The University of Hawaii football team’s spring training concludes Friday, but the quarterback competition will extend into the summer.
Ikaika Woolsey, Beau Reilly and Aaron Zwahlen have rotated at quarterback during team and 7-on-7 drills in the first 13 practices this spring.
“Nobody’s separated to a point where we feel like the other guys can’t catch him,” coach Nick Rolovich said. “It’s up and down. Guys have had up-and-down days. We need more consistency from that position.”
The Rainbow Warriors were in full pads Saturday, when they went through four scrimmage-like sessions. They will have a limited-contact practice on Thursday ahead of Friday’s full-padded spring fling.
“I don’t think we made enough progress last week at the quarterback position,” Rolovich said. “They know that. There are so many situations and little lessons they could learn every day that we don’t have enough time to get to. So they need to spend some extra time, and they are. … They’re coming up. They just need more and more reps right now. But we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Craig Stutzmann, the quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator, said Woolsey is adjusting to the hybrid offense that uses elements of read-option and run-and-shoot concepts. Woolsey has had six offensive coordinators since joining UH in January 2012.
“You can tell he’s played a lot of football games,” Stutzmann said of Woolsey. “He doesn’t get flustered. He understands checking protections. He understands game-like situations. That’s his positives right now. Things aren’t too big for him. Right now, it’s about him getting used to his reads and his keys and trusting what he sees when he delivers the ball.”
This will be the third UH season for Reilly since returning from a two-year church mission. He redshirted in 2014 and did not take a snap in a game in 2015.
At 6 feet 6, Reilly has “the ability to scan the field a lot,” Stutzmann said. “He likes to get rid of the football fast. He’s a feisty guy. He’s ultra competitive. He’s not afraid to let people know what he thinks.”
Zwahlen redshirted as a freshman in 2015 after serving a two-year church mission.
“Aaron is an extremely hard worker,” Stutzmann said. “He’s always in the film room. He’s always trying to get better. Even after practice, he’s always out there (on the field). He’s always doing extra drops, extra throws and extra handoffs. His work ethic is going to do wonders for him. He’s got a heck of an arm. He throws the football really well.”
Freshman Cole McDonald joins the mix this summer. Two walk-on quarterbacks — Hunter Hughes and Toagamalu Brown — are on the spring roster.
“The good thing is Rolo wants to create a competitive atmosphere,” Stutzmann said. “Whether it’s quarterbacks or offensive line or defensive line, we’re always looking to get better.”
