For Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald, there was no palm-to-the-forehead aha moment.

“It’s like check points in a video game,” quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann said of McDonald’s maturation as a player and leader. “You hit a check point and — boom! — you move to the next stage. You hit another check point, you move on to the next stage.”

McDonald always had the build (6 feet 4, 220 pounds), rocket arm, and turbo legs as a dual-skilled quarterback, even as the offense evolved into a mesh of run-and-shoot and run-pass option schemes. But his growth as a complete player began when he reached his check points.

Last year, head coach Nick Rolovich felt McDonald, who conceded to being unabashedly competitive, needed to curb his enthusiasm a skosh.

“When you get thrown out of practice for opening up your mouth too much, that’s probably the easiest way,” Rolovich said.

This season, Stutzmann and McDonald have worked on using “magnetic” words in communicating with others. “Things that are going to draw people closer rather than something that is going to turn them off,” Stutzmann said. “He’s gotten better in how to communicate and connect with each receiver, each offensive lineman, and running back. Certain guys respond in different ways.”

McDonald conceded that in workouts there were times “I may come across rude because I’m very blunt in how I approach things. But I’m not attacking the person. I’m attacking the problem because I want to get better as a team, and I want to win games. I’m a very competitive guy. I just love to win.”

Offensive lineman J.R. Hensley said McDonald is even more critical of himself. “He’s one of those guys, if he’s not happy with the performance or he sees something out there he should do better, he goes out there and tries to improve on it for next week,” Hensley said.

Teammates have embraced McDonald. On the night before the Warriors’ game against Washington, McDonald was unanimously added as a co-captain.

Rolovich said McDonald has improved in part because of his “maturity, and probably having a little more confidence in being the starter probably helped.”

Rolovich indicated McDonald is at his best when he plays within the parameters of the offense. Forcing passes into congested coverages led to four interceptions in the opener against Arizona and eight picks after three games.

“He still likes to run into the bumpers in bumper bowling sometimes,” Rolovich said. “But he bounces back in the lane quicker now.”

After being nearly intercepted on a pass into the red zone against New Mexico this past weekend, McDonald was beckoned to the sideline.

”He just needed to understand how mad I was at him,” Rolovich said of the summons. “That’s hard to do from 40 yards away. Just kick him back into gear.”

McDonald has needed few reminders lately. In the past five games, he has hit 67 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns against three interceptions.

“Since day one when I got here, (Rolovich has) taken me under his wing,” said McDonald, a fourth-year junior. “He’s been real tough on me. That’s made me the person and player I am today. … He kind of keeps me in check. He keeps me grounded. He’s a good person.”

Rolovich said McDonald has taken well to coaching, especially with advice on being calm and staying in system.

“He’s got bad ears, like my kids, sometimes,” Rolovich said. “I tell my kids, ‘Do I have to call Jimbo?’ Jimbo’s the ear doctor. If the ears don’t work, they’ve got to get new ears. (McDonald’s) ears are getting better. No Jimbo. I do like him. I love ‘em all.”