Hawaii playing musical QBs on eve of Florida game
As if the Hawaii Warriors didn’t have enough problems – having to face No. 5 Florida in the Gators’ home opener on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. Hawaii time; having to travel for nearly a full day, mostly commercially; and having to replace Colt Brennan and nearly their entire offense – now they don’t know who their starting quarterback will be for Saturday’s game in Gainesville, in which the Gators are 35.5-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.
Coach Greg McMackin said that the call on who will take the first snaps of the season “could be a game-time decision.”
Junior Greg Alexander may get the start because presumed starter Brent Rausch, a sophomore JuCo transfer, rested a sore arm over the weekend and has backed up Alexander and practices this week.
“I’m going to have that mind-set that you always have to be ready and always prepared and just get ready to go and do my job,” Alexander said.
McMackin said he will evaluate the situation when Rausch is able to throw without discomfort for long periods of time. He did say that Rausch is the No. 1 if he is 100 percent healthy.
“I gotta see if his arm’s OK,” McMackin said of Rausch. “If both are playing good, it could be a game-time decision.”
However, McMackin said he doesn’t expect to rotate quarterbacks.
“The first guy in will be the quarterback,” he said. “I don’t want him looking behind.”
McMackin said Alexander and Rausch are the top two quarterbacks, followed by junior Inoke Funaki. But that depth chart could change after the Florida game as Tyler Graunke, who started two games last season and was Brennan’s primary backup the past three years, will receive some reps when the Warriors return Hawaii. Graunke was recently reinstated after missing all of training camp while addressing academic issues but won’t be ready to play this week.
“Tyler is going to get his chance,” offensive coordinator Ron Lee said. “He deserves one.”
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