The University of Hawaii football team ended six weeks of spring training with an animated offense-against-defense scrimmage, a mood-stirring performance from the band, a rejuvenated defense, and the assurance that Calvin Turner will agonize opponents for another season.
The 15th — and final — practice of the spring featured a 126-play scrimmage in which every player but the quarterback was a hitter or pinata. The defense was particularly forceful, accumulating five sacks — two by Gabriel Iniguez — and four turnovers.
The tone-setter came on an 18-yard pass from Chevan Cordeiro to Jonah Panoke on a post pattern. Panoke appeared headed for a touchdown — until he was not. Cornerback Cortez Davis stripped the football from Panoke on a chase-down sprint, and safety Khoury Bethley recovered the fumble at the 5.
“I thought that was the play of the scrimmage, which tells you a lot,” coach Todd Graham said. “There’s a guy, man, most people just let up there. They don’t play to the end of the play. That’s where I point to the detail of the progress that we’re making.”
Cameron Lockridge, who filled in at safety last season, was back at cornerback on Friday, where he was Cordeiro’s unintended target. Lockridge picked off Cordeiro twice — the second on a tipped pass.
“See ball, get ball,” Lockridge said.
Graham said of Lockridge: “He has great length. He has great speed, great recovery speed. … He had to play some safety for us last year, but he’s a corner. He can be really good.”
Lockridge noted the defense was motivated following Thursday’s up-and-down performance. Lockridge said the goal was to “come out with a lot of energy and just win the day.”
The first-team units were matched for about half the scrimmage. In two previous spring scrimmages, Turner was placed on limited-contact status, particularly as a running back. Turner also aligns as a receiver and wildcat quarterback.
“We haven’t tackled him in the spring,” Graham said. “We tagged, light-hugged him. The players were frustrated about it. Calvin was frustrated. He wanted to go live. We let him go live today. He gets mad because I double-cover him and stuff like that. He’d better get used to that.”
To open the second quarter, Turner took the direct snap from center Eleki Tanuvasa. Out of the read-option, Turner ran left for 3 yards. On the next play, he sprinted to his right, cut to to the left, and kept going for a 75-yard touchdown.
“The read-zone play you saw today, (the defense) played it the way it was drawn up on the paper,” said Graham, who serves as the defensive play-caller during the season. “He’s hard to stop. He basically out-runs us. He’s deceptively fast. It’s hard to put what his skill set is. He’s the best combination of receiver-running hybrid that I’ve ever been around. He’s very, very explosive. … I think he’s one of the most explosive players in the country.”
Later in the scrimmage, Turner ran to his left, U-turned in front of a wall of defenders, then raced around the right side for a 20-yard gain.
“That one was improvised,” Turner said. “You get the ball, there’s nothing there, you just reverse fields, and you see a big lane and you just attack it. That was not a designed play.”
Turner came to UH as a graduate transfer last year after Jacksonville dropped its football program. In December, Turner opted to return to the Warriors for his second senior season.
“He brings a lot of electricity to the team, electrifying plays,” Lockridge said. “I’m glad he’s on my team. I don’t have to go out and try to tackle him.”
Turner finished with five catches for 46 yards and three rushes for 98 yards. Cordeiro was 15-for-31 for 148 yards and a 12-yard scoring pass to Panoke.
Backup quarterback Jake Farrell and wideout Grey Ihu teamed on a 47-yard, catch-and-sprint touchdown.
Matthew Shipley kicked two field goals, including a 37-yarder to end the scrimmage.
Later, Graham was asked which side won. “The Rainbow Warriors edged it out in the end,” he mused.
