Injury the only way Chow takes keys from Graham

RENO, Nev. » While Norm Chow was contemplating Sunday the wisdom of an additional football game for a team that will likely need as much healing time as possible all season but also needs as much experience as it can get, there was something else the University of Hawaii coach was fairly certain about:

His starting quarterback. Granted he’s healthy, of course, it’s Taylor Graham.

We have to ask the question every week as the offense struggles, even though we’re pretty sure what the answer will be.

As it was last year with Sean Schroeder, Chow will seem as stubborn as the card player who won’t throw away a losing hand in sticking with his chosen one.

You might not like it, because the guy we were led to believe would be a combination of Colt Brennan, Peyton Manning, Wolverine and Spider-Man still has a lot of work to do to be a winning college quarterback.

The overthrow on fourth and 2 on the second drive of the game was the turning point. But I will also remember the beautiful throw Graham made over Vasquez Haynes’ shoulder for a 25-yard gain on third and 3 two series later.

It all could be moot due to Graham’s shoulder injury.

Because of it, all three backups played Saturday at Nevada.

And no one looked very good overall.

So, when the question was asked, Chow could answer with one of his own, which he did:

"See somebody better?"

Honestly, no. But freshman Ikaika Woolsey has plenty of athleticism and plenty of eligibility. If Graham can’t play, he gets my vote to fill in for now and start learning the best way a player can. By doing.

The knock on the kid who runs the scout team is that he doesn’t always go by the script. But in the situation UH finds itself in right now — 0-3, averaging just one offensive touchdown a game and staring down the barrel of nationally ranked Fresno State — maybe that isn’t such a bad thing, especially given the alternatives if Graham is out.

The running game showed marked improvement, at least in the first half. But, still, UH’s offense is too often a whole lot of nothing — especially on crucial downs. Unless Graham is ready to come back for Fresno State on Saturday, let’s see what Woolsey can do for a more extended stint.

Seniority only goes so far in football, especially when you’re building a program.

Or maybe we need to see direct snaps to Diocemy Saint Juste (yes, I’m joking, but barely).

The freshman running back showed in the first half against Nevada that he is UH’s prime offensive weapon. And he’s not just a scatback who falls down when blown upon. Any 180-pound back not named Barry Sanders is going to get laid out once in a while, but Saint Juste gave as much as he took against the Wolf Pack and fell forward more often than back.

It’s hard to view this team’s overall painful progress the same way. There is some, but the injuries and turnovers show it is still an extremely fragile group.