In announcing a quarterback change on Monday, Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich left a caveat. ADVERTISING In announcing a quarterback change on Monday, Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich left a caveat. “We’ll play whoever gets the job done,” Rolovich said. It’s Dru
In announcing a quarterback change on Monday, Hawaii coach Nick Rolovich left a caveat.
“We’ll play whoever gets the job done,” Rolovich said.
It’s Dru Brown’s show, at least at the start, Saturday night when the Rainbow Warriors host Nevada at 6 p.m. at Aloha Stadium in the teams’ Mountain West Conference opener.
Rolovich brushed aside talk of facing his former team – the focus is on conference play. Hawaii (1-3) looks to end a nine-game slide in conference and a five-game losing streak to the Wolf Pack (2-2).
“We feel that we can compete with anybody in this conference,” Brown told the media on Oahu. “If we just keep coming out here and practice hard everyday I think we have a shot.”
Brown, a sophomore in his first season with the program after attending a California junior college, rose to No. 1 on the depth chart ahead Ikaika Woolsey after leading the Rainbow Warriors on three touchdown drives in the second half of a 47-28 loss to Arizona on Sept. 17.
On the season, he’s 16 of 30 with a touchdown run and an interception. Woolsey, who’s thrown six touchdown passes, lost the job in part because of his six interceptions.
“I think he’s done a great job of picking up the offense and taking the little routes and not always taking the big play,” one-time Kealakehe Waverider John Ursua said. “I think he’s done a great job with keeping the ball secure and preventing turnovers.”
Ursua, a redshirt freshman H-back, is second on the team with 12 receptions, trailing only Marcus Kemp (18).
Both teams will try to settle into Mountain West play after going a combined 0-5 against foes from the Power 5 conferences.
Like Hawaii, Nevada has been susceptible to ground attacks, giving up nearly 255 rushing yards a game.
The Wolf Pack haven’t fumbled this season and have lost only one turnover. Running back James Butler, who was named to preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award and Doak Walker awards, will try to test a UH rush defense that’s allowing 264 yards a game.
Sophomore H-back Dylan Collie said the Rainbow Warriors’ week off bye week came at the perfect time.
“That bye week was clutch,” he said. “It gave us an opportunity at clean slate and to clean our heads for this new season.
“We have to win at least six games. It’s got to happen. That’s the minimum. It starts now.”
Hired away last year after spending four seasons as Nevada’s offensive coordinator, Rolovich downplayed any advantages he might be able to take advantage of from working on coach Brian Polian’s staff.
“You can tell he wants it, and there is no one else I’d rather play for,” Brown said.
In addition to Rolovich, UH graduate assistants Makana Garrigan and Mikahael Waters, strength coach Bubba Reynolds, and recruiting coordinator Jason Cverk were formerly part of Nevada’s staff.
“The start of conference play is really the emphasis,” Rolovich said. “It cones down to execution.”
