Defense still holding on to top 25 ranking

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The University of Hawaii's chances of finishing in the top 25 in total defense didn't diminish after all.

Despite yielding 405 yards in the 38-14 loss to San Jose State on Saturday, the Rainbows dropped only one spot to No. 24. They are giving up 323 yards a game.

Hawaii's pass defense wasn't as fortunate. The Rainbows took a stock market-like drop, falling from No. 28 last week to No. 48 with an index rating of 117.30.

"One thing about it, the scoreboard doesn't lie," Lindsey said. "When you give up that many points as a defense, it comes down to three things - motivation, preparation and execution. I'm accountable for all three of those and we didn't do any of them worth a crap.

"We've talked about this before as to why this kind of thing happens. I don't want to sound redundant. I didn't see a thing out there that San Jose State did different than what we expected. We can't go back to the drawing board because we've drawn it all."

Hawaii yielded more than 30 points for the second consecutive game and the fourth time this season. Teams are averaging 26.2 points against Hawaii in 1997. During last year's 2-10 campaign, the opposition scored a staggering 36.1 points a game.

"In this game, our defense played a lot like it did last year," UH head coach Fred vonAppen said. "We've got to do a better job if we want to have a chance to win our remaining two games."

WET AND WILD: Winter storms in the Bay Area forced the kickoff to be delayed by 30 minutes as the grounds crew tried to clear the water off the field. Fire marshals determined it was unsafe for San Jose State to stand on its own sidelines, so both teams were put on the visitor's side.

"The delay bothered us a little bit," senior Eddie Klaneski said. "But not as much as the field itself. I never could get my footing. We kept overrunning everything and then falling down. I can't remember the last time I played on a muddy field like that."

San Jose State players also complained of the delay, but they certainly adjusted better to the muddy track.

"We took shorter steps and were able to cut on the field better than they did," said wide receiver Oliver Newell, who caught three touchdown passes. "A field like that always favors the offense because you know where you're going and the defense doesn't."

FLAGS WERE FLYING:The WAC officials certainly made their presence felt as the 19 penalties for 229 yards would attest. Hawaii committed 14 for 101 yards. But even more mind-boggling, nine of those were false-start flags.

"It's embarrassing," UH offensive coordinator Wally English said. "I told our guys we never would go on the first sound, but they jumped off anyway. Some of our linemen said San Jose called out defensive checks, but that shouldn't matter if we're not going on the first snap count."

VonAppen agreed.

"I can't imagine that many false-start penalties in a season, much less in one game," vonAppen said. "We've been doing it all year long. I can't understand it. It must be coaching. Where else can you place the blame for a fundamental error like that one."

DISAPPOINTING HOMECOMING: Freshman running back Charles Tharp had about 200 family and friends attend the game. Tharp, who played his high school football in nearby Mountain View, Calif., started off well, but as the game slipped away, he became less of a factor.

He finished with 10 carries for 29 yards. He scored Hawaii's first touchdown to tie the game at 7-7. Tharp also threw an incomplete pass and caught two for 17 yards.

"I really looked forward to this game, so it's disappointing I

didn't get to do more for our team," Tharp said. "But when we fell behind, we quit running the football as much. I don't understand what happened. I wish somebody would explain it to me."

Hawaii rushed for only 71 yards on 30 carries. It marked the eighth time in 10 games that the Rainbows failed to crack the century mark in rushing.

"We wanted to run the ball more, but when we fell so far behind, there wasn't much else we could do but throw the football," English said.

-- By Paul Arnett

---

http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu