Spring football practice is about working hard to get better, especially when you’re coming off a 3-9 season, as is Hawaii. That doesn’t mean there isn’t time for sideline observers to ponder things like who should be first off the bus.

My candidates are two physically imposing figures expected to play major roles if the Warriors are to improve significantly in 2013. Is it a bad sign that one’s a quarterback and one’s an assistant coach?

Maybe not.

Taylor Graham is 6 feet 5 and 230 pounds, but looks even bigger. Recent UH quarterbacks have always seemed to be attempting to gain weight and strength; Graham actually dropped 12 pounds to get to what he feels is ideal.

"Traded ice cream for nonfat yogurt," he said.

Maybe my other choice is better. Graham says it is.

"(Offensive line) Coach (Chris) Naeole, all day long," Graham said. "He’s still got that NFL body. I’ve got these skinny little arms."

While they don’t compare to the guns of the recently retired Saints and Jaguars guard, Graham’s aren’t noodles. And the right one throws a football very accurately.

Still, he couldn’t win on the first day of practice as No. 1 behind center.

With all the anticipation and hype for the Ohio State transfer, anything short of an 80-yard touchdown on every play would signal a disappointment for some.

As usually happens early in camp, the defense was on top of things — including the receivers. It made completing passes difficult, and one of the more impressive passes was a long intentional out-of-bounds heave by Graham.

He made no excuses, and this son of a former NFL quarterback knew exactly what to say. "There’s still a long way to go. For the first day it was OK, but there are still a lot of little things to work on. I need to get more accurate."

Center Ben Clarke said Graham is already comfortable in the huddle after a year of bonding while sitting out the required year after transferring.

"I think he’s feeling good. He did a great job with the scout team last year, even though he really wanted a chance to prove himself with the first team. He’s taking it and running with it."

Not too much actual running with the football, though … if that were a major part of Graham’s skill-set he might have stayed at Ohio State when Urban Meyer arrived with his spread offense.

Graham is a classic drop-back passer and won’t win very many sprint match races. But he did look smooth Tuesday morning when on the move, and his accuracy didn’t decline much.

Of course, regardless of how much an upgrade at quarterback Graham turns out to be, much of his success will count on improvement from the line that was often overpowered last year.

That’s where Naeole comes in. Any time you have a coach who can physically simulate a defensive tackle in drills while wearing no protective gear, like Naeole did Tuesday — and knows what he’s talking about — it has to help.

"Football is football," said the first-time college coach. "We have to get them as much information and technique as possible every day, whether it be in the meeting room or on the field."

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Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783 or on Twitter as @dave_reardon.