Hawaii head coach

Norm Chow

often recalls a debate when he was Southern California’s offensive coordinator.

Pete Carroll, who was USC’s head coach at the time, wanted to bench quarterback Carson Palmer. Chow vehemently disagreed.

Chow recalled: "I said to (Carroll), ‘You’re the boss. If you want to change him, that’s your prerogative. But if you ask me, I’m not going to change him.’ He said he’d give (Palmer) one more game. He got one more game. He didn’t play great, but he played all right. Pete never broached it again. A year later, (Palmer) wins the Heisman Trophy."

The point of the story is the relationship between a coach and his quarterback, a bond steeled with faith and trust. Chow is reminded of that every time he is asked whether UH quarterback Sean Schroeder’s starting spot is secure.

"No question, not a doubt, Sean is our quarterback," Chow said.

Chow said Schroeder is doing the best of the UH quarterbacks in practices, scrimmages and games.

"I believe in him," Chow said. "He’s tough — mentally and physically."

Chow, who calls the offensive plays, always has bonded with quarterbacks. He said each quarterback is treated differently.

"Sean needs a little, ‘C’mon,’ " Chow said. "Other guys need a pat on the back."

Schroeder said: "We definitely have to have an open line of communication, and that’s what we have. I definitely know what he expects from me, and when I don’t fulfill that, I know he’s going to get on me. I wouldn’t want it any other way."

Schroeder said Chow’s critiques pale to Schroeder’s self-assessments.

"I like to think I’m my biggest critic," Schroeder said.

Schroeder said he is confident the Warriors can rebound from the 1-5 start. He said the players have been working hard and are trying to remain upbeat.

"Discouragement is not going to get you anywhere in life," Schroeder said. "It’s not productive at all. We’ve seen glimpses. We know what this team can do. We have to put it all together and win some football games."

Turning a new Leaf

By taking a couple of steps back, Jared Leaf hopes to give the Warriors’ offense a boost.

Leaf, who is listed as a fullback, has been practicing as a tailback this week. The move is part circumstance (John Lister and Joey Iosefa are recovering from ailments) and part innovation.

At 6-2 and 239 pounds, Leaf is a powerback with surprising quickness and sure-handed skills.

"Usually, you don’t think of big guys being able to catch," Leaf said. "But growing up, I was always throwing the ball around in the back yard."

Leaf has another surprising talent. He can throw.

"I threw two passes in high school," Leaf said. "one of them was a completion for 26 yards. The other one Trevor Davis (now a UH teammate) dropped in the end zone. But it was a dime."

Freshman Jackson needed

One of the freshman rites is to receive "the talk" — a chat about whether to redshirt.

Marrell Jackson played so well in training camp and practices that redshirting was never presented as an option.

"Even if you’re a freshman, you have to put your mind to it that you have the ability to go out there and compete with the other players," Jackson said.

Jackson made his first start in Saturday’s game against New Mexico. He is expected to remain in the lineup for next week’s road game against Colorado State.

"He has the athletic skills that we like," Chow said. "I think he understands, even though he’s a freshman, we need him."