Colorado State has its own QB question to answer

Gentlemen, start your offenses.

The University of Hawaii and Colorado State, the Rainbow Warriors’ Aug. 25 opponent, both start training camps today, beginning the hurry-up countdown to the season opener in Fort Collins, Colo., and, with it, the race to have a new starting quarterback ready to go.

Who the starting quarterback is — and how he goes when the lights go on — will have a lot to say for two teams trying to re-load at the position.

As if turning the page on a 3-9 season isn’t enough for the ‘Bows, there is also the urgency to start quick with the earliest opener in its Division I history and a rare conference game for a season opener for the first time since 1991.

UH was originally scheduled to open with Navy at Aloha Stadium on Sept. 1 but was able to persuade the Rams to take advantage of the so-called “week zero” clause in the NCAA’s Hawaii Exemption that permits teams playing UH to open earlier than the normal kickoff date.

That helped set up a November open date, something UH hasn’t always had when playing a 13-game schedule.

Back about the time the subject of a switch first came up both teams thought they had their quarterbacks already in place.

UH had Dru Brown, who was a two-year starter, and CSU had Collin Hill, who had started three games, to replace Denver Broncos signee Nick Stevens.

But in late January, Brown announced his intention to transfer from UH to parts then unknown, eventually ending up at Oklahoma State as a graduate transfer.

Then less than a month after the “week zero” matchup was announced, Hill tore a ligament in his left knee for the second time in two years, this time while playing basketball. That necessitated surgery, casting doubt on his early-season availability.

That prompted K. J. Carta-Samuels, a graduate transfer from the University of Washington, to make an 11th hour turn from his plans to enroll at UCLA and head to Fort Collins, instead.

Carta-Samuels spent three years backing up Jake Browning at UW and, after authoring just 47 career passes (completing 27), saw more opportunity at CSU.

Then came another wrinkle: Two weeks ago Rams head coach Mike Bobo said Hill was well ahead of schedule and could be cleared in time for the UH game.

Meanwhile, in Manoa today the depth chart bulges with prospective candidates — six at last count. So many that you’d almost think June Jones was back in residence.

While Cole McDonald, Brown’s backup last season, emerged from the spring as the guy to beat, Chevan Cordeiro from state champion Saint Louis School gets to make his case in a run-and-shoot offense with similarities to what he ran for the Crusaders.

Throw in strong-armed Jeremy Moussa; Kolney Cassel, a transfer from Sacramento State and former protege of Jones’ at Southern Methodist; and Justin Uahinui and the list of candidates is as long as the time to pick one to get ready for the opener is short.

Last year, prior to their game at Aloha Stadium, Nick Rolovich and Bobo, two former college quarterbacks, had their #rustyarm head-to-head passing accuracy competition on the field, attempting to hit the crossbar on the goalposts from various distances.

This time around their competition will be in seeing who can pick and get his starting quarterback most ready for the fast-approaching season opener.