Tyler Graunke, the heir apparent to the record-breaking Colt Brennan, was suspended from the team by new head coach Greg McMackin and he wasn't on the field when UH opened fall camp yesterday at Manoa.
McMackin didn't get into details about the reason for Graunke's latest suspension, saying only that the senior QB has to resolve some personal issues.
As you may recall, Graunke served an extended time out last spring for failing to keep up with his work in the classroom.
No one knows when – or even if – Graunke will return to the team.
In the meantime, UH has to focus on a daunting season-opening challenge at nationally fifth-ranked Florida, led by reigning Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.
As McMackin put it yesterday, when asked about Graunke: "Until he's here, we're moving on."
Which means, at least for the time being, that three players will compete for the starting job: junior Inoke Funaki and junior college transfers Greg Alexander and Brent Rausch.
Funaki saw limited action last season. He has the best understanding of UH system and is an outstanding and dangerous scrambler. There are question marks about his passing ability.
Alexander and Rausch put up some gaudy statistics operating out of four-receiver formations last season, but that was against JC competition as opposed to a Top Five team from the SEC.
Graunke backed up Brennan for most of the last three seasons and is the most experienced of this year's group.
He started two games last season, completing 65.7 percent of his passes for 1,234 yards and 10 TD against 6 interceptions.
Graunke led UH to a dramatic 28-26 win at Nevada, earning WAC player of the week honors after passing for 358 yards and two touchdowns.
He closed the season with a solid showing in the Sugar Bowl when he went 13-for-19 and led the UH to its lone TD in a 41-10 loss to Georgia, ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches poll.
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