Higgins just keeps making the plays

In the University of Hawaii football team’s game of musical quarterbacks, Jeremy Higgins always manages to find a chair.

In the competition to find a successor to Sean Schroeder, Higgins is the only candidate not to have started a game in 2013. Taylor Graham, who transferred from Ohio State in January 2012, started three games. Ikaika Woolsey, who also has been in the program for 27 months, was in the opening lineup twice last year.

But Higgins has made the most of his third of the reps this spring training. On Monday, he completed all nine of his passes in team drills. On Tuesday, he led a 60-yard scoring drive in the two-minute offense, completing seven of eight passes.

"That’s all Ican do," Higgins said. "Ilet (the coaches) make the hard decisions. Ikeep coming out here and working and hoping they’ll give me a shot. My job is to make it hard to keep me out."

Higgins has the most seniority among the UH quarterbacks, transferring in June 2011 after a year at Utah State.

Higgins said quarterbacks coach Jordan Wynn, who has play-calling duties, has simplified the offense.

"He kind of broke it down and made it as easy as possible," Higgins said. "Instead of thinking too much, we’re just out there playing. It’s a lot more fun."

Woolsey and Graham have better arm strength. In past years, Higgins has worked on his throwing motion to increase the velocity of his passes. This offseason, Higgins said he strengthened his knowledge of the offense.

"Ilike to anticipate it, so Idon’t have to throw as hard," Higgins said. "Before the receiver turns around, Iwant the ball to be in the air. It makes it hard for the defenders to jump (the passing lanes)."

Head coach Norm Chow, who serves as the offensive coordinator, said Higgins’ intuitive play is comparable to Ty Detmer’s. Chow coached Detmer at Brigham Young, when Detmer won the 1990 Heisman Trophy.

"Anticipating is the key," Chow said. "Ty Detmer has an arm just like his, but he anticipated well."

Defensive coordinator Kevin Clune was coaching at Utah State when Higgins was an Aggies quarterback in 2011.

"He’s a good, hard-working guy from a good family," Clune said.

Higgins joked: "I used to take his defense apart up there, too."

In addition to usual quarterback dills, Higgins works on his eye movements.

"It’s like playing a chess match," Higgins said. "I practice looking one way, moving the defense that way, and then going the other way."

This spring, Higgins is making gains while critics are looking away.