Chow’s Warriors spring into action

There will be a deja vu feel when the Hawaii football team opens spring training today.

That’s because the coaches did a test run Monday afternoon, finalizing the timing of each drill to the minute and working on the logistics of where each position group will congregate.

“We wanted to make sure everybody knows where to go,” head coach Norm Chow said of the walk-through.

Chow was hired in December to replace Greg McMackin, who “retired” as UH’s head coach after four seasons.

Although his official start date was Jan. 1, Chow has been on the go since he was hired. Expect the tempo to be maintained through the 15 practices of spring training spread over six weeks.

“We’re going to be on the move,” Chow said of the workouts. “We’re not stopping.”

Chow said today’s practice will be 1 hour, 50 minutes. The Warriors are switching from the four-wide passing attack of the past 14 seasons to a pro-set offense featuring a tight end and fullback. The Warriors have not employed a tight end since 1998, Fred vonAppen’s final season as head coach, and have used the position in only three of the past 25 years.

“It will be a typical first day,” Chow said. “We’ll get them used to the formations. We’ll try to set the tempo for how it will be the rest of the time we’re here.”

Chow said David Graves and Cayman Shutter will enter as the top two quarterbacks. Graves started two games in 2011. Jeremy Higgins, who redshirted last year after transferring from Utah State, and grayshirts Ikaika Woolsey and Justin Alo also will get significant quarterback reps this spring.

The new head coach also confirmed that quarterback Kevin Spain, who joined the Warriors in 2010, is no longer on the active roster. Chow said Spain will not participate in spring ball and is not expected back in the fall. The 65-year-old is looking forward to today’s practice — and it has little to do with it being his first as an NCAA head coach.

“I’ve always enjoyed spring practice,” Chow said. “It’s a chance to go out there and coach and teach and work with these young players. It’s all about learning.”