Hawaii football: New Mexico suspends starting quarterback

For the third consecutive game the University of Hawaii will face an opponent’s backup quarterback.

And, the Rainbow Warriors didn’t even have to knock the previous starter out of the game this time.

Four days before it is scheduled to play the University of Hawaii, New Mexico announced today that it has suspended its starter, senior Sheriron Jones.

Jone is suspended “indefinitely,” head coach Bob Davie said at today’s press conference in Albuquerque, N.M.,where the 2-5 Lobos (0-3 conference) play UH (4-3, 1-2) Saturday in a Mountain West game.

Davie declined to disclose a reason for the suspension.

Jones began his career at the University of Tennessee before transferring to a junior college and, then, UNM.

Tevaka Tuioti is expected to start against UH. Tuioti, a 6-foot, 2-inch, 210-pound redshirt sophomore, was recruited out of Long Beach, Calif.

Tuioti is the more accomplished passer of the two, having completed 43 of 87 passes for 720 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions in five games.

At Boise State two weeks ago the Broncos’ second- and third-team quarterbacks combined to beat UH after the starter went down in the first half.

Last Saturday at Aloha Stadium, Air Force’s starter Donald Hammond III left the game with an apparent shoulder injury and his replacement, Mike Schmidt, led the Falcons to the victory.

Schmidt was named the Mountain West offensive player of the week after running for three touchdowns and passing for another.