In preparing for Thursday’s Scout Bowl, Hawaii football graduate assistant coach Mikahael Waters found Davine inspiration.

Waters served as coach of the offense for the full-contact, intrasquad scrimmage involving reserves, redshirts and developmental players. Waters decided to utilize slotback Davine Tullis as a runner, passer and receiver.

“I just woke up and I knew Davine was kind of a wildcat read-option quarterback in high school,” Waters said, “so I thought I’d give him a chance and have some fun.”

Waters notified Tullis at the start of Thursday’s practice. Tullis responded with a 45-yard, catch-and-dodge play, two keepers for 16 yards, including seven on a fourth-and-1, and an 8-yard scoring toss to former roommate Kalakaua Timoteo III.

Timoteo said he knew about the scoring play “for about 30 seconds. That was the first one we ever ran (together). We call it ‘Six’ — six points.”

It was Tullis’ first scoring pass since 2015, his senior season at Ballard High in Seattle. During a recruiting visit, head coach Nick Rolovich promised Tullis would be used as the wildcat, a back who takes direct snaps from the center. “He was mad at me it didn’t happen last year,” Rolovich said.

Instead, Tullis went from wideout to cornerback to wideout and, after an impressive outing in the spring, to slotback.

“He had a few struggles,” Rolovich said of Tullis’ freshman season in 2016, “but he fought through it, and now he’s making tons of plays. He showed he can play on this field with us.”

Tullis was recruited as an “athlete.” He said he would feel comfortable at cornerback, safety or receiver. “He’s the most athletic guy on the team,” Timoteo said. “He can jump high.”

Timoteo also marveled at Tullis’ toss on the fade route for a touchdown. “Davine threw a good ball,” Timoteo said. “He should be in the rotation with the quarterbacks.”

Of the throw, Tullis said, “I dropped a little dime and my guy caught it.”

Rolovich said “Davine is our MVP (of the Scout Bowl). He was kind of a last-minute creative install by the offensive GAs. They probably deserve coach of the week.”

Waters said he received guidance from graduate assistant John Estes, a former UH lineman, and tips from the players.

“The players had great input,” Waters said. “If they wanted to run a certain play, I took it into account, called it for them, and let them get the ball in their hands, and have a little fun.”

It was reserve quarterback Hunter Hughes who suggested a play that resulted in his 9-yard scoring pass to Timoteo on a crossing route.

“They all had great suggestions,” Waters said. “They all did great.”