, my reads are better. I see the defenses and the coverages better."

Nick Rolovich, who coaches the quarterbacks, said: "I like how Rausch has responded. He came in much more mature this year."

Rolovich described Moniz as "that X factor."

Moniz was a star quarterback at Leilehua High, leading the Mules to the 2004 state championship game. He played at Fresno City College as a freshman in 2007, then attended Leeward Community College last year.

He kept active by competing in the X-Flag Football League.

"It was fun," said Moniz, who has three years to play three seasons. "It was good competition."

Moniz enrolled at UH in January. He caught the coaches' attention in spring training.

"He has a nice calmness in the huddle," Rolovich said. "He has a great personality. He has a quick release, and he's fairly accurate."

Moniz was admittedly bothered by a sore right shoulder caused by overuse. He said that no longer is a problem.

Moniz is not on scholarship. He receives financial support from his parents. He also works as a pizza deliveryman in Mililani.

"I once got a $20 tip," he said, smiling, "but that was from a relative. It doesn't really count."

Moniz's grandfather was Bill Smithe, who was leader of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association for more than 25 years. Moniz helped care for Smithe when his grandfather became ill in later years.

"I used to watch sumo with him," Moniz said. "I helped feed him until he passed away."

Austin vowed to keep working hard.

"You've got to keep your head up and keep trying," Austin said. "There's no point in giving up or quitting. You have to keep pushing yourself every day to get better, and when your shot comes, you have to be ready."

The rest of the depth chart features:

• The No. 1 offensive line of left tackle Aaron Kia, left guard Ray Hisatake, center Estes, right guard Raphael Ieru and right tackle Laupepa Letuli.

Ieru's career has been short-circuited by torn knee cartilage, tendinitis in both knees, and ankle sprains.

"In past years, I always got hurt," Ieru said. "God has blessed me to keep going."

• Jovonte Taylor is listed as the No. 1 right wideout, ahead of Royce Pollard.

Rodney Bradley is the No. 1 left wideout.

Greg Salas and Jon Medeiros are bracketed at left slotback, and Kealoha Pilares and Ryan Henry are co-No. 1 at right wideout.

• Leon Wright-Jackson and Inoke Funaki are bracketed as the No. 1 running back.

"It feels good," Wright-Jackson said of the placement. "

Wright-Jackson, who played at Nebraska as a freshman, was one of the most heralded recruits.

After two injury-filled years, Wright-Jackson, now a senior, is living in the moment.

"I was trying to foresee everything in the future," Wright-Jackson said. "Now I'm trying to take it day by day. Nobody should look that far ahead. When you don't concentrate on the present, stuff happens."

Wright-Jackson acknowledged he used to have big expectations.

"I'm not worried about them," he said. "I'm going to go out and play. I'm just concentrating."

• Right end Fetaiagogo "John" Fonoti anchors the defensive line. Elliott Purcell is the left end, and Savaiigaea, Vaughn Meatoga and Tuika Tufaga will rotate at the two defensive tackle spots.

• Kiesel-Kauhane is the weakside linebacker, Mana Lolotai is in the middle, and Blaze Soares and Corey Paredes are bracketed as the strongside linebacker.

• Mana Silva is the right safety, Spencer Smith and Aaron Brown are bracketed as the left safety, Jeramy Bryant is the right cornerback, and Tank Hopkins and Lametrius Davis are bracketed as the left cornerback. In one nickel defense, Richard Torres is the nickelback; in another, Brown is the fifth defensive back.

Smith, a fourth-year junior, earned his promotion because of last year's play on special teams.

"We tell all of the defensive backs to earn their stripes on special teams," associate head coach Rich Miano said. "If you go on special teams and make tackles and make decisions and play fast and intelligently, that's how you get your stripes to move to the next level. Spencer Smith, to me, was our best special teams player last year. Now he is ready to move on, not only to be a great special teams player but a big-time defensive player for us. He's ready to take the next step."

Smith said he focused on his footwork during the summer. "The game is played on the field, not in the weight room," he said.