Although Brent Rausch will be withheld from practicing until Monday, he remains as the University of Hawai'i football team's top quarterback.

If Rausch "is 100 percent," UH head coach Greg McMackin said, "he's our starter. He's No. 1."

Rausch did not practice yesterday because of what was termed as a slight strain in the right forearm and right biceps of his throwing arm. He also will be held out of today's three-hour practice. The Warriors do not practice tomorrow.

McMackin denied Rausch's proposal to throw warm-up passes today.

"That's the problem," McMackin said. "He wants to keep throwing because he's a competitor. I talked to (the athletic trainer), and we think he needs two days off. Then he'll have Sunday (off). So he'll have three days off."

Rausch said he likely suffered the condition from overuse. His reps expanded when he was named the No. 1 quarterback Aug. 15.

"I'm just resting it now," Rausch said. "I've thrown a lot of balls. (The condition is) no big deal. (But) I hate sitting there watching practice and not being able to throw. That's the No. 1 thing I do not like doing."

Rausch had difficult with his accuracy during Thursday's rain-soaked practice at Aloha Stadium.

"When he threw the football wrong, he was upset with himself," McMackin said. "Well, it's his arm. We talked about that. He's young. He's got to take a little advice."

In Rausch's absence, Greg Alexander took the majority of the snaps. Inoke Funaki served as the No. 2 quarterback.

During team drills yesterday, Alexander completed 17 of 27 passes. He was intercepted twice.

"(Rausch is) anxious to get back out there, but in the meantime, you hope (No.) 12 (Alexander) and Funaki pick it up," offensive coordinator Ron Lee said. "I thought 12 had a hell of a day overall. It wasn't just the completions. He went to the right guys. He moved around. He scrambled in the pocket. That's good."

Alexander was in contention for the No. 1 job until he suffered an ingrown toenail in his right foot two weeks ago. By over-compensating, he incurred a slight sprain in his left ankle. Soon after, Rausch was named the No. 1 quarterback.

"I'm not going to stand out here and make excuses," said Alexander, who ended up pulling out the damaged toenail. "That definitely hurt my accuracy. But it is what it is. Now I have to focus on getting back."

Alexander also said he tried to remain upbeat during that setback.

"It would have made no sense to go in the tank," he said. "I have to come out here and compete. It's going to help everybody. It's going to make myself better, and it's going to push Brent and Inoke. I have to focus on getting better with the reps I'm getting."

NO SURGERY FOR FARMER

Running back David Farmer has been diagnosed with a strained knee.

He will not require surgery.

"Which is really good news," McMackin said. "It's not as serious as we thought. I don't know the (recovery) timeline. He just has to rehab it."

Farmer suffered the injury when he was tackled during Thursday's scrimmage. He was on crutches yesterday.

That leaves the Warriors with four healthy running backs — Daniel Libre, Leon Wright-Jackson, Khevin Peoples and Jayson Rego. Peoples moved from safety three weeks ago.

But McMackin said he is hopeful Jake Heun will resume practicing soon. Heun is recovering from a herniated disk.

"In the wings," McMackin said, is slotback Kealoha Pilares, who led the Warriors with 388 rushing yards last season.

CENTER SHUFFLE

Clarence "Lafu" Tuioti-Mariner yesterday practiced with the No. 1 offense, but not at the position that he had appeared to have won three weeks ago.

Tuioti-Mariner was at center, filling in for John Estes, who was resting a sore right arm.

"He's our No. 2 center," offensive line coach Brian Smith said of Tuioti-Mariner.

Tuioti-Mariner exited spring training as the No. 1 right guard. But in the first week of training camp, he suffered an injury to his right hamstring. Ray Hisatake, who entered training camp as a left tackle, has been the No. 1 right guard.

Tuioti-Mariner resumed practicing this week, but has not reclaimed the right guard's job.

"Lafu missed a lot of practice," Smith said. "He has to get in shape and earn the spot back."

Tuioti-Mariner said: "I still have to prove myself to be a right guard. I'm still going out there 100 percent. I'm waiting for my chance. I don't have negative thoughts (about the situation). I missed a lot of practice. Coach Mack said 'Whoever's in there the most, gets it.' I respect that."

Even if Tuioti-Mariner were to reclaim the right guard's job, if Estes could not play, he would move to center.

"If anything happens to John, Lafu moves," Smith said.

Tuioti-Mariner is one of the strongest Warriors. He squat-lifted a team-high 600 pounds in the spring.

TAYLOR ON FAST TRACK

Jovonte Taylor, who can run 100 meters in 10.4 seconds, is on the fast track to the playing rotation.

Taylor was cleared to practice Wednesday after waiting nearly two weeks for his junior-college transcripts to post. Because UH is departing Tuesday for the season-opening road trip, Taylor was thrust into the rotation to determine if he should be included on the 66-player travel roster.

Recruited as a slotback, he has worked out at right wideout.

"They moved me because of my speed," Taylor said.

Because of an NCAA-mandated waiting period, Taylor was not allowed to wear pads during Thursday's scrimmage. McMackin implemented a no-touch rule regarding Taylor, who made two catches.

Yesterday, they simplified the schemes for Taylor.

"They had me going on 'go' routes, basically, to open it up for the underneath routes," he said.

When Taylor first arrived in town, he was listed as a No. 1 kick returner. But those plans were altered because of the prolonged delay in receiving his transcripts. He already has been admitted into UH.

"I'm trying to work my way back up," Taylor said of his place on the kick-return depth chart.

Visit Tsai's blog at http://warriorbeat.honadvblogs.com.