After being named University of Hawaii football coach in December 2011, Norm Chow received a list of grayshirts from his predecessor, Greg McMackin.
"I was determined to honor (the scholarship requests)," Chow said of the players scheduled to enroll at UH in January 2012.
One of those players was quarterback Ikaika Woolsey, a part-time student at City College of San Francisco that semester. CCSF coach George Rush, who had watched Woolsey work out, told Chow: "You’ve got to take this guy. He’s going to be good."
Soon after joining the Warriors, Woolsey told Chow: "Someday, I’m going to be your quarterback."
That day is Saturday, when the Warriors open the season against Washington at Aloha Stadium. On Monday, Chow confirmed a tentative starting lineup. As announced two weeks earlier — and promised two years ago — Woolsey is the No. 1 quarterback.
"I’ve never forgotten that (conversation)," Chow said, smiling. "He’s proven himself right."
The past two seasons, Woolsey has "had to learn how to be a quarterback," Chow said.
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UH FOOTBALL TENTATIVE STARTERS
Offense
» X receiver: Marcus Kemp
» Slotback: Scott Harding
» Left tackle: Ben Clarke
» Left guard: John Wa’a
» Center: Kody Afusia
» Right guard: Dave Lefotu
» Right tackle: Sean Shigematsu
» Tight end: Jordan Pu’u-Robinson
» Z receiver: Quinton Pedroza
» Quarterback: Ikaika Woolsey
» Running back: Joey Iosefa
Defense
» End: Beau Yap
» Nose tackle: Moses Samia
» End: Kennedy Tulimasealii
» Outside linebacker: Jerrol Garcia-Williams
» Inside linebacker: Tevita Lataimua
» Inside linebacker: Julian Gener or Simon Poti
» Outside linebacker: TJ Taimatuia
» Cornerback: Ne’Quan Phillips
» Safety: Taz Stevenson
» Safety: Trayvon Henderson
» Cornerback: Dee Maggitt
Specialists
» Kicker: Tyler Hadden
» Long-snapper: Brian Hittner
» Punter: Scott Harding or Ruben Guzman
» Short-snapper: Brodie Nakama
» Kickoff returner: Diocemy Saint Juste
» Punt returner: Scott Harding
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That meant obsessively studying videos, improving his strength and trusting the system.
"He was a typical high school quarterback," Chow said. "He was an athlete playing quarterback. He used his athleticism to get it done."
Chow told Woolsey to "manage the game."
"That’s all he has to do," Chow said. "If he does a good job with that, he’ll be fine. Young guys think they have to make this magical play, and they really don’t. There are 10 other guys around (Woolsey) who will help him. Just manage the game."
The lineup is split evenly, with 11 of McMackin’s recruits starting on offense and defense. McMackin’s staff recruited Woolsey and left tackle Ben Clarke but never coached them. Seventy-six players were added after Chow was named head coach.
"The success we will have is dependent on the previous staff’s recruits," Chow said. "It’s important to acknowledge that."
Chow praised the holdovers — such as center Kody Afusia, slotback Scott Harding, running back Joey Iosefa, defensive end Beau Yap and nose tackle Moses Samia — for adapting to the new system.
"It’s a credit to these guys there’s a change in coaches, yet they bought in and tried to do what we asked," Chow said. "Not that we asked anything different than what Mack asked before, but it’s different. What Mack used to call red, we probably call blue."
