SB FILE / OCTOBER 2004 Kainoa Akina ran for 102 yards on 12 carries last season as Hawaii's backup quarterback.

Hawaii quarterbacks
gird for a Chang(e)

Akina, last year’s backup, is among
five players in contention to succeed
the record-setting QB

Kainoa Akina rode shotgun most of last season and got behind the wheel just a few times. But he didn't do quite well enough to earn his run-and-shoot driver's license.

Akina -- the No. 2 quarterback to Tim Chang to start 2004 -- was the "air" apparent in Hawaii's pass-happy offense. This spring he's back on equal footing with four others, all vying to be the Warriors' first-string QB now that the NCAA career passing-yardage leader's eligibility has finally expired.

Akina played in five games last season, completing seven of 19 passes for 84 yards and no touchdowns. He threw four interceptions. In fairness, most of his snaps were during garbage time, so he wasn't always playing with the first-string offense.

The upbeat senior tries not to look at last fall as a wasted opportunity.

"The ball doesn't always bounce the right way. I did some good things, too," said Akina, who rushed 12 times for 102 yards. "But sometimes, I got two looks that were the same, and I made the same mistake. Nobody likes making the same mistake twice."

Of the five quarterbacks in camp, Akina has the most playing experience. He started seven games for Eastern Michigan in 2001, passing for 1,504 yards.

The 5-foot-11, 186-pound senior is working on his timing this spring.

"The main thing for me is to make sure everything is on time, the speed of the reads and the throws," he said. "I'm doing a lot of work on throwing it on time. Quick break, quick release."

Quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison said Akina never went into a funk over his mediocre game results last year.

"He's remained very confident. He has a lot of want-to and knowledge of the game," Morrison said.

Much of that comes from his family. Akina is the latest in a long line of quarterbacks with Hawaii ties to bear his surname. His father, Duane, was one of them -- a star at Punahou who went on to become a college coach at UH, Arizona and Texas. He is now the Longhorns' co-defensive coordinator.

Kainoa Akina didn't just grow up around the game. He grew up immersed in it, knowing men like Dick Tomey, Rich Ellerson and Bob Wagner as "uncle" from their shared days in Tucson.

He talks like a coach, with a lot of "we" instead of "I."

"We're doing well as a group," he said of the quarterbacks midway through spring practice. "It's going well. We're all learning and improving. Look at how well Inoke's doing, and he's been out of it for two years."

Inoke Funaki is a true freshman from Kahuku High who recently returned from a religious mission. The other contenders are freshman Tyler Graunke, senior Jeff Rhode and sophomore Jack Rolovich.

Morrison said the candidates continue to help each other get better, even with the No. 1 job up for grabs for the first time since 2000. Everyone wants the job, but little or no selfishness is apparent.

"You'd think that it would be, but they're approaching it the same way. They all are, the same way, even-keeled and business-like," he said. "They're all battling. Each one is trying to get better and they're getting better as a group. They're all getting equal reps."

Chang's not around anymore, but his aura remains, Morrison said.

"He evoked competence and confidence, and he left that here. In those five years, his demeanor of quiet confidence was transferred to the other guys. They know when to be serious and when to have fun."

Akina seems to understand the importance of levity. He grinned widely when asked about Chang's absence.

"Without him here, it's like we don't have the god, the statue, the deity," he said, laughing. "We're starting over."

Tee it up: Na Koa, the UH football team's booster club, will hold a fund-raising golf tournament April 19 at the Hawaii Prince Golf Club.

Call 542-8912 for information.