Whieldon likely
backup QBIt's a good sign for the Hawaii football team that one of the offseason's most important missions is to decide on a second-string quarterback.
The Warriors appear close to completion of that task as they finish up spring practice today.
Senior Jason Whieldon has "separated himself" from the rest of the pack competing to be the No. 2 to incumbent starting quarterback Tim Chang this fall, according to quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison.
Morrison made that statement on a radio show yesterday morning, and head coach June Jones backed it up after practice.
"He's really stepped up to be what we thought he would be when he first came in," Jones said. "He's smart, and the more reps he gets, the better he gets with the offense."
It isn't really a surprise, since Whieldon was listed at No. 2 going into the spring drills.
But freshman Ryan Stickler has made the most of the reps he's gotten, and looked very good in a mid-spring scrimmage two weeks ago.
Stickler's time will come, but for now the Warriors coaches like the JC transfer Whieldon's experience, and they aren't holding it against the cheery redhead that he left the team for several weeks last fall to take care of personal matters back home in California.
Whieldon came close to starting UH's season-opener last fall, as Chang almost missed it with a broken bone in the fifth finger of his throwing hand.
In the four games he got into last year, Whieldon completed eight of 18 passes for 92 yards with three touchdowns. He was intercepted once.
"I think spring went real well for everyone," he said. "We got better, I've seen guys who at the beginning of the spring weren't really sure what to do and they're sharp now. Everyone's been improving, so we're real excited."
That includes fellow backups Jeff Rhode, Kainoa Akina, Preston Maloney and Se'e Poumele.
Chang has spent most of the spring as an unofficial coach, throwing only in individual drills and pitching in at safety for seven-on-seven drills.
"Going through the whole mind-set of a safety helps you -- how they see the field, cut the field in half and use the guys around them," said Chang, who is being billed as a Heisman Trophy candidate going into his junior year. "It gave me another perspective to help me understand the game a little more."
Yesterday he did quarterback the first team for six plays during two-minute drills and red-zone exercises.
"It was nothing, just a drill, just run a couple plays down the field," said Chang, who, along with most of the starters, is not expected to scrimmage today.
Jones said Chang has remained sharp.
"He's throwing the ball a lot better than he did last year. He's stronger, and he's accurate considering he hasn't done any competition stuff this spring," he said.
Chang said the finger, as well as wrist and knee injuries from last year, do not bother him at all this spring.
"Everything's great, and all healed up," he said.
Star-Bulletin sportswriter Jason Kaneshiro contributed to this report.
UH Athletics
