’Bows will face untested QB in opener for first time

In the past quarter-century, the University of Hawaii has gone up against three quarterbacks in season openers who were or became Heisman Trophy winners.

It has played a handful of quarterbacks who were All-Americans or first-round draft picks to start the season.

What it hasn’t confronted in at least 28 years of season-opening games against major college opposition is somebody who had yet to throw so much as a single pass — complete or otherwise — in a college game.

That will change in 16 days when the Rainbow Warriors play Washington at Aloha Stadium.

Whomever the Huskies choose to send out to that opening huddle, sophomore Jeff Lindquist or redshirt freshman Troy Williams, UW’s quarterback will launch his inaugural college pass against UH.

That makes it all the more interesting for debuting UH defensive coordinator Kevin Clune in preparation for the Aug. 30 opener. Apart from a couple of plays in which Lindquist mostly handed the ball off last year and limited film of he and Williams from TV in the spring game this year, there is precious little to go on. 

And even less on incoming freshman K.J. Carta-Samuels, a couple of months removed from high school graduation.

After going up against Tim Tebow, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer and Matt Hasselbeck, to name a few, in season openers past, this will be one of the few times lately that UH will open with a quarterback who has more starting experience than the opponent it lines up against. Which is saying something considering three of UH’s QBs, Ikaika Woolsey, Taylor Graham and Jeremy Higgins, have six starts among them

That rare circumstance was set up by the departure of UW’s three-year starter, Keith Price, for the NFL and the suspension of his heir apparent, Cyler Miles, for the opener.

Up until the announcement last month, UH had been expecting to see Miles, who led the Huskies past Oregon State last year when Price was out. Miles appeared in eight games, throwing for 418 yards and four touchdowns. But after being suspended for spring practice due to a Super Bowl night incident, the opening-game ban was added in July.

"They (the Huskies) are going to have, whoever they have, ready," Clune said. "They’re all Pac-12 recruits, all four-star (recruiting service rated) guys out of high school." Though UW has dropped from a consensus 21.5-point pick to 15.5 points on Las Vegas betting lines. 

Of most use in preparation, the Rainbow Warriors figure, will be game film of what first-year Washington coach Chris Petersen ran when he was at Boise State. Clune said, "Petersen, Jonathan Smith (the offensive coordinator) and those guys were all at Boise State, so I’m assuming they will carry over a lot just like I’m sure they are assuming I’m going to carry over a lot of Utah State stuff here."

Clune said, "It will be an interesting first two drives, kinda feeling them out while they will be feeling us out."

In some ways, it will be a feeling UH hasn’t had in more than a quarter-century.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.