Offense sluggish but ‘OK’

The Hawaii football team’s offense acquitted itself well in Saturday’s trial run.

The Warriors’ ninth practice was their first in full pads this spring. It featured a 51-play controlled scrimmage.

"It was OK," coach Norm Chow said. "You expected it to be a little sluggish the first time you put on full pads. I was hoping it wasn’t going to be, but historically that’s what happens."

Taylor Graham, Ikaika Woolsey and Jeremy Higgins rotated at quarterback. Graham, who faced the first-team defense, was 5-for-11 for 53 yards, including a 17-yard scoring pass to Trevor Davis. Woolsey’s first pass was intercepted in the right flat by walk-on linebacker Kawehi Sablan, a linebacker who transferred from Foothill College.

"I made one mistake on that pick out there," Woolsey said. "But playing quarterback, that’s going to happen. I have to keep looking forward."

Woolsey completed his next two passes for 42 yards.

Higgins flourished in situational drills. Last year, the Warriors converted 58.3 percent of their passes on third-and-6 situations and 37.5 percent when it was third and 8. Higgins was 2-for-2 on third and 6 and perfect on his only third-and-8 pass. On a third-and-4 play, Higgins threw 17 yards to Cecil Doe for a touchdown.

"That was a good play by Cecil," Higgins said. "I trust Cecil. I know he can go up and get the ball."

Chow said he wanted to improve the Warriors’ third-down production.

"I don’t think we did that well last year," Chow said. "We have to work on a lot more situations, a lot more awareness of situations."

Most of all, Chow wanted to see Graham and Woolsey react in the heat of defensive pressure. Graham redshirted and then played sparingly as a second-year freshman at Ohio State before transferring to UH in January 2012. He redshirted last year. Woolsey, who was on City College of San Francisco’s practice squad as a freshman in 2011, also redshirted last year.

In full pads on Saturday, the corners were able to jam the receivers, disrupting pass routes and forcing the offensive linemen to extend their blocks.

"The defense did a good job of being physical and pushing us," Graham said. "They gave us a lot of good looks. They made it tough."

Practice rules prohibit quarterbacks from being hit in scrimmages.

"You’re very tempted to let them get hit, but then you worry about the injury stuff," Chow said. "It’s a fine balance."

Woolsey said he would have been agreeable to modified contact.

"Quarterbacks can’t become complacent," Woolsey said. "Come Saturdays, we’re going to get hit at full speed. We have to be a man about it and tough it out. It’s football. People are going to get hit. We have to get used to it."

Woolsey has shown elusiveness on rollouts and scrambles. But Woolsey’s background is rooted in the pocket, and he also has the strongest arm of the quarterbacks.

"I’m definitely trying to get rid of that name (as a scrambler)," Woolsey said. I’m definitely a passer first, a runner second. When it comes down to it, I can make plays with my feet, but I’d rather get the ball to the playmakers and let them do what they do."

Higgins, who started a game last year, was told Graham and Woolsey would take most of the snaps this spring.

"I’m only going to be a junior, but I feel I know the offense," Higgins said. "I can help out these young guys."