The snap was high, the timing was off, and University of Hawaii quarterback Max Wittek intentionally fired the pass out of bounds during a scrimmage-like session on Saturday.
What will go down in the stat sheet as an incompletion was a marker as to how much Wittek has matured as a play-caller this football training camp.
During this offense’s implementation during spring training, interceptions and sacks were write-offs in the learning phase. This training camp, which completed its second week on Saturday, is about making good decisions even in bad situations.
“Not every play needs to be a home run,” Wittek said. “You’ve got to play the game the way it’s supposed to be played. It’s not so much making the best throw, it’s making the right throw.”
On the throwaway play, Wittek said: “Sometimes you have to realize you have a dead play. In the red zone, where we got a high snap and just because of the timing of the play, you’ve got to throw that away. You can’t force anything. It can only get worse.”
This training camp, Wittek has been intercepted only once in 11-on-11 sessions spanning 11 practices. The pick came on his final throw of a 79-play scrimmage at Aloha Stadium on Friday.
Other than that, offensive coordinator Don Bailey said, Wittek has embraced the edict of “protecting the ball at all times. Offensively, even though you might spread it or even just pound it, you still have to protect the ball and be smart with it. That has to be in your subconscious all the time.”
Wittek, who redshirted in 2014 after transferring from USC, was named the No. 1 quarterback at the end of spring training. Since then he has spent hours studying video.
“Days,” he corrected. “It all adds up to days of film. It’s like Netflix for me. I’ve got my iPad. I watch it at home. I watch it wherever I go. I watch it whenever I’ve got a second. Even if it’s just watching the receivers’ releases on the DBs, I want to get used to my guys. It’s all coming together. It’s all good.”
Wittek has found a rhythm, particularly with the No. 1 receivers — left wideout Marcus Kemp, tight end Tui Unga, slotback Dylan Collie and right wideout Quinton Pedroza.
Wittek “has worked at it all summer, and is more comfortable with the offense,” Bailey said. “With comfort comes confidence, and confidence makes you a better player.”
Bailey has praised Wittek’s strong right arm.
“Physical abilities aside, it’s between the ears where you make plays,” Bailey said of Wittek’s high football IQ. “I think he’s doing a pretty good job with that.”
