Warriors find success going deep

Thursday’s full-contact football scrimmage was supposed to test Hawaii’s depth chart.

Instead, it showcased the Warriors’ deep patterns.

Three long scoring passes punctuated a 26-play scrimmage involving Warriors newcomers and developing players.

David Graves, UH’s No. 3 quarterback, completed six of 10 passes for 119 yards, including a 61-yard scoring play to Charles Clay.

Cayman Shutter, the No. 4 quarterback, was 4-for-10 for 151 yards. He threw scoring passes of 74 yards to right slotback Breyden Torres-Keohokapu and 70 yards to right wideout Cecil Doe.

“The offense did really well, especially up front,” Shutter said. “They protected well. I got a chance to get off some really good deep balls.”

The defense rotated between basic 4-3 and 4-5 schemes. “Just a plain coverage,” head coach Greg McMackin said.

That worked well for the four-wide offense, a counterpunch attack. For instance, Clay, aligned wide left, faced single coverage. He was designated as the “hot read,” meaning he was the first option. Clay used a stutter-step to freeze the corner, then sprinted along the left sideline to haul in Graves’ pass.

“(Graves) put the trust in me, and I tried to execute,” Clay said.

Torres-Keohokapu, a Castle High graduate who played the past two years at Mount San Antonio College in California, has been bothered by a tight right hamstring the past three weeks. Despite the discomfort, he argued to play Thursday.

Aligned in the right slot, Torres-Keohokapu was supposed to run up the hashmarks.

“I saw the safety turn his hips a little bit, and I just took the post route,” he said.

Shutter noticed the switch, then threw a leading pass.

“When he sees (an opening) and tries to make an adjustment, I have to trust what he’s doing and put the football on him,” Shutter said.

As for the sore hamstring, Torres-Keohokapu said: “I wasn’t thinking about it. I saw an opportunity, and I took it.”

Doe also picked the right option on his scoring play. Doe was given a choice route, in which he could run a slant, an out or a straight-ahead route. With the cornerback shading to Doe’s right, a safety could drop down as an inside defender.

“He has a press on him,” Shutter said. “All I had to do was move the safety.”

Shutter looked to his left, paused — forcing the safety to stay put — while Doe sprinted upfield.

“He got a safety to bite, and I went up the hashmarks,” Doe said.

Fujiuchi named Na Koa director

Kim Fujiuchi has been named executive director of Na Koa, UH’s football booster club, it was announced in a news release.

The club helps raise money for items and activities not covered by the Warriors’ operational budget.

According to the release, Fujiuchi has served as chair of the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Charity Angels, a group that seeks supporters for the bowl’s two annual fundraisers.

The release noted Fujiuchi is administrative officer for the East-West Center.