Warrior Beat: Hawaii football’s lessons as spring ball closes

When statuesque models in outlandish getups walk the runway, the question usually is: Who would buy such outfits?

The answer, of course, is nobody.

Fashion shows are about material, colors, symmetry staged in exaggerated forms. And so it was with the Warriors’ spring game, which was set to a circus theme. The sideshows and characters were for entertainment. The purpose of the 90-play game was to determine the Warriors’ fabric.

And here’s what we learned exiting spring training:

> Depth: In last year’s event, the Warriors could barely cobble a healthy offensive line. On Saturday night, they were three deep on the line. The first line might be as good as any in recent memory. There is girth at guard and center — enough to create not just push but pushback. Kohl Levao just might be the Mountain West’s best center. There’s also agility. Levao and tackles Ilm Manning and Gene Pryor can be used as lead blockers on pulls. There also is across-the-offense speed at the four receiver spots. Left wideout Jared Smart and slotback Jason-Matthew Sharsh match the explosiveness of the other side (Cedric Byrd, JoJo Ward). The depth is specific. Last year, Sharsh had to cross over to fill vacancies at slot and wideout. This year, if say, Smart is not available, Kumoku Noa steps right in. It’s one-for-one replacements, which helps continuity since backups take the same reps as the starters. And keep an eye on James Phillips. He draws comparisons to Channon Harris.

> Free choice: Corey Batoon‘s 4-2-5 defense is not made for robots. The schemes are outlines; players are encouraged to make plays within the framework. That’s apparent at the three levels, where defenders are encouraged to try to make momentum plays. Nickelbacks Eugene Ford and Kai Kaneshiro have shown range and the quick recognition whether to play the ball or the receiver. The back end will be even better this summer when Khoury Bethley is medically cleared and Tiger Peterson gains more experience.

> Unity: The game was split with the first offense and second defense on the Mauka team, and first defense and second offense playing for Makai. But the Mauka offensive players cheered loudly when Makai wideout James Johnson made a catch. While they were supposed to be on opposite sides, months of offseason training could not separate the bonds.

> Coaching depth: The Warriors return all 10 assistant coaches — all of whom have been coordinators. That was apparent Saturday with Batoon serving as the Makai head coach. That left Mark Banker to serve as Mauka’s defensive coordinator. Banker was defensive coordinator with Nebraska, Oregon State, Stanford and the San Diego Chargers. Yep, Banker coached Marcellus Wiley and Junior Seau.