Head coach Nick Rolovich reaffirmed his belief the Hawaii football team has “two very good quarterbacks,” and hinted Cole McDonald and Chevan Cordeiro would have roles in this Saturday’s game against San Jose State.

Rolovich addressed the quarterback situation a day after the Rainbow Warriors’ 41-38 loss to Fresno State.

With McDonald at quarterback, the Warriors controlled the first half en route to a 24-14 lead. The Bulldogs then scored 24 unanswered points as UH’s offense sputtered with drops and misplaced passes against congested and physical coverages. Cordeiro replaced McDonald at mid-possession in the fourth quarter and led the Warriors to touchdowns on two of three drives to tie it at 38. The Bulldogs won it on Cesar Silva’s 37-yard field goal as time expired.

Rolovich said he pulled McDonald because it appeared his passes had started to lose their crispness. “I didn’t like the way some of the balls were flying,” Rolovich said. “I think that’s a feet or mechanical issue.”

While the Bulldogs brought pressure, Rolovich said the offensive line provided ample security, even when McDonald had to make throws on the move.

“If a quarterback’s got to move his feet to make a throw, he’s got to move his feet to make a throw,” Rolovich said.

McDonald had better command in the first half when he was 15 of 25 for 189 yards and a touchdown. But in four scoreless second-half drives, McDonald was six of 17 — there were three drops and a tip — for 86 yards. One of the drops — a deflection — resulted in an interception.

“The real positive is how Cole handled it,” Rolovich said of the change. “It’s not an easy situation to be in. He was very mature about it and unselfish. He deserves some credit (for) the maturity aspect and from the team-first mind-set.”

McDonald, a fourth-year junior, has started 21 of the Warriors’ 23 games the past two seasons. He actually was the No. 1 quarterback for a game last year in which the Warriors opened with slotback John Ursua taking the first snap as a wildcat.

Rolovich said McDonald offers “competitiveness and all his skill sets.”

Rolovich praised Cordeiro’s release, elusiveness and growth as a second-year freshman.

While indicating both quarterbacks will play against San Jose, Rolovich noted, “we’ve got bigger (issues) than the quarterback position.”

Against Fresno State, the Warriors committed 13 penalties for 135 yards. Six of the penalties were on defense, with two third-down infractions extending an FSU touchdown drive. The Bulldogs earned four first downs on penalties, and in the second half, converted four of six third-down plays.

The Warriors also had difficulty containing quarterback Jorge Reyna. On the winning drive Reyna eluded a spy defender for a 17-yard gain, then escaped a four-man rush for an 11-yard pickup.

“That quarterback was a problem for us all night in terms of him being able to pull the ball down and out-run us,” defensive coordinator Corey Batoon said. “We took bad angles and such. That’s something we’ll continue to work on.”