By adhering to the redshirt’s code last year — scout’s honor — Hawaii football players Jeremy Higgins and Chris Gant are enjoying success in this year’s spring training.

After a reliable performance in last week’s scrimmage, Higgins was promoted to No. 2 quarterback. Gant’s steady play earned him a spot as a first-team receiver during Tuesday’s practice.

Both credited the time spent on the scout team while redshirting in 2011.

Higgins, a 2010 Saint Louis School graduate, was required to redshirt after transferring from Utah State.

“It’s always bad when you have to sit out a year,” Higgins said. “I wanted to make the best of it and try to improve.”

The Warriors’ four-wide offense in 2011 used shotgun snaps. The scout team portrayed the opposing team’s offense.

“A lot of times, I got to go under center for the scout team,” Higgins said. “I got a lot of under-the-center snaps.”

It proved to be beneficial when first-year head coach Norm Chow implemented the pro-set offense.

“It played out well for me,” Higgins said.

Higgins’ ascent is helping to justify his decision to relinquish a scholarship at Utah State to join the Warriors as a walk-on.

“There’s no place like home,” said Higgins, whose father is a former Warrior. “I just wanted to come home. I wasn’t really happy up there. It was tough to give up the scholarship. My dad was very supportive. He said, ‘If you’re not happy, there’s no sense being there.’ He said to come home. I’m happy to be here.”

David Graves entered spring training as the No. 1 quarterback. After Cayman Shutter was suspended, freshman Ikaika Woolsey took the No. 2 reps. Chow said Higgins has played well enough to earn more reps.

“Quarterbacks, to me, have to make good decisions,” Chow said. “There are two things. They have to make good decisions and command the huddle. (Higgins has) done a good job of that.”

After Tuesday’s practice, Chow praised Gant.

“He’s really stepped up,” Chow said. “He knows what to do.”

Gant transferred from a junior college this past July and was behind receivers more experienced in the Warriors’ read-and-attack offense.

“It was impossible to learn the run-and-shoot that quick,” Gant said. “I tried to learn the offense the best as possible and buy into everything we were trying to do. I wanted to work to the fullest. That way, if I made a mistake, I knew I was giving 100 percent.”

Chow said he is impressed with Gant’s quickness, hands and knowledge. In situational drills Tuesday, Gant caught a touchdown pass. Later, he made a leaping grab for a first down. Gant is the Z receiver who aligns on the strong side of the formation.

“I’ll take whatever they ask me to do, then try to do it 10 times harder,” Gant said.