Wounded Rainbows
limp into Colorado
The quarterback is hurt
By Paul Arnett
and the defense is worse;
this could be a bad day
Star-BulletinFORT COLLINS, Colo. -- This is not a good weekend to be without your starting quarterback. My goodness. Even if Tim Carey were around to play in tomorrow's Western Athletic Conference game at Colorado State, you'd have to pity the University of Hawaii.
For one, the Rams were picked to not only win the Pacific Division, but to capture the title in the WAC championship game in Las Vegas.
That dream took a serious thrashing after instate rival Air Force traveled to Hughes Stadium two week ago and thoroughly whipped Colorado State, 24-0.
If that's not bad enough, the Rams have had 14 long days to think about it, something Colorado State head coach Sonny Lubick has used as a measuring stick to test the mental toughness of his team.
The Rainbows also have lost their last 17 league road games and haven't managed a victory at Colorado State since 1988. No wonder they're 30-point underdogs.
"It's less-than-ideal no matter how you look at it," UH head coach Fred vonAppen said. "But what are you going to do? You're going to go over there and play your best. Injuries and how you respond to them are a key part of the game."
Instead of Carey, who is sidelined with a shoulder injury, vonAppen will start one of Colorado's native sons at quarterback. Sophomore Josh Skinner, who is from Aurora, Colo., says he's ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
"This is something you dream about as a player," Skinner said of his second start in as many years with the Rainbows. "I know I'm better prepared than I was a year ago at Wyoming.
"I've had more repetitions, the offense is easier to understand and I have more confidence in myself. You won't see a repeat performance of Wyoming."
VonAppen certainly hopes so. He and offensive coordinator Wally English had a good time when asked after Wednesday's practice if Skinner was prepared to be a starting quarterback.
"No," English said, then said to coach vonAppen with a smile. "He asked me if Josh Skinner is ready and I said no."
VonAppen replied, "Who the hell is Josh Skinner?"
"That guy down there wearing No. 16," English said. "What can you say? This is a player who was about to redshirt, who's suddenly thrown in there as the starting quarterback at Colorado State.
"We're glad we had a bye to give him two weeks to prepare. We're going to do some things more in tune with what he can do. But it's a difficult situation."
It was made more difficult by the departure of starting tailback Quincy Jacobs. The senior transfer from Stanford University officially quit the team earlier this week, leaving the Rainbows thin at that position.
Freshman Charles Tharp will start. Backups Jade Charles and Anthony Diieso have a combined four carries for seven yards between them.
Even though the rushing yards are anemic -- Hawaii is ranked No. 102 nationally, averaging 78.8 yards a game -- vonAppen wants to establish the ground game.
Look for the Rainbows to run some option plays with Skinner at quarterback, Tharp at tailback and Calvin Mims at fullback. Tharp and Mims have rushed for 295 yards between them. Tharp is averaging 6.5 yards a carry and Mims is averaging 7.8.
"We've got to do a much better job of running the football," vonAppen said. "If we can establish a ground game that Colorado State must respect, it should open up the passing game for us."
UH defensive coordinator Don Lindsey doesn't care what the offense does -- just as long as it keeps his thinning troops off the field in the rarefied Rocky Mountain air.
Hawaii has lost nearly half of its starting defense to injuries. The latest two casualties are defensive tackles Ben Bright (ankle) and Matt Elam (neck). Neither made the trip.
That doesn't bode well for the Rainbows, considering the excellent running game of the Rams. Damon Washington is the leading ground gainer with 453 yards in four games.
Quarterback Moses Moreno and receiver Geoff Turner also provide a powerful one-two punch.
"They can beat you in so many ways," Lindsey said. "We have to control the run, because if we don't, we don't have much of a chance of stopping anything."
At times, the Rams have stopped themselves as their 2-2 record overall and 0-1 mark in WAC play will attest. But Lubick is looking for a breakthrough this weekend.
"We need to establish ourselves as a team to be reckoned with in league play," Lubick said. "We've already lost one WAC game. I don't think we can afford another and still be a contender in the Pacific Division."
Starting Lineups
Hawaii Offense
No. -- Name -- Pos.
28 -- Eleu Kane -- WR
63 -- Adrian Klemm -- LT
78 -- Conrad Paulo -- LG
65 -- Shane Oliveira -- C
75 -- Gary Krug -- RG
71 -- Kaulana Noa -- RT
22 -- Lonn Kalama -- TE
16 -- Josh Skinner -- QB
25 -- Charles Tharp -- TB
24 -- Calvin Mims -- FB
12 -- Wesley Morris -- WR
Hawaii Defense
No. -- Name -- Pos.
96 -- Olen Rosehill -- LT
97 -- Bob Pigott -- NG
83 -- Ellie Kapihe -- RE
53 -- Brian Chapman -- LB
34 -- Doug Rosevold -- LB
47 -- Matt Paul -- LB
51 -- Kamuela Cobb-Adams -- LB
27 -- Al Hunter -- DB
7 -- Chris Shinnick -- DB
21 -- Eddie Klaneski -- DB
23 -- Donnell Williams -- DB
Colorado State Offense
No. -- Name -- Pos.
1 -- Geoff Turner -- WR
61 -- Blane Saipaia -- WT
78 -- Steve Dundee -- WG
64 -- Mike Newell -- C
72 -- Anthony Cesario -- SG
71 -- Eric Bailey -- ST
80 -- Eli Workman -- TE
13 -- Moses Moreno -- QB
20 -- Damon Washington -- FB
86 -- Derrek Uhi -- HB
5 -- Paul Turner -- WR
ColoradoState Defense
No. -- Name -- Pos.
96 -- Clark Haggans -- LE
76 -- Mike Mackenzie -- LT
90 -- Greg Pollard -- RT
44 -- Adrian Ross -- RE
3 -- Nate Kvamme -- LB
45 -- Willie Taylor -- LB
6 -- Rick Crowell -- LB
7 -- Eason Ramson -- DB
2 -- Myron Terry -- DB
28 -- Erik Olson -- DB
10 -- Dennis Randle -- DB
The facts
What WAC football: Hawaii (2-2, 0-2) vs. Colorado State (2-2, 0-1)
UH Football Notebook
UH Rainbow Warrior
Football Schedulehttp://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
