Consider this homecoming week for Hawaii punter Tim Grasso.

The Warriors departed on the first leg of a 10-day road trip yesterday and will spend the weekend in Ogden, Utah, their staging area for tomorrow's Western Athletic Conference game against Utah State in Logan.

“;This is a game I've been looking forward to for two years,”; said Grasso, who grew up in nearby Kaysville, “;ever since I decided to come out here.”;

Grasso is heading home coming off one of his best games. The senior averaged a season-high 45.8 yards per punt last week, including a career-best 55-yarder, and killed three inside the Wolf Pack 20-yard line in Hawaii's 38-31 win over Nevada.

Not bad for a former receiver who didn't focus on punting until his freshman year at Dixie State College of Utah.

Grasso was an all-state player at Davis High in Kaysville and did some punting on the side. He got a scholarship to Dixie as a receiver, but when he wasn't getting much playing time, he shifted his focus to punting rather than catching.

“;They needed a punter, so I worked on it and worked on it and I realized if I'm going to make it in Division I it's going to be as a punter,”; Grasso said.

After transferring to Saddleback College as a sophomore, Grasso signed with Hawaii last year and is averaging 40 yards per kick as a senior.

His net average was aided by backup cornerback JoPierre Davis, who got downfield to down two punts inside the Nevada 5 last week.

“;I told JP I owe him lunch,”; Grasso said.

“;Sky punt”; is part of the Warriors' special teams period on Thursdays when Grasso angles kicks toward the corner while the gunners get in position to keep the ball out of the end zone.

“;I just have a good time with it on Thursday and it's been paying off,”; Grasso said.

“;It's personal to me, because I know it'll help the defense, especially in a tight game.”;

Davis High produced both of the punters in tomorrow's game. Utah State punter Peter Caldwell was two years behind Grasso.

Rausch's hour

The Warriors took three quarterbacks on the road trip, juniors Greg Alexander and Inoke Funaki and sophomore Brent Rausch. Senior Tyler Graunke was not on the travel roster.

“;He's our third-best quarterback in everything you rate them on,”; coach Greg McMackin said of Rausch.

Rausch hasn't played since the season opener against Florida and was left off the last trip to Boise State while an eligibility mix-up was clarified. Graunke played two series in the first quarter of last week's game and went 0-for-2 with an interception. He also didn't go on the Warriors' previous trip.

Injury update

Defensive tackle Josh Leonard hasn't practiced this week due to a sprained ankle suffered against Nevada, but McMackin said the senior will be ready for tomorrow's game.