One successful snap and suddenly all the pressure of being the University of Hawai'i's new holder went away.

"It was a big relief off my chest," Inoke Funaki said. "I was fine."

Funaki, a freshman backup quarterback, helped UH convert 5 of 6 extra points and a 35-yard field goal by Daniel Kelly in a 44-9 win over Eastern Illinois last night at Aloha Stadium.

"I was kind of nervous because of the Boise game and everyone was talking about the kicking game," Funaki said. "They were replacing (holder Kurt Milne) with me, and I knew already eyes were on me. That I'd better get the job done if I'm going to do it."

Last week against Boise State, UH's special teams botched one field-goal attempt and two point-after attempts.

Last night, Kelly made his first three extra points, but a low snap resulted in a miss on his fourth try. Although David Farmer replaced Jake Ingram as the long-snapper after that play, Funaki took the blame for the miscue.

"It was a little low and I trapped it, but I still got it off. But I wasn't sure if the timing was off. And I panicked, because I wasn't sure if it was too late, and if I should pick it up and run or throw a pass, or if there was still time to get the ball up so he could kick it," Funaki said.

When Kelly saw Funaki hesitate, he also hesitated, and it threw his timing off and resulted in a low kick, Funaki said.

"The snap after that, the same thing happened, it was a low ball and I trapped it again," Funaki said. "But this time, because I learned from the previous one, I knew I was fine. I could get it up. It was a good thing it happened because I learned from it. I made the adjustment the next time."

Funaki was also slated as the immediate backup to Colt Brennan instead of usual No. 2 Tyler Graunke, who was benched because he missed classes.

"It is always nervous, getting in. Against UNLV, I was like, 'Oh it's been a long time.' " Funaki said. "So this time, I was still nervous in the beginning, but since I got to play a couple of times in the first game, it was a little bit better."

Funaki took Graunke's reps at practice during the week.

"I thought this was a great opportunity for him and he did very well out there," quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison said. "It's really good for him to get out there and see some things, and begin to get involved with the reads."

Funaki entered in the middle of the third quarter and completed 5-of-10 passes for 120 yards, including passes of 39 yards to Jason Rivers and 58 yards to Malcolm Lane.

"It helped to build my confidence," Funaki said of the long tosses to Rivers and Lane. "That I could do it, if I just stay in there and go through my reads, just do what coach told me to do.

"It was all right, but all that lingers is the stuff I missed. I know there are some good things we did, but I think it's just me. I get down on myself. We had some good plays but all I remember is the stuff I missed."

Brennan said Funaki, out of Kahuku High, has a lot of "talent and potential" and is just getting back into game shape after a two-year church mission.

"He's one of the most respected guys on the team, and he's probably the most liked," Brennan said.

"He's very humble, very nice. People love to see him go in and they love to see him do good. For him to go in was great because he's going to be the guy for the future out here and he needs to get a lot of reps and experience so when his number is called he'll be ready."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.