HONOLULU — Thanks to a late-season bye week, the Hawaii football team has an opportunity to rest its considerable complement of banged-up players.

But in the case of its battered starting quarterback, it’s unclear if a week of recovery will be enough before UH’s Nov. 30 season finale against New Mexico.

Brayden Schager still had his left leg in what appeared to be an inflatable cast as of Wednesday morning’s practice. UH coach Timmy Chang, who brought in two backups to spell Schager in the second half of Saturday’s 55-10 loss at Utah State, could again deploy Micah Alejado and John-Keawe Sagapolutele for senior night.

UH (4-7, 2-4 Mountain West) was eliminated from bowl contention with its most lopsided loss of the season.

Schager, who was knocked out from the game on the first UH drive of the second half, hurt his left knee and right ankle. He was to get an MRI done upon the Rainbow Warriors’ return to Honolulu, which revealed a “minor sprain,” according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

“I think everything’s intact,” Chang said Wednesday following the team’s first full practice of the week. “We’ll just see how he progresses and how he gets better.”

If the senior from Dallas, a top-four UH career passer, cannot go, then Alejado, a true freshman left-hander from Ewa Beach, will get the starting nod, Chang said. The team would also look to get some work for Sagapolutele, a redshirt freshman, he added.

Alejado, a graduate of prep powerhouse Bishop Gorman (Nev.), went 11-for-12 with 111 yards, a touchdown and three sacks absorbed in the loss. Sagapolutele, a Punahou School alumnus from Ewa Beach, went 2-for-5 for 27 yards and two interceptions.

“I got a chance to look at stats and I thought (Alejado) was highly productive moving the ball. He had command of the offense,” Chang said. “I thought John came in and did some really good things. I think the ball slipped away from him. He was driving and had some good opportunities. I like both of them as they mature and they get better and they grow in our offense.”

Chang, asked about last week’s platooning strategy within drives, said it was to be determined how he would use the two this time.

Despite his 5-foot-10 stature, Alejado threw 54 touchdowns against two interceptions his senior year at Bishop Gorman, a Nevada state record.

Against Utah State, Alejado said he focused on taking openings in the flats with the Aggies focused on defending the deep ball.

He said he would accept whatever decision Chang made on how to use him.

“Oh, (a possible start) is definitely going to be big,” Alejado said. “It’s going to be a big competition between me and John next year, but it’s going to be really well to put on a good showing. Unfortunately (we) can’t play for a bowl game, so just being able to play hard and get the win for the seniors, sending them off right will be really big for us going into the offseason.”

Alejado has played three games, meaning he can appear in one more and maintain his redshirt year.

Sagapolutele, at 6 feet 1, has more of the prototypical quarterback size, but he didn’t seem comfortable as he came in for Alejado in mid-drives in his fourth appearance of the season.

Sagapolutele threw for 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a Buffanblu senior.

“I got a little too excited going into the game, knowing it was my first time, just really being able to go out there and play and throw the ball,” Sagapolutele said. “So, for me, I just want to get back to my fundamentals and technique.”

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.