After every football practice, Hawaii coach Timmy Chang stretches out the aches on a foam roller.

It also is Chang’s wish the Rainbow Warriors will go on a winning roll to ease the aches of an 0-3 start to his head-coaching career.

“These guys,” said Chang, pointing to his players, “are excited to be home. It’s homecoming. I think we’re just locked in on what we need to do. I think these guys are hungry for a win.”

A week after a 56-10 road loss to fourth-ranked Michigan, the Warriors host Duquesne today at the Ching Complex. Kickoff is at 6:07 p.m.

For the first time this season, the Warriors entered the week of practices with a set No. 1 quarterback. Joey Yellen, who transferred from Pittsburgh in May, will make his third consecutive start. But Chang indicated Brayden Schager, who started the opener and took 58 snaps against Western Kentucky, has healed from an injury that sidelined him against Michigan.

“Schager will be ready to go, and Joey will get the start,” said Chang, noting it was helpful for Yellen’s “psyche” to take the first-team snaps all week. “He just has to go out there and make plays. … We’ll support both those guys.”

Cammon Cooper, who transferred from Washington State in January, also has been medically cleared to play. Cooper directed a scoring drive against Western Kentucky but was unavailable to play last week.

The Warriors are seeking to boost an offense that averaged 12.3 points and 323.7 yards — 114.0 on the ground — in the first three games. Of the 142 pass plays, none resulted in a touchdown.

Chang expressed confidence in offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker’s system, and emphasized remaining “steady” in progressing. Chang said the only changes will be in addressing the “fine little details” of deficient areas.

“We have enough winning coaches on the team, and guys who know how to do it,” Chang said. “Now it’s about detailing that.”

Linebackers coach Chris Brown said he noted the gradual improvement in a defense that lost six 2021 starters to the transfer portal.

“It’s just proving to (the players) we’re going to be fine,” Brown said. “We know what we’re doing here as a staff. I know what I’m doing with my linebackers. In order to build a house, it takes one brick at a time. I can’t get mad when the house is not built fast enough. You have to take one step at a time, and keep building it, because the foundation is going to be the biggest thing.”

But Brown added: “The thing I will yell at is (lack of) effort. You can make a mistake, but make it at 100 mph. We can fix mistakes, but we can’t fix effort. I can teach X’s and O’s, but I can’t teach heart. If you can’t bring that energy every day, you might as well stand on the sideline. Coach Timmy wants guys who are going to give 100% every single day. By the time you walk off that field, you’re so tired and exhausted because you gave it all — defense, offense, special teams.”

Unlike UH’s first three opponents, Duquesne is an FCS program in a conference that limits members to the financial equivalent of 45 scholarships. Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt, a former math teacher, has found grants, financial aid and academic awards to help more players receive assistance. The Dukes’ travel squad is 85 players.

Duquesne’s campus is in downtown Pittsburgh, and the school’s high academic standards — particularly in medicine, law and technology — and football success have attracted prospects.

“We always say academics is the most important,” Schmitt said. “We’ve got a really good school. Our kids have bought into getting a good degree for their future. We also always talk about how important it is to challenge ourselves and get better football-wise, and we’ve done that through the years of playing bigger programs.”

The Dukes opened with a road game against Florida State.

“And the last thing is the relationship we develop through the players and also with the staff,” Schmitt said. “That’s kind of how we recruit. We think those are three key points in our program.”