The status of the University of Hawaii football team’s offensive leader was summarized in two words.

“I’m back,” quarterback Cole McDonald said following today’s 2-hour practice at the Ching Athletic Complex field. He is expected to start in Saturday’s road game against Brigham Young University.

An undisclosed injury kept McDonald from playing in the past Saturday’s 17-13 victory over Wyoming at Aloha Stadium. But McDonald, dressed in full uniform, competed in all the team drills today.

“It feels good,” McDonald said. “It’s nice to be out with the boys and throwing again.”

McDonald, who threw 24 touchdown passes against two interceptions in the Rainbow Warriors’ first six games, said it was difficult to not play.

“It was so hard for me,” McDonald said. “I like being out on the field with the boys playing ball. That’s what I’m out here to do. I don’t think there’s anything better than having that camaraderie with the guys on the field, and just winning games. That’s what I find the most memorable.”

Cole McDonald on getting back out at #HawaiiFB practice today following missing the Wyoming game due to injury, and what he thought of Chevan Cordeiro’s performance. pic.twitter.com/kbSF0KZvOO — Brian McInnis (@brianmcinnis_McInnis) October 9, 2018

McDonald said it was a “game-time decision” to not play.

“I just couldn’t get ready,” McDonald said. “My body needed some more time. So that’s what we decided.”

McDonald, a third-year sophomore, spent the game offering tips to true freshman Chevan Cordeiro, who was playing in his first UH game.

“I’ve been there,” McDonald said of the first-game experience. “I know how it feels. I just tried to help him out as much as I could.”

Quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann said McDonald “knows this is his team. He’s the starter. He was confident in being able to really help Chevan throughout the game.”

Cordeiro threw the decisive 38-yard scoring pass to JoJo Ward to boost the Warriors to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the Mountain West.

“To be able to know you have two good (quarterbacks) that you can win any game with, it’s invaluable,” Stutzmann said. “Now you have video evidence. It’s great, not just for (Cordeiro) or the coaching staff, but, really, the whole team. No matter who we go in with — and we preach it all the time — it’s the next man up, and he was the next man up.”