QB Nainoa Banks practices a toss to a slotback in practice. The Golden Hawks will move to a flexbone offense in 2016. Michael Lasquero | SL

View image 1 of 1

---

QB Nainoa Banks practices a toss to a slotback in practice. The Golden Hawks will move to a flexbone offense in 2016. Michael Lasquero | SL

View image 1 of 1

---

When the Nanakuli football team plays its first game in Division I, it will have a brand new look on offense.

Instead of the spread offense that the Golden Hawks have been employing the past couple of years, they will be moving to a run-first, triple-option offense out of the flexbone formation.

"I think with the personnel that we've got, we've got more opportunities to run the ball," said fourth-year coach Keala Watson. "As a head coach, you're a lot more comfortable with somebody running it rather than putting it up in the air because when it goes up, anybody can go up and grab it." 

Returning to lead the Golden Hawks' offense is senior quarterback Nainoa Banks, who completed 59.6 percent of his passes for 1,723 yard and 17 touchdowns in 2015. Although Banks is primarily a pocket passer, Watson said he has made great strides in the offseason to prepare him for the new offense.

"Knowing early in the offseason that we were switching to a run-heavy offense, he took it upon himself to develop himself into a runner," said Watson. "He's definitely running a lot faster this year. He also put on a few more pounds to make sure he can take a hit, but his passes are still on the money. Hopefully this year he will be a lot more comfortable in the offense where he's got the confidence to make decisions faster."

The responsibility of being the field general isn't lost on Banks either.

"I have to become a leader more with our offense," he said. "Everybody looks up to me. With all my knowledge, I have to spread it throughout the whole entire offense. My main goal is just to become a leader."

But Banks won't be the only quarterback you see under center for the Golden Hawks this season. Chyson Morgan, who had a punt return touchdown and caught 24 passes for 196 yards and two TDs last year, will also help trigger the offense with his speed and quickness. 

"He'll be exciting to watch too. Right now he gets as many reps at quarterback as Nainoa does," Watson said on Morgan. "Every time he gets the ball, it's kind of scary. He's going to pick defenses apart."

One of the position groups that have really helped the team transition to a run-first offense have been the offensive linemen, Watson said.

"I think the guys that appreciate it the most is the offensive linemen because they've been kind of anxious to try and get some blocks in on some tougher opponents. They're definitely not shy about facing bigger and stronger guys."

"They are the big men on the team. If they push hard, it makes all of our skills push hard," added Banks.

Key players joining Banks in the backfield include fullback Joey Vea-Quitog and slotback Shandon Laa. Watson said that Vea-Quitog is "slippery like a bar soap" when he gets going and that Laa in the offseason "must have got bitten by a radioactive bug because he came back this season totally changed." The Golden Hawks can also air it out to Nick Souza-Meyers at wideout and use linemen Isaac Pascua as a fullback in jumbo plays.

Watson is hoping that the Golden Hawk's multi-faceted attack will help them ease into the Division I schedule.

"This year the advantage that we have is the element of surprise. None of these Division I teams have really seen us before (with this offense). I don't think they would know what to expect. We could actually set up one thing, and run something else. This is probably the only year that we'll get that."

Playing in a higher division should also motivate Watson's team to keep on improving and not be satisfied with their achievements in Division II.

"We have to understand that we can't be complacent or anything, and I'm glad we moved up because you can easily get comfortable being in a Division II program," said Watson. "In Division I, you have to keep improving. There's no room for any complacent, you just have to keep on getting better."