Quotes from the local papers

Mack said that despite missing practices now due to injury, if Brent:
"is 100 percent, he's our starter. He's No. 1." (HA)

"The thing is, he told me a couple of days ago that his lower arm was bothering him. Now (the pain) is up to his biceps. We don't want to take any chances." (HSB)

HA Note: "Rausch did not practice yesterday because of what was termed as a slight strain in the right forearm and right biceps of his throwing arm. He also will be held out of today's three-hour practice. The Warriors do not practice tomorrow."

About how he denied Brent's proposal to throw warm-up passes today, Mack said:
"That's the problem. He wants to keep throwing because he's a competitor. I talked to (the athletic trainer), and we think he needs two days off. Then he'll have Sunday (off). So he'll have three days off." (HA)

Thinking that his problem was due to overuse, Brent said:
"I'm just resting it now. I've thrown a lot of balls. (The condition is) no big deal. (But) I hate sitting there watching practice and not being able to throw. That's the No. 1 thing I do not like doing." (HA)

About Brent's accuracy with problems during Thursday's practice, Mack said:
"When he threw the football wrong, he was upset with himself. Well, it's his arm. We talked about that. He's young. He's got to take a little advice." (HA)

HA Note: "In Rausch's absence, Greg Alexander took the majority of the snaps. Inoke Funaki served as the No. 2 quarterback. During team drills yesterday, Alexander completed 17 of 27 passes. He was intercepted twice."

About Alexander and Inoke taking the extra reps with Brent out with injury, Ron Lee said:
"(Rausch is) anxious to get back out there, but in the meantime, you hope (No.) 12 (Alexander) and Funaki pick it up. I thought 12 had a hell of a day overall. It wasn't just the completions. He went to the right guys. He moved around. He scrambled in the pocket. That's good." (HA)

HA Note: "Alexander was in contention for the No. 1 job until he suffered an ingrown toenail in his right foot two weeks ago. By over-compensating, he incurred a slight sprain in his left ankle. Soon after, Rausch was named the No. 1 quarterback."

About his ingrown toenail (which he ended pulling out), Alexander said:
"I'm not going to stand out here and make excuses,. That definitely hurt my accuracy. But it is what it is. Now I have to focus on getting back." (HA)

About how he didn't allow himself to get down when Brent was named the starter, Alexander said:
"It would have made no sense to go in the tank. I have to come out here and compete. It's going to help everybody. It's going to make myself better, and it's going to push Brent and Inoke. I have to focus on getting better with the reps I'm getting." (HA)

About how he'll get to participate in practice and even throw in warmups, Brent said:
"I'll get warmed up (today) and throw a little bit. I'm not really going to run all the drills and everything, but by Monday I'll be 100 percent." (HSB)

About Brent's injury is minor, Mack said:
"I don't think it's anything to be worried about. We just think it's a strain and it's not a big thing." (HSB)

About their depth at QB if Brent's injury is serious, Mack said:
"We've got two other guys who can throw the ball, too." (HSB)

About taking the majority of the reps in practice yesterday, Alexander said:
"It went pretty good. I threw a couple picks there (near the end) and I've got to eliminate those, but other than that it's been a pretty good day." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Judging by the amount of work Alexander and junior Inoke Funaki received yesterday, it seemed clear that Alexander has won the backup job when Rausch returns, although coach Greg McMackin says they are still in the process of deciding."

About the battle for the top backup spot, Mack said:
"All the other quarterbacks have been getting equal reps, because we've been deciding between two and three." (HSB)

Happy about getting the starter's reps yesterday, Alexander said:
"The more reps you get, the more you can get into a rhythm and the more you get a feel for everything that is going on, especially with pocket presence and everything like that. So obviously the more you play the better you feel you get." (HSB)

About throwing the ball away instead of forcing a pass in their 2-minute redzone drill, Alexander said:
"Obviously, you get down inside the red zone you want to score some points, but you have to be smart down there. "Everything's faster and sometimes when it's not there you have to eat it and just take the three points." (HSB)

About having to sit out the practice, Brent said:
"It sucks I had to sit there. I was just trying to help my guys and help get them ready, too. I hate sitting on the sidelines and hate watching everybody else throw the ball, but it's OK. Stuff like this happens." (HSB)

About the new ha'a that they practiced for the second time yesterday, Alexander said:
"I don't fit in real well so I'll probably be in the back when we do it." (HSB)

Asked if the ha'a or their offense is harder to learn, Alexander said:
"It's pretty even. They're both pretty tough." (HSB)

About how Farmer was diagnosed with a strained knee and will not need surgery, Mack said:
"Which is really good news. It's not as serious as we thought. I don't know the (recovery) timeline. He just has to rehab it." (HA)

About their RB situation, Mack said that Pilares is:
"In the wings." (HA)

About how Lafu was practicing as their #1 center ysterday (Estes has a sore right arm), Brian Smith said:
"He's our No. 2 center." (HA)

HA Note: "Tuioti-Mariner exited spring training as the No. 1 right guard. But in the first week of training camp, he suffered an injury to his right hamstring. Ray Hisatake, who entered training camp as a left tackle, has been the No. 1 right guard. Tuioti-Mariner resumed practicing this week, but has not reclaimed the right guard's job."

About how Lafu still hasn't earned his starting RG spot back yet, Smith said:
"Lafu missed a lot of practice. He has to get in shape and earn the spot back." (HA)

About being demoted after his injury, Lafu said:
"I still have to prove myself to be a right guard. I'm still going out there 100 percent. I'm waiting for my chance. I don't have negative thoughts (about the situation). I missed a lot of practice. Coach Mack said 'Whoever's in there the most, gets it.' I respect that." (HA)

About how Lafu would be their starting center if Estes gets hurt, even if he was their starting RG, Smith said:
"If anything happens to John, Lafu moves." (HA)

About his battle with Hisatake for the starting RB spot, Lafu said:
"We're all fighting for a job just to represent our school. I take that seriously. Off the field we're friends, and on the field we're just going at it. Ray's a good guy and right now he's getting a lot of reps. ... We're all in this together, but Coach said if I want my spot back I have to work for it. I believe that and it's a fair thing." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Offensive line coach Brian Smith said the right guard and left tackle positions remain unsettled and the linemen who don't start at those spots will still see playing time because the Warriors plan to use eight to 10 linemen in a game."

More comfortable at guard instead of tackle, Hisatake said:
"I feel real comfortable at guard now. A couple weeks ago everything was new to me, but I slowly worked myself into the system, I'm getting down all my calls. I still have a lot of stuff to work on, little things, but so far I really like it." (HSB)

About the biggest difference in switching positions, Hisatake said:
"I have more responsibility inside. When you're a tackle you're mostly one-on-one." (HSB)

About how he helps Hisatake learn the guard spot, Lafu said:
"He's asking a lot of questions and I'm just teaching him." (HSB)

About being moved from slotback to right wideout, Jovante Taylor said:
"They moved me because of my speed." (HA)

HA Note: "Because of an NCAA-mandated waiting period, Taylor was not allowed to wear pads during Thursday's scrimmage. McMackin implemented a no-touch rule regarding Taylor, who made two catches."

About how they simplified the schemes for him yesterday, Taylor said:
"They had me going on 'go' routes, basically, to open it up for the underneath routes." (HA)

HA Note: "When Taylor first arrived in town, he was listed as a No. 1 kick returner. But those plans were altered because of the prolonged delay in receiving his transcripts. He already has been admitted into UH."

About trying to move up on the kick-return depth chart, Taylor said:
"I'm trying to work my way back up." (HA)