EVEN though they haven't been playing, coming off a bye week, the University of Hawaii football Rainbows suddenly have found the season becoming more difficult. Rested ’Bows have
a long way to goThey will be back in action Saturday in their Western Athletic Conference season-opener at Utah. And while the week's rest eased some bruised feelings, seeing how their opponents have fared so far hasn't helped.
BYU looked awfully impressive in shocking No. 14 Arizona State of the Pac-10. A real scary thought: BYU is noted for its passing, but Ronney Jenkins ran for 171 yards as the Cougars beat the Sun Devils for the second year in a row.
"He's as good as we've ever had," said BYU coach LaVell Edwards.
Utah and New Mexico also continued their high-scoring ways in improving to 2-0.
Even San Jose State, a team many UH fans feel the Rainbows can finally beat in a WAC game this season, doesn't look like a sure "W" after the way it knocked off Stanford two weeks ago. Here's hoping that the Spartans, who came back down to earth in losing to Idaho last Saturday, stay grounded.
Texas-El Paso played tough against Oregon -- a team that whipped Michigan State, which whipped Notre Dame -- losing by only a touchdown. Fresno State gave Colorado a battle, while the other week Arkansas State just lost to Minnesota by a field goal.
You get the idea. It doesn't bode well for the 'Bows.
SUDDENLY, some of the anticipated UH victories don't seem as much of a sure thing anymore. Of course, nothing in college football is a sure thing. Just ask defending national champion Michigan, which is 0-2. Wouldn't it be simply "a-maize-ing" if the Wolverines come to town 0-11 for the season finale at Aloha Stadium?
But football coach Fred vonAppen isn't concerned about how UH opponents are faring. He's more concerned about his own team. He's got enough to worry about as it is, mostly with the offense.
"We have a lot of problems still with scope and sequence on offense," he said. And, ironically, with the Rainbows not sure who they'll be playing at quarterback, the Utes will be starting Darnell Arceneaux, a prized prep recruit from Hawaii.
"He's a real quality player. He's one of the better quarterbacks we'll face in the WAC. His mobility is a concern," vonAppen said. "And they (the Utes) have a big offensive line that averages 302 pounds across the board."
Obviously, Utah -- with nearly a dozen players from Hawaii -- will be a daunting challenge for the Rainbows.
Add to the mix that the Rainbows traditionally have never played well after a bye or on the road, especially in a WAC game, it's tough to be optimistic for this Saturday's game.
THE Rainbows are 0-20 in WAC road games, last winning at UTEP on Oct. 31, 1992. They're 0-10 away from the friendly confines of Aloha Stadium, which hasn't been that friendly either, come to think of it.
"We'll have both those challenges," vonAppen said. "When we play well . . . we'll win. It's as simple as that."
The bye, although the second week of the season is hardly an appropriate time, did come in handy, according to vonAppen. With the extra days, the staff had the chance to address some of the shortfalls exposed in the 27-6 season-opening loss to Arizona.
And while Utah is more talented and experienced than his Rainbows at this point in time, vonAppen doesn't know if the Utes are as good or better than Arizona.
So, vonAppen says, "It will be an adventure for us at Salt Lake." Actually, adds vonAppen, each game will be an adventure.
"We've got a long way to go yet," he said.
He wasn't just talking about the trip to Salt Lake City.