Woolsey tested and ready to go

Whenever quarterback Ikaika Woolsey needs a break, he will put on his headphones, hit the iPhone play button and listen to Bay Area music.

"It’s a different type of sound," said Woolsey, who was raised in Rodeo, Calif. "The beats are a lot different. It calms my nerves, and I’m ready to go."

Woolsey will be making his second collegiate start when the University of Hawaii football team opens its season against Washington on Saturday. Woolsey actually was in the opening lineup for two games last year, although one was for a trick play in which a second quarterback was aligned as a wideout.

Woolsey grayshirted in 2011 and redshirted in 2012. He made his first appearance in last year’s game against Nevada, after starter Taylor Graham suffered a shoulder injury, and was 2-for-5 for 41 yards. He was intercepted twice.

He started the next game against Fresno State, going 7-for-19 for 56 yards. The Warriors trailed 42-3 when Woolsey departed, then rallied before falling, 42-37.

Woolsey conceded that first start was "a little hard for me," but the game experience was beneficial. "There were a lot of lessons from that game," Woolsey said.

Woolsey was listed as co-No. 1 exiting spring training, then emerged as starter from a three-quarterback competition in training camp. The Warriors tested Woolsey in practices, creating third-and-long scenarios and sending blitzers from all points. Head coach Norm Chow and quarterbacks coach Jordan Wynn said Woolsey handled every challenge, and they expect him to be ready for Washington.

The final practice

The Warriors worked out for 90 minutes on Thursday morning, their final full practice ahead of the Washington game.

The first- and second-team offenses and defenses worked against the scouts portraying Washington’s players and schemes.

They will have a walk-through session Friday.

Washington, which arrived on Thursday, was scheduled to practice Friday afternoon at Aloha Stadium.

A grassroots effort

A group of boosters has formed a grassroots fund to raise $3 million for the athletics department this year, the Aloha Stadium Authority was told Thursday.

Raymond Noh, president of Noh Foods of Hawaii, said the effort is called the "UH People’s Athletic Fund." Noh and others are distributing campaign-style buttons with the message, "We Get ‘Em!" designed by Kurt Osaki to call attention to the department’s financial plight.

A press conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday to announce the effort.

"Everybody expects the big banks and big companies to step up, but here’s an opportunity for us, the people of the community, to help out UH," Noh said. "This is nothing slick, just community-based and that’s how we want to keep it.

"Regardless of how you might feel about UH, the administration or the athletic department, this is about the kids — our student athletes."

Noh said the group expects to launch a website shortly and is currently taking contributions at UH People’s Athletic Fund, P. O. Box 8392, Honolulu 96830.

Athletic director Ben Jay, who outlined the department’s need for $3 million at a recent Board of Regents meeting, said he will meet with the group.

Noh said, "we’ll hand over the proceeds to UH but not without some accountability requirements. People want to know where their money is going to go."

Ferd Lewis contributed to this report.