HONOLULU — Micah Alejado conveyed not one of the lifeless giveaways of a participant who will miss his workforce’s sport in a matter of days — no crutches, no boot, no forlorn facial features.
But the quarterback who gave his all in Hawaii’s season-opening victory over Stanford was largely restricted to sideline assist of teammates at Tuesday’s observe, that means his standing stays the massive query because the Rainbow Warriors put together to embark for his or her first street journey of the season.
Will Alejado, one of many heroes of UH’s first win over an influence convention workforce within the Timmy Chang period, give it a go at Arizona simply days faraway from an injured proper ankle?
“It’s day to day right now but he’s expected to play,” Chang stated after a workforce assembly on the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex subject through which he raised his voice. The fourth-year coach stated he thought-about it an insufficient observe and hoped for a greater effort Wednesday morning.
Luke Weaver, a 6-foot-3 switch from Modesto (Calif.) College, took the vast majority of the snaps Tuesday whereas 6-4 UCLA switch Demaricus Davis acquired the secondary snaps and Caleb Freeman ran the scout workforce.
“Luke was brought in for this very thing, in case something happened, he’s got to go,” Chang stated. “Very confident in Luke and excited. He’s a gamer.”
Junior school switch Luke Weaver was at the controls for many of Tuesday’s observe with Micah Alejado sidelined. (Spectrum News/Brian McInnis)
Alejado was 27-for-39 for 210 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions towards the Cardinal and picked up Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors on Monday.
The 5-foot-10 redshirt freshman absorbed a strip sack in the long run zone for a Stanford landing on his first play of the season, however he proved it was not a deadly mistake. Alejado confirmed a willingness to surrender his physique for further yardage on keepers, even after he was hip-dropped for a sack and remained down on the turf for a number of minutes early within the second half.
He limped more and more between performs whilst he rallied his workforce within the fourth quarter. Afterward, he saved all his weight off his proper leg fully — however he resolved to play in Tucson.
“I think he felt better (Tuesday),” Chang stated. “There’s a lot of great people in Hawaii, by the way, that want to help and have reached out. Micah has been aggressive on his rehab process, and there’s a game plan that has to go in. He’s dialed in. He’s been here all day Sunday, all day Monday, and now Tuesday he’s got a process he has to go through. And so as long as he continually gets better, we’re expecting him to go.”
Weaver appeared for one play after Alejado was helped off, a move to Jackson Harris that was damaged up. UH punted and Alejado returned on UH’s subsequent collection. He was at the controls when the Rainbow Warriors drove for the game-tying and game-winning subject targets by Kansei Matsuzawa, the Japanese kicker who grew to become one thing of an in a single day celeb together with his unconventional background as a disciple of YouTube movies.
Whether or not Alejado performs, Saturday will mark 1,100 days because the final time he misplaced as a starter going again to his junior yr at Bishop Gorman (Nev.) High, a span of 26 begins.
UH was a 17.5-point underdog to UA as of Tuesday afternoon. The Rainbow Warriors expect Brent Brennan’s Wildcats to play an up-tempo, unfold assault; the Wildcats didn’t play in Week Zero. The Wildcats went 4-8 of their first season beneath Brennan — the previous UH graduate assistant and San Jose State head coach who’s the cousin of the late Colt Brennan — of their first season within the Big 12 in 2024.
In the meantime, Weaver figures to get the majority of the snaps earlier than and after UH departs on Thursday.
“Micah takes a lot of the reps during the week, so the more reps we can give Luke, we’ll just plan on him continuing to get better,” Chang stated. “We’re going to help him; we’re going to make sure he’s comfortable in what he can do and give him the best chance to go out there and succeed.”
Left guard Zhen Sotelo was involved together with his workforce’s proclivity for penalties (eight for 70 yards) within the opener however stated Tuesday his thoughts is at ease with Weaver behind him, if that’s what occurs.
“We’re truly confident in all our quarterbacks,” Sotelo stated. “They all are mentally prepared. We all study film the same amount as everybody else. So with Luke stepping up as a leader, he’s doing a good job of being vocal. He’s still getting the hang of things while we’re still getting the hang of things (on the O-line).”
As for Chang’s post-practice tongue-lashing, Sotelo stated, “It’s a Tuesday practice; it’s supposed to be rough. We’re adapting to a whole new defense … these guys play way different than Stanford, so it’s going to be a new look all around. The faster we can pick it up, the better we’ll be.”
UA may go along with extra safeties within the secondary beneath defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales.
UH is 5-1 all-time towards UA, however gained the final assembly in 2019, a rollicking 45-38 season opener at Aloha Stadium when Manly “Pumba” Williams tracked down Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate from behind at the 1 yard line on the ultimate play of the sport.
Former four-year Warrior Ka‘ena Decambra, UA’s beginning heart, leads a contingent of Wildcats with Hawaii ties into Saturday’s sport.
Hawaii and Arizona are scheduled to meet in Honolulu for the groups’ 2029 season opener, which as of now represents the primary sport at the deliberate new stadium in Halawa.
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports activities scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He could be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.