Skinner! Get in there

Josh Skinner passed for 147 yards and a touchdown
in a relief role Saturday night.
Photo by George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin

Barely three months out of high school, the freshman quarterback for the University of Hawaii suddenly was the center of attention in a state 3,500 miles from his Colorado home.

His life changed forever the moment Glenn Freitas signaled to the sidelines that his separated shoulder and fractured finger could no longer handle the strain.

As Freitas came off, Skinner went in, trading headset for helmet in one swift motion.

"You don't really have time to be nervous when something like that happens," Skinner said yesterday after a light workout at Cooke Field. "You just buckle up your chin strap and go."

It was third and 10 as he entered the huddle. The Rainbows were on their 23-yard line with about 14 minutes left in the first half. Skinner had dreamed of similar moments for as long as he could remember.

Would he throw a towering spiral deep for a touchdown that would get the Rainbows back in the game? Or how about a difficult sideline route to pick up the key first down?

It was neither - just a draw play to Jade Charles that netted only three yards on the soggy Aloha Stadium turf.

"We decided to play it safe in that situation," UH offensive coordinator Guy Benjamin said after the 21-10 loss to Ohio. "I didn't want to risk something going wrong at that point in the game. He wasn't even warm yet."

Skinner took care of that while the defense was on the field, then came back five minutes later to complete his first Division I pass to tight end Gary Ellison for 19 yards and a first down. He went on to hit 14 of 33 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown.

Granted, he didn't lead Hawaii to a dramatic come-from-behind win. But several dropped passes, wrong routes and formation calls that don't exist yet in the playbook of the West Coast offense conspired against him.

"I thought he acquitted himself very well," UH coach Fred vonAppen said yesterday.

"Josh will be the starter at Wyoming. It's close to his home, so maybe that will jack him up. He's somewhat unconscious anyway.

"I like his moxie. He has a lot of the competitive qualities Glenn has, but he's simply a better pure thrower. But the problem is, guys can come off the bench cold and have a pretty good game.

"And then they come out and it's their job the next week. They might have the mantle of responsibility and struggle with it. But with him, I don't think it will bother him too much."

What makes it even sweeter is the game is close enough to his Aurora, Colo., home for his family and friends to attend.

"They all will be able to make the game, so it should be a good experience for them and me," Skinner said. "I won't even know they're there once the game starts and everybody gets loud and crazy. I'll have too much to focus on to worry about my family."

His first concern will be to learn the game plan Benjamin lays out this week. Because Wyoming is explosive and can score quickly from any point on the field, look for Hawaii to experiment with some method of ball control.

This is where Skinner comes in. He not only possesses a strong arm, but can run the football as well. He displayed his option background several times during two-a-days at Barbers Point.

"And being the starter shouldn't be that much of a change for me," Skinner said. "Whatever game plan we use each week, I still have to learn the plays."

Skinner has tried to do that since coming to fall camp one month ago. Even though Freitas eventually was named the starter, Skinner competed aggressively against him.

"I came out here thinking that I would be competing for the starting job," Skinner said. "I think Glenn was aware of that, the coaches were aware of that and I was aware of that.

"It was great competitiveness during those two weeks out there at Barbers Point. It helped prepare me for this moment. I'm excited.

"My first start against a local team that plays around my state. I can't ask for much of a better opportunity than this."