Warrior Beat

Spring training has ended. Here’s what we’ve learned: > The  O did grow: For the first 14 practices, it appeared the quarterback often was on the move — rollouts, bootlegs, play-action, and so forth. That was emphasized with Ikaika Woolsey’s 60-yard scoring run in yesterday’s scrimmage. It came on a read-option, which has been in the playbook for two years but it appears to be more suitable for this personnel. With the formation spread and the threat of Joey Iosefa […]

Who’s the No. 1 quarterback? What’s the progress of the new defensive schemes? Will Jeremiah Cockheran be the flag-footbal MVP? The answers will be revealed at today’s Spring Fling at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex on the Manoa campus. The event wraps up four weeks of the Rainbow Warriors’ spring training. Here’s the schedule: Noon — Complex’s gates open. 1 p.m. — Youth clinic. 2 p.m. — Alumni flag-football game. 3 p.m. — UH warm-ups, drills. 3:30 p.m. — […]

The numbers won’t be as large as in past years, but there will be a few players participating in spring practice who will not be invited to training camp in August. NCAA teams are limited to 105 players for training camp, although the Rainbow Warriors’ roster may expand on Aug. 25, the first day of the fall semester. That means tomorrow’s Spring Fling could be the final time in a UH uniform — until the fall semester, at least — […]

Saturday’s Spring Fling will feature a scrimmage-like session instead of game. (There will be a scoring format to reward the defense for stops, turnovers, and so forth.) The format was selected after the coaches concluded there probably were not enough available players to split the roster into two teams. For instance, there were only nine healthy offensive linemen participating in Monday’s spring practice. On Tuesday, Trayvon Henderson was at cornerback in 11-on-11 drills. (Actually, that was a good thing; he […]

The good news is UH’s track and field team has some powerful throwers. The not-so-good news is they need a better place to practice. There are too many divots after workouts on the grass soccer field or Clarence T.C. Ching Field’s Sports Turf, creating potential hazards for soccer, football and intramural players using those fields. A designated throwing area also is not conducive; two throws struck HECO lines. The athletic department, of course, does not need any more expenses. But […]

A couple weeks ago, a sportscaster (who hopes you all are having a pleasant evening) marveled at the leg strength of No. 36. The rest of us scramble-searched the roster to identify Ceejay Santos as No. 36. That’s what happens when a football team begins to develop depth. Each practice, there seems to be a forgotten player who seizes the spotlight — morning light? — even for just one play. The first spring practice, we scramble-searched No. 5 (slotback Quinton […]

In only-in-Hawaii scenarios, Campus Security showed up twice last week to notify the coaches about a complaint that the morning spring practices were too loud. The Warriors have muted the speakers and turned them away from the dormitories. There’s even less yelling at practices. Still, there reportedly is a petition being circulated that seeks to move practices  to a 9 a.m. start. The Warriors’ school-day practices begin at 7:15 a.m. They practice at 10:15 on Saturdays. UH conducted 7 a.m. […]

Joyous Easter to all. * * * * * Thoughts this Sunday: > The coaches are sticking to their promise of not naming a No. 1 quarterback until this August. That keeps the competition fair to Taylor Graham, who continues to rehab a surgically repaired shoulder; to Beau Reilly, who has been a spectator at spring practices and officially joins in  June; to perhaps USC’s Max Wittek and the other FBS quarterbacks who have expressed interest in transferring to UH. […]