Wednesday, September 2, 1998
Memory lane
a dead-end street
Rainbows and Wildcats
By Paul Arnett
want to focus on tomorrow's game,
not connections between
the teams
Star-BulletinSitting at the airport last night, you could almost hear what the television stations would be playing in the background as they showed the University of Arizona players and coaches with local connections exiting the plane.
OK, cue the Barbra Streisand playback and roll videotape.
"Memories, light the corners of my mind..."
All right, enough of this already. No more trips down memory lane. No more stories about local boys missing sticky rice and plate lunches. And please, please, leave poor Bob Wagner alone. Hasn't the man answered enough questions about what it's like coming back to Hawaii?
Even Dick Tomey, who brought the Rainbows' program out of the wilderness two decades ago, is tired of this line of questioning. People seem to forget this isn't Tomey's first trip back to Aloha Stadium since exiting, stage right, in 1986. He was here for the Aloha Bowl in 1990.
"I'm sure the Hawaii players and coaches are tired of hearing about us coming," Tomey said last night.
The 12-year veteran head coach for the Wildcats has no idea. UH counterpart Fred vonAppen addressed the matter earlier this week at the Quarterback Club.
"I know Dick better than I know Bob," vonAppen said. "I know our team doesn't know either one of them and could give a rip less.
"There aren't that many of our team members left who played for Bob. And if any of them played for Dick, we'd probably have an NCAA violation. So that doesn't really play into it.
"I contacted Dick to see if the staffs could scrimmage at Aloha Stadium the night before with the lights out, but he didn't respond. We'll just have to coach against each other and leave it at that."
Of course, vonAppen couldn't leave it at that.
"I've had to answer those inane questions about people who coached here in the past," vonAppen said. "But they're not here and I am. If they want back, when it comes open, apply for it."
It's unlikely Wagner or Tomey want to make a return engagement. Tomorrow's nationally televised game with the Rainbows is probably as close to the Western Athletic Conference as they want to come.
For Tomey, there have been questions whether his future is clear and bright in Tucson. He is in the final year of a contract that has yet to be extended by athletic director Jim Livengood.
But apparently, that's not a problem as Tomey begins his quest for another run for the Rose Bowl. He believes he'll still be waking up in Arizona for years to come.
"Our athletic director and me have a great understanding," Tomey said. "So I don't feel any pressure to win early. He has made me some assurances that I feel are very legitimate.
"It's not a cause for concern. As I said, he's made me some assurances that I believe in, and I believe in him. We just need to go out and play."
Of course, playing well would go a long way in giving the Arizona fans assurances that this Wildcats team is for real.
They not only have a solid defense coached by Rich Ellerson, who was Wagner's defensive coordinator here from 1987-91, they also have a big-play offense coached by former Rainbows running back Dino Babers. As a result, Arizona enters its season opener as the No. 24 team in the country.
"And they're a very deserving football team," vonAppen said. "You look at this team on paper and you know they're for real. They have two quality quarterbacks and two excellent receivers.
"Their defense is always ranked among the top 20 nationally, and they have a defensive back who is a consensus All-American. We're going to have to be at our optimum just to stay on the field."
That's no exaggeration. The Rainbows can ill-afford turnovers, penalties, or busted plays on offense, defense and special teams.
Hawaii's defense is the Rainbows' strength, and that's good because Arizona's offense is the Wildcats' bread and butter.
They will open with sophomore quarterback Ortege Jenkins at quarterback. He threw for 1,669 yards and 19 touchdowns last year.
His top targets will be wideouts Dennis Northcutt and Jeremy McDaniel. Each can stretch a defense as well any wide receiver in the country. Northcutt caught 58 passes for 767 yards and nine touchdowns in 1997.
McDaniel missed last year with a hamstring injury, but might be more dangerous than Northcutt, leaving UH defensive coordinator Tom Williams scratching his head.
"They can beat you so many ways," Williams said. "Yeah, their top running back (Trung Canidate) is out, but the other guy (Kelvin Eafon) isn't half bad. They're what you would expect a Pac-10 program to be."
The key for the Rainbows might be how well their light but quick defensive line matches up with the big Wildcats up front. Starting left tackle Edwin Mulitalo tips the scales at 346 pounds. Junior right guard Yusuf Scott weighs in at a trim 337 pounds.
"Those guys are big, aren't they?" vonAppen said, then smiled. "We'll have to try to run around them because I don't think we'll be going through them."
On the flip side, Hawaii's offensive line could have its hands full dealing with a defensive front that averages 261 pounds and is quick off the football.
In Ellerson's defense, the idea of swarming is found on Page 1 of his playbook. The Wildcats will run to the edge and beyond. They are a formidable outfit. Still, Tomey is taking nothing for granted.
"What worries me about Hawaii is how they get up for these kind of games," Tomey said. "Last year, they outplayed Notre Dame in every way but the final score.
"We tried to impress upon our guys that we can't just show up here and get a win. This is a very important game because it's the first one. You want to get off to a good start."
UH offensive coordinator Don Lindsey couldn't agree more. He's concerned the offense might be left in the starting blocks.
"I don't have a good feel as to how we will perform," Lindsey said. "We're going to run a little bit of everything to see where we're at. This is a quality football team we're playing. A very good Pac-10 program.
"Our guys have to understand this from the beginning. If we don't get on top of things and get our minds right with what we have to do, then it's going to be a very long night for us."
UH's Phillips to miss game
University of Hawaii head coach Fred vonAppen sat behind his desk after yesterday's practice quietly shaking his head.
He had learned earlier in the day that offensive lineman Andy Phillips was hospitalized after the morning team meetings for an irregular heart beat.
Phillips, of Casa Grande, Ariz., is a favorite of vonAppen's. He affectionately calls him "Big Red" and was visibly upset that Phillips would be out for tomorrow's game with Arizona.
"I don't know what it is, but this program seems to be under a dark star," vonAppen said. "We always seem to have something bad happen, just when I think things can't get any worse."
Although the arrhythmia isn't considered life-threatening, it's still cause for concern. Offensive line coach Greg Olejack said yesterday he planned to visit Phillips once practice was done.
"I'm sure he's feeling a little uneasy and in need of a friend," Olejack said. "Big Red is quite a guy. We're going to miss him out there. I hope he gets better and can make it back before the year is done."
Phillips and cornerback Celnell Bobbitt are the only starters out for the opener with the Wildcats. Wide receiver Eleu Kane is bothered by a hip pointer and linebacker Rinda Brooks and safety Daniel Ho-Ching are nursing hamstring pulls. But all three are expected to play.
Rainbow football
Records: Hawaii (0-0) vs. Arizona (0-0)
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
