Graunke gets a break

The UH quarterback will rest his injured wrist this week at practice

What could have effectively ended University of Hawaii quarterback Tyler Graunke's senior season will only hold him out of practice this week.

Graunke, the third quarterback to start in three games so far this season for the Warriors (1-2), suffered a jammed wrist and sprained thumb joint in the team's 45-7 loss to Oregon State last week. He was relieved by junior Inoke Funaki midway through the third quarter.

He is officially day-to-day after an X-ray detected no bone fractures, but was advised not to be active until Friday at the earliest. The team has Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off this bye week in preparation for its Western Athletic Conference opener against San Jose State on Sept. 27.

"I'll be back roaring on Monday," Graunke said. "I have to get back in there and get some chemistry going with the rest of the team."

He described his hand as "really black and blue."

"There's a lot of swelling," he said. "I can't grip a ball yet, but there's a lot more (range of) motion than there was yesterday."

An MRI for ligament damage is possible if the joint stays in that condition.

He thought he suffered the injury in the second quarter against the Beavers. At first, he wasn't aware of the problem.

"I threw a ball, and I looked up, and my hand was bent backward. A pile of people fell on me and on my hand," he explained.

He finished 12-for-27 with two interceptions and no touchdowns.

If Graunke is unable to play against the Spartans, coach Greg McMackin said he would prepare the backup signal-callers Funaki and Greg Alexander as possible starters until he names one the day before the game.

"There's two different types of quarterbacks and I want (SJSU coach Dick) Tomey to be ready for both of them," McMackin said.

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