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Chang set, but
backup is not
Let the race for No. 2 begin.
With senior Tim Chang poised to make his run at the NCAA record for passing yards this season, the competition to be the next in line is heating up as well.
Chang led a group of six Hawaii quarterbacks into fall camp yesterday afternoon with the other five -- a junior and four freshmen -- vying to back up the Western Athletic Conference's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
"We brought in a bunch of good guys and I think that makes the whole team better," junior Kainoa Akina said. "That just pushes everybody to be better. Pushes them to be better, pushes me to be better, I think that'll even help Timmy get better."
Akina attempted just one pass last season and is the only member of the group, other than Chang, with collegiate playing experience.
Redshirt freshman Jack Rolovich is the other early frontrunner for the backup role, while true freshmen Taylor Humphrey, Tyler Graunke and Brandon Satcher are easing their way into UH's run-and-shoot system.
"You just have to listen to all the veteran guys and listen to the coaches," Humphrey said. "Start learning the playbook and just go day by day, don't get frustrated, don't get ahead of yourself. You just have to take everything nice and slow and take your time and learn everything."
Junior Jeff Rhode, who has played briefly in one game in his UH career, will rejoin the mix when classes start later this month. Ryan Stickler played quarterback last season and has since moved to running back.
While Chang prepares for his senior season, he'll also have a hand in getting his understudies ready to contribute if the need arises.
"All three of (the freshmen) and Jack and Kainoa, they can all sling it," Chang said. "We're just going to try to get these guys up to speed.
"These guys need to learn and anything I can help them with, I'm all for it. It goes vice-versa too, anything they can do to help me in my game, I'm all for it."
The importance of having a solid backup quarterback has become apparent over June Jones' tenure as UH head coach. After Dan Robinson took nearly every snap in 1999, Chang, Nick Rolovich, Shawn Withy-Allen and Jason Whieldon saw significant action as backups the following years.
"It's about getting that chance to come out and shine," Jack Rolovich said. "Some crazy things can happen with this offense, it's just getting that chance and preparing for that chance."
This year's group of backup quarterbacks is looking to replace Whieldon, who actually started the opener against Appalachian State last year and guided the Warriors to their landmark 37-29 win over Alabama late in the season.
"The backup quarterback in this offense needs to be prepared to win football games, not just go in and finish a game or run parts of the offense. They have to be able to go out and do the whole deal," UH quarterbacks coach Dan Morrison said.
Akina and Jack Rolovich enter fall camp with the advantage of having had at least one year in the system. But the newcomers could make a push as well.
"We'll take a look in the next 12 days to see where everybody belongs," Morrison said. "(Akina and Rolovich are) both really sound quarterbacks and they're just further along in the offense.
"We're going to get a good look at (the true freshmen). They'll spend a lot of time in the classroom and we'll just take a little time and see how they're doing. We'll throw them into it and see how they respond."
For his part, Chang has beefed up in the offseason to try to keep the backups from being pressed into duty. He worked with assistant UH strength coach Mel deLaura throughout the summer and returned to camp better prepared to absorb the pounding of a 12-game season.
"Timmy's been working really hard this summer," Akina said. "He's been to all the lifting, he's been a champ at the throwing. ... That gives him a better chance to make it through the whole season."
uhathletics.hawaii.edu
