The University of Hawaii football team’s final Saturday practice of the preseason ended with a jam session.

As the Rainbow Warriors gathered in a semi-circle, tight end “Air Jordan” Murray was handed a football and then soared past offensive coordinator Ian Shoemaker to “dunk” over the 10-foot-high crossbar at the Ching Complex.

“Jordan gets up a little bit,” head coach Timmy Chang said of the emphatic conclusion to Saturday’s two-hour practice. “It was fun to see the athleticism.”

Shoemaker did not flinch — or flop.

“I knew one way or another, he was getting dunked on,” said Murray, a 6-foot-5, 240-pound transfer from Missouri State. “It didn’t matter if he flopped or anything.”

Murray’s vertical jump? “High enough,” quarterback Cammon Cooper said of Murray, who is expected to have a big role as an all-level receiver and blocker in the Warriors’ four-wide attack.

The day of fun and games featured the split practice — the final hour, the top offense was on Ching Complex field, the top defense on the grass field — a multi-sport block party, and a talent show for Rainbow Warriors who joined the football program this summer.

“It’s been good,” Chang said of the 20 practices spread over four weeks ahead of Saturday’s opener against Vanderbilt at the Ching Complex. “They’re in a good spot right now. We’re slowly getting our guys back from illness. It’s looking pretty good with them. But you never know how they’re going to react to a live-game situation and a full crowd out there. We’re getting their minds ready for that, and getting them ready for school, and getting ready to focus on what we have to do on and off the field.”

UH’s fall semester begins on Monday. The Warriors will have two-hour practices on Tuesday and Wednesday, a walk-through session on Thursday, and a modified practice on Friday. The offensive and defensive schemes have been installed.

All members of the projected starting offensive line — tackles Ilm Manning and Austin Hopp, guards Stephan Bernal-Wendt and Micah Vanterpool, and center Eliki Tanuvasa — practiced together for the first time on Thursday following illnesses. Offensive line coach Roman Sapolu said the improved depth could lead to an expanded playing rotation.

Chang is expected to wait until game day to name a starting quarterback from among Brayden Schager, Joey Yellen, Jake Farrell and Cooper. “The reps have been pretty even, and switched off the next day,” Cooper said. “One day I’ll not get many (reps) and the next day I’ll get a lot of them. You have to go with the flow and make sure your reps are your best.”

In practices, Schager and Yellen have proved to be pocket passers who can run. While Cooper earned a reputation as a scrambler in spring training, he actually was a prolific 4-star passer at Lehi High in Utah in 2017. He was at Washington State the past four seasons. His experience has helped him read defenses and anticipate pressure.

Cooper said he has improved since enrolling at UH in January. “Spring ball was making sure we knew the installs, and doing our job,” said Cooper, adding the quarterbacks have been helped with video sessions and player-run practices this summer. “You kind of know second nature of what’s going on, so you can play a lot more freely. I feel I’ve had a better fall camp than spring ball because I’m a lot more comfortable. … Just being able to play faster, which somebody is going to do when they’re playing faster.”