Assembled by need and appearance, the self-styled Buffalo soldiers were prepared to fight the good fight against the University of Hawaii’s top-of-the-chart football players.

"I thought they did a good job," coach Norm Chow said of the scout players — UH’s reserves and developing players — who portrayed the Colorado Buffaloes during Tuesday’s practice. Colorado is the Rainbow Warriors’ season-opening opponent on Sept. 3.

"Those guys are important as starters," offensive coordinator Don Bailey said.

Through Monday’s practice, the reps were divided generously among all the roster players. For Tuesday’s practice, yellow jerseys were given to players who would simulate the Buffaloes’ schemes against the Warriors’ first- and second-team offenses and defenses.

"The reason you bring 105 (players) to camp is to keep guys healthy," Bailey said, referring to the rotation system. "Then it gets down to, at some point, you’ve got to break off the guys who will play and the guys who will give us looks. But both are very important."

Through this summer’s first 19 practices, UH’s offense and defense had become accustomed to each other’s plays and tendencies.

"We’ve been going against each other for so long, it was nice to see something different," quarterback Max Wittek said. "We were able to see the look we’re going to get (against Colorado)."

Ikaika Woolsey, the No. 2 quarterback, said: "Like coach says, a lot of the success comes down to those guys in the yellow shirts."

In 2012 and 2013, Woolsey was the Warriors’ primary scout quarterback in practices. Wittek was the scout quarterback in 2014 when he redshirted after transferring from USC.

"I’ve been there, I’ve done that," Woolsey said. "My first two years here, I was in the yellow shirt. That’s where you develop. That’s where you get the chemistry down with the receivers. That’s where you come out and give the defense a good look. There are some negatives, some positives. You just have to look at the positive side and keep grinding every day."

Chow indicated the depth chart is written in chalk.

"That’s a very fluid situational," Chow said of the scout assignments. "Every day, you might switch it around."

In team drills, the Warriors worked on the two-minute offense, Hail Mary pass and four-minute attack. The four-minute offense replicates a situation when a team, with a slim lead late in a game, needs to advance while milking the clock.

"That’s all football is now," Bailey said. "It’s situational. I think you want to cover every situation (in practice). Whether it’s the first week or the fifth week, you’ve got to be prepared … without having to go over every detail (at the) last minute."

Wittek said: "We’ve got to be situational masters. These are the things that can win or lose you a game. It’s good that we’re getting these looks."

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