The University of Hawai'i had Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart right where it wanted him yesterday.

It had the Southern California quarterback impatient. It had him frustrated. And it had him pacing.

Then, he got off the sideline and into the game.

For the 13 minutes, 36 seconds they were able to play keep away from Leinart and the Trojans' offense in the first quarter yesterday, the Warriors still had a chance.

But once he trotted into the game in the waning seconds of the period, the season opener began to tilt toward the eventual 63-17 rout.

In little more than two quarters of play, before exiting with 2 minutes 27 seconds left in the third quarter with a 42-10 lead, Leinart left his mark on the Trojans' 23rd consecutive victory as surely as if he'd used a plane to write his initials in the blue skies above Aloha Stadium.

"There's a reason he won it (the Heisman)," said Rich Miano, the Warriors' defensive secondary coach. And on Miano's 43rd birthday, Leinart gave the swift Reader's Digest version in completing 18-of-24 passes for 332 yards, three touchdowns and a rare interception.

Leinart's signature play of the day would be a 67-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith that ended, at 35-10, any hopes UH had of sticking around. The way Leinart did it was pure field generalship, the kind that comes to an accomplished fifth-year senior.

Checking out of what USC players said had been a running play after reading a heavy rush and one-on-one coverage with the corner back, Leinart made brief but knowing eye contact with Smith and then it was off to the races.

"They stacked the box (with seven men) so he looked at me, I looked at him and we knew what to do," Smith said. "They give him a lot of Peyton Manning-like leeway and he knows what to do with it. The corner (back) bit hard on the slant fake and that's all he (Leinart) needed to see."

For what Leinart said felt like the longest time, though, he longed to just get on the field. Hawai'i monopolized the ball, running 22 first-quarter plays in a game that stood at 7-3 before Leinart was able to take the field with 1 minute, 24 seconds left.

"It was frustrating," Leinart said. "They nickel and dimed us, five yards, two yards, eight yards at a time. They kept moving the sticks. It felt like the whole quarter was going to go by before our offense got on the field."

When the offense did put in an appearance, it was impressive, scoring on its first two possessions and five of seven (including a missed field goal) in Leinart's tour of duty.

Presumably this is what he had in mind in coming back for a senior season instead of turning pro. "He's having fun and you can see it in his face," Smith said. "Before we left (Los Angeles) he told us in a team meeting how happy he was with his decision and how much he was looking forward to this season."

With days like yesterday, it is easy to understand why.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.