Hawaii assistant football coach Chris “Demo” Demarest has a vocabulary that could fill “Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary.”

But the special teams coordinator needed to offer just one word of advice to punter Alex Dunnachie: Unleash.

“That’s his phrase,” said Dunnachie, who will be a senior in the fall. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s my last year coming up. I want to go out there and unleash.”

In his first three UH seasons, the Warriors used a shield scheme, in which three backfield blockers formed a second layer of protection for Dunnachie. The added blockers meant there were fewer sprinters to attack the returner. The solution was to require Dunnachie to directional punt by placing kicks between the numbers and sldeline.

Last season, opponents returned only four of Dunnachie’s 56 punts.

Norm Chow, UH’s first-year head coach, decided to drop the shield, believing greater coverage is needed against good punt returners.

“The shield guys are O-linemen,” Chow said. “They can’t run down and make tackles.”

Demarest replaced the shield blockers with gunners, then lifted the restrictions on Dunnachie.

“Demo told (Dunnachie) to boom it, and he’s been booming it,” Chow said.

Dunnachie said: “I’m really happy with what Coach Demo is getting me to do. He said, ‘You’re out there to show us what you can do. We’ll go from there.’ “

Dunnachie said he is adjusting to punting without the shield. He has not been blocked in 150 career punt attempts.

“It feels more natural,” Dunnachie said. “There’s more space. As great as it was having those guys up front blocking for me, the guys are taking the new protection very well.”

On his own, Dunnachie said, he still works on directional punts, as well as rugby-styled kicks off rollouts.

He also is enrolled in drills on tackling — a skill he hopes to not have to use.

“If I can perfect the punting,” he said, “I won’t have to (tackle).”

This week, Dunnachie is working at his other job as the holder. He was the third-string holder last year. But the No. 1 holder, Shane Austin, completed his UH eligibility, and the backup, Cayman Shutter, is serving an indefinite suspension.

“I’ve been practicing on the sideline with Luke (Ingram, the long snapper) the past three years, so I’m comfortable doing it,” Dunnachie said.

Dunnachie said he initially volunteered because it would help his resume. In pro football, the punter usually doubles as the holder.

In his first UH game, Dunnachie bobbled a snap on a punt attempt before recovering and launching a successful kick. Since then, he has proved sure-handed.

“When we’re at the beach or the park, we throw balls,” Dunnachie said. “I work on it, whether it’s consciously or subconsciously, to catch everything that comes my way.”

Back in his native Australia, he has access to a JUGS machine that allows him to work on his catching every day.

“But there’s nothing like working with Luke,” Dunnachie said.

Ingram has been limited this spring after undergoing a procedure on his left (throwing) shoulder. Beau Yap and Kody Afusia have handled most of the long snaps this spring.

Dunnachie said it is helpful to work with different snappers.

“It’s good to get a varying amount of paces and spots where the ball is coming from,” Dunnachie said. “You learn to adjust and react to whatever is coming.”