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For Saturday’s regular-season finale, Hawaii’s starting quarterback will be “TBA.”
“It’s a game-time decision,” coach Nick Rolovich said following Tuesday’s two-hour practice on UH’s grass field.
Rolovich must choose between a sophomore who is among the nation’s leaders in several statistical categories and a true freshman who rallied the Rainbow Warriors on Saturday from a 28-13 deficit in the fourth quarter to a bowl-clinching victory.
Cole McDonald, who has conquered ailments this season, was at the controls for all but one game in the Warriors’ 6-1 start. This season, McDonald is sixth nationally in passing yards (2,338) and touchdown passes (32). He is eighth in passing yards per game (303.5) and 12th in completions per game (22.36).
Chevan Cordeiro, a 2018 Saint Louis School graduate who joined the Warriors in June, threw the winning pass against Wyoming in his only start. After an ineffective cameo appearance against Nevada, Cordeiro was implored to prepare as if he would be used at any time.
Last Saturday, Cordeiro replaced McDonald in the fourth quarter. In three series, Cordeiro was 4-for-5 for 153 yards and three touchdowns, including the tie-breaking, 68-yard throw to John Ursua with 1:25 to play. The outcome secured the 7-5 Warriors a winning regular season for the first time since 2010.
With potentially two games remaining — Saturday against San Diego State and a bowl game — UH may be faced with a unique dilemma. A player can use this as a redshirt year if he does not play in more than four games. Cordeiro has played in three games.
“It’s a very interesting situation,” said Rolovich, who also indicated that another true freshman, Jeremy Moussa, is a capable quarterback.
On Sunday, Rolovich mused he might play “all three quarterbacks … at the same time.”
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