After the first practice of spring, the University of Hawaii football depth chart is as clear as Tuesday’s Manoa mud. 

Quarterback Ikaika Woolsey took the first snap, but the Rainbow Warriors are not prepared to name a starter at that position until this summer. 

Woolsey, Taylor Graham and Jeremy Higgins split nearly all of the reps. Hunter Hughes, who joined the Warriors as a walk-on a month ago, is projected as a scout quarterback. Adonis Phillips, who was used in that role last year, has moved to wideout. 

Graham answered concerns with well-placed throws. In January, Graham underwent surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder. He was limited during the seven-week offseason conditioning program. 

But Graham said his left shoulder is fine, and he threw without difficulty during passing and team drills. 

Quarterback Beau Reilly, who signed with UH last month, watched from the sideline. He will join in June, when his scholarship is activated. Reilly, who returned from a church mission last year, moved from the mainland last week to attend practices. He is paying for his own living expenses. 

With offensive tackles Leo Koloamatangi and Sean Shigematsu on the mend, redshirt freshmen John Wa’a and Elijah Tupai are competing for starting jobs. Both took turns rotating with the No. 1 offense on Tuesday. 

First look for Clune

The defense rotated players rapidly during team drills on Tuesday. 

"I’ve never seen anyone play (previously), so they’ll all have their shot," said Kevin Clune, who was hired as defensive coordinator in January. 

Clune said he was pleased with the effort.

"We’ll improve on all the mistakes, and there will be a ton of mistakes," said Clune, who is shifting the base from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme. "I think you’ll see a huge evolution between the first practice and (Thursday’s) second practice as far as the mental side of the game. We’ll get there. We have 15 (spring) practices to get this right."

He said the first scrimmage, as early as Saturday, is when "we’ll see the cream  rise to the top; guys who will separate themselves."

Clune coached Utah State’s inside linebackers the past few years. As a defensive coordinator, he said, "You have to have a wider focus and a wider scope of things."

Gener eager to get going

Linebacker Julian Gener admitted to a fitful sleep on Monday night.

"It was nerve-racking," said Gener, who practiced for the first time since suffering a season-ending injury to his right elbow in UH’s third game last year. 

He said the ulnar collateral ligament was "torn completely off the bone." 

With his elbow in a sling for two months, he was forced to dictate his school papers. "It was a big struggle," he said. 

In January, he was medically cleared to participate in the conditioning program. In UH’s move to a 3-4, Gener is switching from weakside linebacker to an inside position. 

He said he weighs 225 pounds with 18 percent body fat, after losing eight pounds and dropping four percentage points the past eight weeks. 

"I have to be smarter," Gener said of controlling his physical play. "Sometimes my elbow won’t be what I’d like it to be."