When the McKinley Tigers pressed linebacker Isaac Iuta into playing quarterback recently, it sounded awfully familiar.

It wasn't because Iuta played a little quarterback on the junior varsity two years ago at Nanakuli, where he transferred from last spring. It goes further back. About three games into the 1982 season, his father, Kaiser Iuta, also played quarterback for McKinley, moving from defensive line after the QB got hurt. This after he earned Advertiser Defensive Player of the Year honors as a junior in 1981.

"I was nervous," Isaac said of starting at quarterback last weekend in a 35-21 loss to Farrington. "(My father) said, 'Just do your job. Don't overplay your position.' "

Yet with only a week of preparation, Iuta turned in a respectable performance, completing 9 of 16 passes for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 31 yards on 12 carries. Coach Bobby Grey said he had to trim some of the offensive playbook, especially pass plays. If he ran out of options on pass plays, Grey had a plan for Iuta.

"I told him, 'If it's not there, don't force it. Just run,' " Grey said.

Iuta started for right-handed Tilton Kaluna, who injured his left collarbone in the Moanalua game two weekends ago. That didn't help with backup Ervin Sione already out with the same injury. Iuta will start again in tomorrow's homecoming game against Kalaheo at Roosevelt.

The Tigers, 3-2 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East, need a win to secure the division's third seed, which comes with a bye in the first week of the playoffs. The bye is crucial for McKinley because Kaluna and Sione might be available by the second week of the playoffs, Grey said.

If Kaluna or Sione can play quarterback, Iuta returns to his natural position. Not that he isn't available to play defense. He played about six plays on defense against Farrington.

"If we don't have to use him (on defense), I don't think we will," said Grey, who has given his defensive coordinator the green light to use Iuta at linebacker at any time.

Grey said he had tried others at quarterback, but Iuta's athleticism helped make the decision.

"He was the only one who was somewhat of a quarterback, someone who could throw and someone who could also run," said Grey, who used Iuta at QB on occasion in the summer pass league.

The Tigers would like to see Iuta back on defense full time. He made a number of crucial plays in a 14-13 win against defending state champion Kahuku several weeks ago. He had a couple of sacks and two fumble recoveries, plus was one of three Tigers making a touchdown-saving tackle on the final play of the game.

The move to quarterback hit close to home for Iuta because his father was put in the same situation. Kaiser Iuta, an assistant with the Tigers' JV, also had to play quarterback after enjoying much success on the defensive line.

"There was more running," recalled the elder Iuta. "They tried to make it simple for me."

Iuta, who played at Sacramento City JC before transferring to Hawai'i in 1986, did have a long touchdown pass (about 40 to 50 yards, he said) to Theo Adams, who became an offensive lineman with UH.

Isaac's move to offense spurred the call-up of younger brother, Isaiah, a sophomore linebacker on the junior varsity. The Tigers shifted outside linebacker Micah Helsham to inside backer, where Isaac played, and put Isaiah at outside backer, where he played in JV. Isaiah was spotted in situations in the first half, but when he started making plays — he had an interception that led to a McKinley touchdown and a fumble recovery — he started staying in the game longer.

"(Isaiah) exceeded all the coaches' expectations," Grey said.

"I was more happy for him than I was for myself," Isaac said of Isaiah.

The Iutas have literally come a long way. They lived in Las Vegas until about three years ago. Isaac played freshman ball for Liberty High before the family moved back to Hawai'i. After several years on the Leeward Coast, the family moved to the city. While he left a number of friends at Nanakuli — he still visits and stays in touch with them — it didn't shake his enthusiasm for his new school.

"When I first moved, I didn't like it," Isaac said. "But I felt it was the right decision by my parents. I'm loving it here."

THIS WEEK'S GAMES

TOMORROW

BIG ISLAND INTERSCHOLASTIC FEDERATION

JV 5 p.m., varsity to follow, unless noted

Ka'u vs. Hilo at Wong, 7 p.m. (varsity only); Konawaena at Kealakehe (JV); Kohala at Kealakehe (varsity); Waiakea at Kamehameha

KAUA'I INTERSCHOLASTIC FEDERATION

JV 5 p.m., varsity 7:30 p.m.

Kapa'a vs. Kaua'i at Vidinha Stadium

MAUI INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE

JV 4:30 p.m., varsity 7:30 p.m.

Kamehameha vs. Baldwin at War Memorial

O'AHU INTERSCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION

JV 5 p.m., varsity to follow, unless noted

RED EAST

Kalaheo vs. McKinley at Roosevelt; Moanalua at Kahuku; Farrington at Castle

RED WEST

Leilehua at Campbell; Radford at Mililani; Wai'anae at Kapolei, 4 p.m. (JV), 6:30 p.m. (varsity, TV)

WHITE

Kalani at Kaiser, 6 p.m. (varsity only)

SATURDAY

BIG ISLAND INTERSCHOLASTIC FEDERATION

JV 5 p.m., varsity to follow, unless noted

Honoka'a at Kea'au; Konawaena at Hawai'i Prep, 2 p.m. (varsity only)

INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE OF HONOLULU

Damien at Iolani, 3:15 p.m.

AT ALOHA STADIUM

Pac-Five vs. Kamehameha, 4:45 p.m.; Punahou vs. Saint Louis, 7:30 p.m.

MAUI INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE

JV 4:30 p.m., varsity 7:30 p.m., unless noted

Pac-Three at Lahainaluna, JV 11 a.m., varsity 2 p.m.

Maui at Kekaulike

O'AHU INTERSCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION

JV 4 p.m., varsity to follow, unless noted

WHITE

Waipahu vs. 'Anuenue at Kailua, 6 p.m. (varsity only); Nanakuli vs. Kaimuki at Roosevelt; Pearl City at Waialua