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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Third-year sophomore Jack Rolovich said he plans to stay at UH and compete for a spot at quarterback.

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Rolling with
the punches

Despite a recent setback, UH QBs
Akina and Rolovich will continue
striving for the starting job

Kainoa Akina and Jack Rolovich have overcome the shock. Now they're out to prove coach June Jones wrong.

Hawaii's top two backup quarterbacks of last season learned Friday they won't be among the 105 Warriors invited to preseason camp in August. Yesterday, in their first interviews since, both said they were surprised. But both also said they'll be back with the team when the camp limit (mandated by the NCAA) is no longer in effect.

A total of 18 players, mostly walk-ons, had to be taken off the roster to make room for incoming freshmen and invited walk-ons in August. Akina and Rolovich are by far the most prominent.

"I really don't like it or agree with it. But I do respect his decision. There's a reason why he's the head coach and he makes $800,000 a year," said Akina, who was the first backup to Tim Chang most of last season.

Akina and Rolovich were among five players battling in what Jones said was an open competition this spring to replace Chang, the NCAA career passing yardage record-holder, as UH's starting quarterback.

No starter has been designated going into camp.

Senior Jeff Rhode and freshmen Tyler Graunke and Inoke Funaki remain in contention for the starting spot, Jones said. Junior college transfer Colt Brennan said he plans to walk on, and at least one other walk-on quarterback will be in the mix in August, the coach added.

Jones said he made his decisions based on "physical ability and the ability to grasp what we're doing. We've had the time to evaluate (Akina and Rolovich) two or three years. It's time to evaluate some others we have coming in."

Akina and Rolovich won't be allowed to rejoin the team until school starts, about a week before the season-opening game against USC.

Both said they will continue to try to become UH's No. 1 quarterback, a feat that could be especially difficult for Akina, a fifth-year senior.

"Time is not on my side," said Akina, who does not plan on trying another position. "It's important to me (to get on the field). I think I can play quarterback. I played the most last year (of the returning quarterbacks), and I still have confidence."

Rolovich, a third-year sophomore, said he does not plan on transferring to another school where he might have a better opportunity to eventually start.

"I'm going to stay here," Rolovich said. "I feel that I still have a good chance. If I just work hard and do the things I can do. I really enjoy it here a lot. I think I progressed this spring, but at the same time, I think I could've done a lot better. I didn't play to my full potential in spring."

The players spoke with Jones after they learned of the situation.

"I was down about it for the whole weekend," Rolovich said. "Now I'm trying to look at it in a different light. I look at it like I can either sit back and take it and ride it out on the bench and mope about the situation, or I can come back and work hard and prove myself."

Last year, backup quarterbacks Rhode and Ryan Stickler faced the same situation. Rhode ran the scout team most of last season. Stickler switched to running back, but did not report for spring practice and is off the team.

Rolovich and Akina said it helps that Rhode overcame not being invited to camp last year to compete for the starting spot this season. Also, Shawn Withy-Allen, Jason Whieldon and even Chang represent a trend of UH quarterbacks being benched or seemingly cast aside, only to regain a prominent role on the field.

Rolovich's brother, Nick, falls into that group, too. Nick Rolovich was benched as a junior in 2000, but replaced an injured Chang in 2001 to close out his career with eight wins in nine games as starting quarterback, including an incredible 20 touchdown passes in his last three games.

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GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Kainoa Akina has played in seven games for UH, including last year's game against Nevada.

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"(Nick) was the first person I called when I found out," Jack Rolovich said. "He can tell me how his situations were and how he got through them. At the same time, this is a different situation and we're different people."

Akina and Rolovich plan to continue to practice with their teammates this summer in unofficial workouts.

"The first couple days I was hiding my head a little bit," Rolovich said. "It's a matter of swallowing your pride. In a way it could be a good thing. I'm not going to lie, I think there were times I got on my heels, just cruising through. This makes me appreciate things more, and maybe it's a point Coach Jones is trying to get across. It's not your right to be here, it's a privilege. I just hope the best for everyone."

Rego, kickers to walk on: Kamehameha running back Jayson Rego, the Star-Bulletin's All-State Offensive Player of the Year, is walking on at UH.

Rego (5-feet-9, 185 pounds) rushed for 1,537 yards and 17 touchdowns. He carried 39 times for 212 yards in Kamehameha's state-championship victory over Leilehua.

Also, two walk-on kickers from California will try to replace four-year starter Justin Ayat.

Danny Kelly (Linfield Christian, Temecula) and Chris Chalmers (Canyon, Canyon County) join the Warriors in August.

No decision on Hawaii Bowl: Western Athletic Conference athletic directors talked about the future of UH's guaranteed entry to the Hawaii Bowl yesterday at league meetings in Phoenix, but no decision was reached.

"We had some positive discussions," UH athletic director Herman Frazier said.

With the demise of the Silicon Valley Classic, the WAC is left with the Hawaii Bowl and the MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho, as games with guaranteed tie-ins for the conference. UH is guaranteed a spot in the Hawaii Bowl if bowl eligible, but the league's ADs could vote against it as the meetings wrap up today.

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BY THE NUMBERS Kainoa Akina and Jack Rolovich were the only quarterbacks other than Tim Chang to play in more than one game for UH last season. Here are their 2004 statistics. Passing Rushing G (C-A-I-Yds.-TD) (A-Yds.-TD) Kainoa Akina* 7 7-19-4-84-0 12-102-0 Jack Rolovich 2 4-8-1-37-0 1-5-0 *Akina started seven games at quarterback at Eastern Michigan in 2001, completing 140 of 267 passes for 1,504 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also rushed for 177 yards. After sitting out 2002 as a transfer to UH, he played in one Hawaii game in 2003.