The University of Hawaii football team ended 32 days and 15 practices of spring training without an anointed No. 1 quarterback or a healthy defensive line.

But it exited in unison, fulfilling a top priority for Nick Rolovich’s first spring as UH head coach.

“When I got here,” said Rolovich, a former UH quarterback and offensive coordinator who returned to his alma mater in December, “the team didn’t really know each other. It was more about getting them to play football the way the staff believes is the right way.”

Rolovich said he had encountered some fans who offered unfiltered advice.

“I’ve had more people tell me that: ‘We want you to win, but if you lose, we just want you to lose the right way, and not looking like idiots and being selfish and (making) stupid penalties,’” Rolovich recalled. “That was pretty honest for some of those people to say to me.”

The Rainbow Warriors conducted practices that emphasized technique and controlled enthusiasm to eliminate emotional penalties. Last year, the Warriors were flagged 19 times for personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct.

“It’s about teaching,” Rolovich said. “It’s not about yelling.”

He reassigned the lockers, mix-and-matching players of different ethnicities, cultures and area codes. He also created bonding events, such as a water-balloon fight between the staff and players, and Running Man dance-off.

And Rolovich invited alumni to practices and meetings. Jason Elam, who enjoyed a 17-year career as an NFL kicker, offered advice to the specialists. Isaac Sopoaga volunteered to work with the defensive linemen. Even Michael Bennett, a Seattle Seahawks defensive end who owns a home in Hawaii, chose UH as his hanai college team.

“The generation of kids we’re dealing with is such a now-me society,” Rolovich said, “and with them putting the face to the tradition, I think it really sends a message without saying anything. ‘Who is this guy?’

“I think everyone should know (former UH safety) Nate Jackson. They should know who (quarterback) Michael Carter is. They should know who ‘Mento’ (linebacker David Maeva) is. It’s just going to help them in the community.”

Rolovich said quarterbacks Ikaika Woolsey, Beau Reilly and Aaron Zwahlen had one of their best practices in Friday’s Spring Fling. He said there are “playmakers” at running back — Diocemy Saint Juste, Paul Harris, Steven Lakalaka and Ryan Tuiasoa rotate there — and toughness on the offensive line.

Rolovich also credited the defensive staff for innovative adjustments to compensate for depleted available personnel. The defensive coaches “closed the door in that (meeting) room and came up with some good stuff. There are no egos in that room, which is wonderful. They just want to win.”

Rolovich said there were benefits to a depth shortage.

“It depends on how you look at that glass,” he said. “We’re going to look at it as a bunch of guys who may not have gotten all those reps if everyone was healthy. A perfect example is (defensive tackle) Zeno Choi. He got a ton of reps. Now he would have gotten some reps, but I think it was a good test for our defensive staff.”

The offseason guidelines are in place.

“We did everything we could to push them on the wave, which is summer,” Rolovich said. “Now they have to stand up on their own.”