FORT COLLINS, COLO. >> Four days ahead of his first University of Hawaii start, linebacker Logan Taylor was in overdrive.

“He had his worst practice, I would say, on Tuesday,” linebackers coach Chris Brown said. “I think he was trying too hard. I said, ‘Look, buddy, you have to be you. Don’t try too hard. All you have to do is go out there, line up, play, and be a leader.”

Brown said Taylor impressed in practices on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, Taylor was one of the bright spots in the Rainbow Warriors’ 17-13 road loss to Colorado State. He made 16 tackles, including two for losses, and harassed Colorado State quarterback Clay Millen into throwing away a pass.

“He can play,” Brown said of the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Taylor. “I believe in him and trust him. He has to believe in himself, and that’s exactly what he did. He played lights out.”

Brown said Taylor adjusted to the Warriors’ mid-game switch to a 3-3-5 look. Taylor started in place of weak-side linebacker Isaiah Tufaga, who will miss a couple of games with a leg injury.

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“There were some big shoes to fill,” Brown said. “It wasn’t necessarily the physical part. It was the leadership. Isaiah is a leader out there, and it was big to miss him. But Logan stepped up and made a lot of plays. He played hard. And he came in with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder because he knows how he can play. It was a big step for him.”

Taylor said: “I give God the glory. Anything I do, that’s all God. I continue to trust Him and walk down the path He has for me.”

UH gets off quick kick

There were 13 seconds remaining in the first half when running back Dedrick Parson was stopped at the CSU 7 following a 3-yard reception.

True to a fire-it-up drill practiced every week, the field-goal unit raced onto the field. Waiting for the linemen to freeze in their stance, Solomon Landrum then snapped to holder Ben Falck. Matthew Shipley hurriedly converted the 23-yard field goal for a 13-3 lead at the intermission.

“It was crazy, but we practice that, so no surprise,” Shipley said. “I knew it was going to be one of those situations. I was ready for it. It kind of happened, and it all clicked together.”

Shipley usually goes through reverse-L paces as a pre-kick ritual. There was no time for the routine. “You just have to kick,” he said.

A redshirt in mind

With center Eliki Tanuvasa dealing with an ailment, the Warriors were able to take advantage of an NCAA rule to reinforce the offensive line. Sergio Muasau, who had been playing left guard in place of injured Stephan Bernal-Wendt, moved to center. Solo Vaipulu, a senior with another year of eligibility, started at left guard. It was Vaipulu’s first game of the season.

A player can appear in up to four games and still qualify for a redshirt this season, Vaipulu can play in three of the remaining five regular-season games, redshirt this year, and be eligible in 2023.

If circumstances permit, the Warriors will play redshirts Alex Perry, Steven Fiso and Devon Tauaefa this season.