’Bows, Skinner
might want to
play it safe

Hawaii is likely to keep its
game plan simple against powerful
Colorado State

By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

Whatever Josh Skinner did before last year's University of Wyoming game, he would be advised not to repeat it.

Not that the University of Hawaii quarterback should be overly superstitious, but just to be safe, all ladders, black cats, broken mirrors and hats on the bed are to be avoided at all cost this week.

Skinner said after yesterday's practice that he spent too much time trying to get tickets for family and friends, and not enough on the progression reads of the once-famed West Coast offense against those rowdy Cowboys.

OK. Ma and pa. You're tickets are taken care of for Saturday's game against Colorado State. But your immediate family and your neighbors down the street are going to have to fend for themselves. If they need tickets, call somebody in Fort Collins to see if there are any to spare. Leave your son be.

Now, what else should Skinner try to avoid to keep from repeating what happened in his first collegiate start that resulted in a 66-0 rodeo roundup of the Rainbows?

Well, he might start with the Colorado Sate pass rush. Granted, the Rams aren't exactly bucking for a job at Star Market, but considering Hawaii's offensive line has yielded 20 sacks in four games, he needs to stay out of harm's way.

That's because top two quarterbacks Tim Carey and Dan Robinson won't be playing again soon. Robinson will likely be redshirted due to a pair of nasty shinsplints and Carey is at least a month away from being cleared for duty, due to a bad shoulder.

Should Skinner get hurt, Johnny Macon probably would be forced into duty. And like Skinner, he shouldn't dwell on the past too much either.

Macon was the starting quarterback the last time Hawaii played at Colorado State in 1995. On that November day, the winds came sweeping down the plains at about 80 mph.

Macon was 0-for-7 passing in the first half. He wound up 3-for-21 in the 22-0 loss as the Rams handed the Rainbows their first shutout since 1976.

On a brighter note, you can tell that Macon and Skinner are happy to be back doing what they do best. But they still can't afford to let the past get in the way.

"Last year is last year," Skinner said. "This year is this year. I'm not worried about last year and what happened last year. This is a new year and a new season.

"This is definitely a chance to try to prove something to the coaches and to myself. I want to try to forget about last year and what happened at Wyoming. But all that's behind me. Hopefully, this will be the start of a bright future for me."

UH head coach Fred vonAppen hopes so as well. He had planned to redshirt Skinner this year because he spent most of the spring with the scout team and not learning offensive coordinator Wally English's new schemes.

But all that changed after Robinson went down with leg problems during the summer, and Texans Hunter Young and John Gurasich left the program.

The coaches wanted him to pay more attention in practice in case he was called upon in an emergency situation. Unfortunately for the Rainbows, that emergency has arisen, leaving Skinner with a major load to carry this weekend.

"He's doing fine," vonAppen said of Skinner's progression during the past week of practice. "We obviously have to do some different things when he's in there.

"He's a much more self-assured, confident guy than he was a year ago. He's not walking around cocky and singing his own praises, but I just sense a different air to him than he would have as a freshman going into the same circumstances.

"This isn't too dissimilar to going into Wyoming last year, although I think we've got a little better group going on the buses than we had last year. He's always had a pretty strong arm and he's throwing the ball in a pretty timely fashion this week."

The sophomore from Aurora, Colo., already has some game experience this season. He came in late in the 25-15 loss at Nevada-Las Vegas and led the Rainbows on a scoring drive that he culminated with a quarterback sneak from the one.

English has designed some plays for him. Look for the Rainbows to try to run the ball more against the Rams.

"We've got to establish a running game," vonAppen said. "And we also have to execute plays that are best suited for Josh. This is the situation we're in. You can't do anything about it, but go out and make the most of it."

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