Entering the final stretch before Saturday's season-opening road game against Florida, the Hawai'i football team yesterday made several adjustments.

While Brent Rausch, who did not practice for the second consecutive day because of a sore arm, remains the No. 1 quarterback, Greg Alexander made a push to be, at the least, No. 2.

Corey Paredes moved from linebacker to help the injury-depleted running back group.

And Royce Pollard moved from right wideout to left wideout, a move significant because it indicates that wideouts Nate Nasca and Jovonte Taylor will secure berths on the 66-player traveling squad.

The Warriors do not practice today. But UH head coach Greg McMackin and his staff will meet to craft the travel roster and tentative redshirt plans.

Here's a look at key concerns:

QUARTERBACK

After three days of full rest, Rausch is expected to resume practicing tomorrow.

He was grounded from throwing Friday and yesterday because of a slight strain in his right forearm and biceps of his throwing arm.

"I'll be 100 percent by Monday," Rausch said.

McMackin said: "He's No. 1 as long as he's healthy."

Alexander, also a junior college transfer, took all of the reps with the No. 1 offense the past two practices. Inoke Funaki, a fourth-year junior, was the No. 2 quarterback.

The Warriors are considering taking a fourth quarterback to Florida. The likely candidate would be senior Jake Santos and not Tyler Graunke, a fifth-year senior who started two games last season and spent the past three seasons as Colt Brennan's primary backup.

Graunke was reinstated to the team after resolving academic issues, but he has yet to practice. The NCAA has a mandatory waiting period, which includes undergoing physical examinations and attending orientation sessions.

Rausch, meanwhile, said sitting out proved to be beneficial.

"It's good to see the offense and defense from a different perspective," said Rausch, a third-year sophomore. "It's actually pretty good. It helped me a little bit."

RUNNING BACK

"You're fired!" senior linebacker Solomon Elimimian yelled to Paredes after yesterday's practice.

"He used to be my apprentice," Elimimian explained. "I got him a locker right next to me. I let him have my pads, my coveted red pads. I gave him everything I had because he was under my tutelage. ... He left us. He left all of us. It was a secret coup, behind my back. It's heartbreaking."

Paredes said: "Duty calls."

Indeed, Paredes was the most surprised about the switch. But a move was needed because of injuries to running backs David Farmer (strained right knee) and Jake Heun (herniated disc). What's more, Daniel Libre did not practice because of a minor ailment. The only healthy running back with game experience is Leon Wright-Jackson.

One consideration would be to move slotback Kealoha Pilares back to a running back. As a freshman in 2007, Pilares led the Warriors with 388 rushing yards. The Warriors would like to redshirt slotbacks Ryan Henry and Dustin Blount. Those plans would be derailed if Pilares moves from slotback.

McMackin, offensive coordinator Ron Lee and running back coach Alex Gerke decided to summon Paredes, who was struggling to earn reps as a middle linebacker.

"He's tough, rugged, and he can run," Lee said. "He played (running back) in high school. He knows the offense. He'll be good because of that physical toughness and blocking (ability)."

McMackin said: "We still like him on defense, too. I think he's going to be a good team member."

It was during a Friday night meeting when defensive coordinator Cal Lee told Paredes to report to Gerke.

"I wasn't too sure what it was all about," Paredes said.

Paredes, who is 5 feet 11 and 235 pounds, was a linebacker and receiver at Castle High School, but he also was used as a running back in certain situations.

Yesterday, he wore a plain white jersey. When he entered a team drill, a defender yelled: "Hit Corey!"

Elimimian said: "I saw him out there, and I said, 'What's going on? ... But he did look good out there at running back."

Paredes said the position "felt pretty natural. I still have a lot of fundamentals and techniques to work on. I have to get my footwork down."

Paredes is not on scholarship.

"I just love to play," he said.

Meanwhile, Farmer said he was encouraged by his MRI results. He suffered a strained right knee during Thursday's full-contact scrimmage at Aloha Stadium. The injury will not require surgery.

"It looked worse on film, but it was good news," Farmer said. "I hope to be back in a couple of weeks."

WIDEOUT

Left wideout Greg Salas and right wideout Malcolm Lane have won starting jobs. But the development of Nasca, who moved from slotback to wideout a week ago, and Taylor, a junior college transfer who was cleared to practice the past Wednesday, have created more options.

The speedy Nasca, a Pearl City High graduate who transferred from Azusa Pacific last year, has ascended to No. 2 right wideout.

Because Nasca and Taylor are still learning the position, it was decided that Pollard, who was the No. 2 right wideout through the first two weeks of training camp, should move to left wideout.

Pollard, who received a football scholarship during camp, made an easy transition yesterday.

"He knows how to play both sides," McMackin said.

Lee said: "He's been consistent. He has good hands."

Lee also said that when Nasca and Taylor become more proficient at right wideout, then Lane also could be used to spell Salas at left wideout.

Nasca has been impressive since the start of spring training. He participated in all of the unsupervised summer workouts. But he was caught in a numbers game at slotback. The starters are seniors Michael Washington and Aaron Bain. Pilares and Jon Medeiros are the No. 2 slotbacks.

While Nasca has proved to be a reliable wideout, he also can move back to slotback in an emergency.

So, too, can Taylor, who was recruited as a slotback. But a two-week delay — UH would not allow him to practice until his final junior-college transcript was certified — forced a change in plans. Taylor has been given fewer reads at wideout. Instead, they are using his speed — 10.4 seconds over 100 meters — to stretch defenses.

"He has a lot to learn, but his speed can help us," Lee said.

CORNERBACK

The top three cornerbacks are Ryan Mouton, Jameel Dowling and Calvin Roberts.

Mouton is the best athlete. Yesterday, he made a leaping interception while tip-toeing the sideline.

In schemes involving five defensive backs — nickel (4-2-5) and Okie (3-3-5) — Mouton becomes the nickelback. Often sneaking into the tackle box, Mouton has made several sacks off blitzes during team drills.

When Mouton moves to nickelback, Roberts enters as the cornerback.

Jeramy Bryant, a junior college transfer, and JoPierre Davis also have been in the rotation.

But now Chris Black, also a junior college transfer, has entered the competition.

Black missed the first week of training camp while completing school work at College of the Canyons.

"I had to get all of that done before I could transfer out here," Black said. "Everything is OK now."

Black, who is 5-10 and 175 pounds, has been competing at left cornerback. Yesterday, he made two diving pass breakups and an interception.

"He had a big day," McMackin said. "I thought he did a heck of a job."

Black practiced despite a tender ankle.

"In DB drills, I kind of sprained it a little bit," Black said. "But I got it taped up. I'm OK. It felt pretty good out there."