As Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan hobbled on crutches, a precaution for a sprained right ankle, Tyler Graunke remained true to the understudy's role.

Graunke, a fourth-year junior, wished the best for his close friend but was prepared to take over the offense, if needed, against Charleston Southern Saturday at Aloha Stadium.

"As of right now, I'm starting but that's because Colt's not practicing." Graunke said. "If he's ready to go, he's going to be the guy out there because coach (June Jones) has to make the best decision for the team, and that's obviously him right now."

Brennan underwent an MRI Monday afternoon, and a reading did not show any serious damage. Brennan's right foot yesterday was wrapped and in a padded shoe. Jones said Brennan might be able to practice as early as tomorrow.

"It's still swollen," Jones said.

Brennan suffered the injury Friday in Las Vegas. After hours of ice treatments and a shot of Marcaine, Brennan started the next night, throwing for 298 yards and two touchdowns and running for three scores in a 49-14 victory over Nevada-Las Vegas.

The pain returned when the Marcaine wore off.

During yesterday's practice, Jones gave the majority of the reps to Graunke, with Inoke Funaki assuming the No. 2 reps.

"I have a lot of confidence in Tyler," Jones said. "He's a good player."

Graunke said his preparation remains the same each week.

"I have to game plan, just like Colt," Graunke said. "He can go down any play, and I have to be in there. If I don't know what I'm doing, I'm not going to look very good out there."

During the offseason, Graunke "lost a little fat" while working to increase his strength. Even those strenuous workouts were not enough.

"I kind of took the backup's perspective coming into this season," Graunke said. "That didn't really help me that much, especially now that I can be thrown into the fire. But I'll be ready."

In the season opener, Graunke suffered swelling in his left (non-throwing) hand after being tackled. He said he aggravated the condition during the UNLV game.

"My hand is a little sore, but it'll be better by the end of the week," Graunke said.

Even when Brennan returns, Graunke said, "I have to keep pushing him. Not just for him, but for me, too. He can go down at any play, and the coach could throw me in there any play randomly. I have to be ready to go, and know what to do on the field. I have to be mentally prepared. I have to be physically prepared. I've been here a long time. I know my reads."

MOUTON ON THE MOVE

It was during the middle of the 12-day road trip, when the Warriors were idling in Houston, that cornerback Ryan Mouton started to feel homesick.

"I was ready to come back to the Islands," said Mouton, who was born and raised in Texas.

Mouton, a junior who played at Blinn College last season, moved to Hawai'i in August.

"I've adjusted to Hawai'i," Mouton said. "It's Hawai'i, man, it's Hawai'i."

Mouton also is easing into an expanded role. Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said Mouton will receive more playing time at cornerback and nickelback.

"We think he's one of our better players," McMackin said. "We're trying to get him on the field more."

McMackin said Mouton is impressive because of "his quickness, his football savvy and great attitude. He knows where the ball is. He's a good tackler. He's a hard-nosed, well-rounded football player."

Each practice, the Warriors work on "fire drills" — how to react to turnovers. On Mouton's 40-yard interception return for a touchdown against UNLV, McMackin said, "he just left everybody behind. We didn't have a chance to block for him. He was gone. We work on the fire drill all of the time, and he left them behind."

Mouton's UH career was delayed while school officials awaited his transcripts last month. But Mouton quickly learned the defense, and by the first week of the season, he was challenging starting cornerbacks Myron Newberry and Gerard Lewis.

Mouton is used to challenges. There were 1,200 students in his high school freshman class. At 5 feet 1 and 110 pounds, he earned a starting berth on the freshman football team.

At Blinn, there were three open tryouts a year. Despite the competition, Mouton emerged as a starter.

Now that Mouton is making a name at UH, he explained how to pronounce it.

"All of the guys tease me," he said. "They say: 'Mouton on the futon.' "

TUFAGA RETURNING

Defensive lineman Tuika Tufaga, a former Kahuku High standout and the nephew of ex-Kahuku great Junior Ah You, has joined the UH football team.

Tufaga, who is 6 feet 2 and 290 pounds, attended a junior college in New Mexico for two years before going on a two-year church mission. After returning, he attended Windward Community College.

He said he has three years to play two seasons. He said he will redshirt this semester.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051. Visit Tsai's blog at HawaiiWarriorBeat.com.

STADIUM WILL ENFORCE RULES ON TAILGATING

Aloha Stadium will take another step to help ease parking issues during University of Hawai'i football games.

"We have received many complaints about illegal tailgating in the parking lots," stadium manager Scott Chan said in a press release. "It involves fans parking their vehicle in one stall and setting up a tent and tailgating in an adjacent stall. This not only violates our tailgating policy, but it is counter productive to the efforts we are making towards easing parking problems."

Beginning with Saturday's game against Charleston Southern, the stadium will actively begin enforcing the tailgating policy. Fans will be asked to take down tents and vacate unused parking stalls in order to fill all stalls with vehicles.

"We do not want to be forceful and create an unpleasant experience for the fans," Chan said. "But we need to accommodate as many vehicles as possible, so we will ask people to follow the rules and hope they comply. If not, we will need to take the next step and ask the fans to leave the property altogether."

The stadium also will make an adjustment in the lower Halawa parking lot.

The lot will open an hour early (1:30 pm.) for the second time this season. Five lanes will be open for entrance to the lower lot at parking gate 3 (off Kahuapaani Street) and at parking gate 4 (off Salt Lake Boulevard). Only two lanes at parking gate 3 were open for the season opener.

As a reminder, parking sections 13 ABCD and 14 BCD, formerly available to the general public, are now reserved for UH 'Ahahui Koa Anuenue members.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.