SAN JOSE, Calif. — The past two weeks, the Hawai'i football team has been living on the edge.

One more loss, and its postseason hopes will be over.

There is such an urgency that head coach Greg McMackin closed practices to the public this week.

But in this pressure-filled situation, the Warriors have found their focus. They are calm during the storm.

Asked about the responsibility of leading his team, starting quarterback Bryant Moniz shrugged, noting that his life has not changed much from when he was fourth string during training camp.

"Everything is the same, especially at home," Moniz said. "My family doesn't treat me different. I still pick up my dog's waste."

The Warriors have won two in a row to improve to 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the Western Athletic Conference, They need to win their remaining three, beginning with today's road game against San Jose State, to finish their 13-game regular season with a winning record and earn the accompanying berth in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

"Pressure?" senior linebacker Blaze Soares said. "When your back is against the wall, are you going to stay in the corner or fight your way out? It's how you rise to the occasion. We're going to go down swinging. That's the type of style we have."

Defensive tackle Vaughn Meatoga said: "We have nothing to lose. Those are the scariest people. It's about working hard and never giving up."

The Warriors are hopeful two of their playmakers — Moniz and left slotback Greg Salas, who leads the nation in receiving yards — will be available to play. Moniz is recovering from bruised ribs on his right side. Salas is rehabilitating a sprained right foot.

Moniz has undergone a special treatment that is supposed to expedite the healing.

If Moniz cannot play, then Shane Austin will get the start. Austin showed poise in a fourth-quarter appearance last week. But Moniz gives the Warriors the added dimension of scrambling quarterback.

On non-sack scrambles this season, Moniz averages 7.3 yards after eluding or breaking a tackle.

In the first four games, when Greg Alexander was the starting quarterback, the Warriors relinquished 3.50 sacks per game. With Moniz as the starter, the Warriors have ceded 1.83 sacks per game.

Last week, the Warriors unveiled a play designed with Moniz in mind. In the belly option, Moniz fakes a handoff to the running back on a dive, then runs a draw up the middle.

While the Warriors continue to expand the playbook, they are trying to reduce their practice time.

"It's toward the end of the season, and we want to keep their legs fresh," said head coach Greg McMackin, who has deducted a minute from each practice drill. That shortens practices by about 20 minutes.

Still, McMackin wants to keep the Warriors mentally prepared. In the days before a game, each player is given a quiz on what to do during certain football situations. A failing score can cost a player a berth on the travel roster or a starting job.

"They have to know what we're doing," McMackin said. "If they don't, they might not play."

McMackin allows players to use tip sheets. He said the tests keep the players sharp.

"It's like taking a class," McMackin said. "The only difference is that every Saturday night, we get evaluated on the test's outcome."