Warriors keep their attitudes light

For University of Hawaii quarterback Ikaika Woolsey, the out-of-pocket expense was priceless.

During Friday’s 44-play football scrimmage, Woolsey rolled to his right to avoid a three-defender manhunt.

"I came out of the pocket, and I saw Coach (Norm) Chow there," said Woolsey, who wanted to use his head coach as a screen.

"I was going to go behind him, but at the last second, he stepped backward," Woolsey said. "We kind of made a little collision."

Chow was knocked on his wallet, as players from both sidelines raced onto the field.

Defensive linemen Saui Matagiese and Beau Yap pulled Chow up. The coach then jokingly made a hold-me-back gesture to Woolsey.

"You back at Punahou, coach?" yelled running back Steven Lakalaka, a fellow Buffanblu alumnus.

Chow was credited with a sack.

"That’s right," Chow mused. "I’m tougher than that. I’m an old O-lineman."

Chow then admitted to some theatrics.

"I made it look worse than it was, just to get at him a little bit," Chow said.

Woolsey said: "He’s a tough guy. He’ll be all right. … It was all fun and games."

The scrimmage capped the Rainbow Warriors’ bye week. They will resume practice on Monday ahead of next Saturday’s game against Colorado State at Aloha Stadium.

"We’ll give them the weekend to rest, and come back with one focus in mind, and that’s to get ready for Colorado State," Chow said.

To keep fresh, the Warriors staged a scrimmage in which only the quarterbacks were exempted from contact. Sean Schroeder, who took the majority of snaps the past 10 quarters, was the only quarterback on the active roster not to participate in the scrimmage.

This was quarterback Taylor Graham’s first game-like situation since suffering a dislocation to his left (non-throwing) shoulder against Nevada on Sept. 21. After starting UH’s first three games, he did not play in the past three.

Graham was 4-for-10 for 105 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown to Bubba Poueu-Luna. Two of Graham’s passes were dropped.

"I’m getting there," Graham said. "I’m trying to come back from the injury, and continue to rehab, and what the doctors and trainers tell me. I think I’m on track."

Graham and Poueu-Luna also teamed on a 40-yard completion, although Poueu-Luna fumbled away the football while trying to break a tackle.

Woolsey and Schroeder had been splitting reps in practice in Graham’s absence. During the scrimmage, Woolsey was 3-for-7 for 30 yards. Two of his passes were dropped.

"It was good to get some work in," Woolsey said. "Every day you go out there, you try to get better. I felt we did some good things and we did some bad things. We’ll come back. We’ll watch the film, and we’ll get better."

Jeremy Higgins was 4-for-9 for 41 yards. Three of his passes were dropped. He scored on a 5-yard keeper.

"It was good to see everyone get a chance to play," Chow said.

Kwamane Bowens, who made the move from cornerback to wideout last week, caught three passes for 17 yards.

Tyler Liana, who joined the Warriors as a long-snapper, worked at fullback. He caught a swing pass for 4 yards.

Quinton Pedroza, who is redshirting this season after transferring from Utah, had three catches for 27 yards.

Daniel Masifilo continued to play well in his new role at cornerback. With teammates chanting, "Masi! … Masi!" with every pass in his direction, Masifilo intercepted a pass and nearly picked off another.

"I dropped one," Masifilo said. "I’m mad about that."

The coaches are mad about Masifilo, who orchestrated his move from wideout on Tuesday. He did not play corner previously, but the coaches believed he had the long arms, quickness and ball-hawking ability to play in coverage.

Masifilo, who transferred from Arizona State this summer, was on the travel roster for UH’s first three road games.

"But I wasn’t playing much as a receiver," he said. "There was an opportunity at corner. I’m riding it, and seeing where it goes."