Thursday, October 15, 1998
Edwards hopes
for ‘rematch’
The BYU head coach is
By Paul Arnett
optimistic the series with
UH will resume someday
Star-BulletinLaVell Edwards has this dream, and Hawaii is in it.
The veteran Brigham Young University head coach not only sees the Rainbows and Cougars playing football against each other again someday, he has visions of the two schools coming together in the same conference.
"With all the changes that are coming about in all the different conferences, who knows, we may be in the same league again," Edwards said last night after his team arrived by charter from Salt Lake City.
"It could definitely happen. I would also think at some point and time when all the hurt, disappointment and everything runs its course, we could get this series going again.
"We've always enjoyed coming over here -- some times more than others -- because you knew the crowd was going to be large and very vocal. I enjoy playing road games in that type of atmosphere. It's better than some empty stadium where nobody cares."
Unfortunately, the latter may await Hawaii and BYU Saturday at Aloha Stadium.
In days gone by, this was the marquee matchup for local football fans. If they went to any game, this was it. Granted, Hawaii rarely won, but you could count on it being close.
"Well, sometimes," Edwards said, then began laughing to himself at the memories. "I remember those two years (1989 and 1990) where they beat us bad. Didn't they score 59 points one game?
"That's something as a coach you try to forget. But that was the (1990) game where we were ranked fourth in the nation and Ty Detmer had just won the Heisman Trophy hours before kickoff. They came out and just beat us (59-28). Boy, that was something."
The only other time Hawaii beat BYU this decade was during the magical run of 1992. Since then, the Cougars have ripped off five consecutive wins over the Rainbows, and as 24-point favorites, expect to make it six.
BYU once lived and died with its air show, but this season, the Cougars will go as far as their talented defense takes them.
They are ranked first in the Western Athletic Conference and eighth nationally in total defense, yielding 270.3 yards a game.
The Cougars are ranked ninth nationally against the run and 14th vs. the pass.
Middle linebacker Rob Morris is the heart and soul of this balanced unit. He leads the team in tackles with 65 and has four sacks, nine hurries, one caused fumble and one blocked kick. Without him, BYU would have a hard time competing for the WAC Pacific Division title.
"Rob is the leader of this team," Edwards said. "He goes hard on every play, and because of it, our defense is really good.
"A lot has been made of our front seven -- and deservedly so -- but our secondary is solid, too. Our offense is still young, but we're making some steady progress there every week."
The Cougars' passing game may not fly in as lofty a circle, but it still isn't half bad. They are 33rd nationally in passing, averaging 235.3 yards a game.
In last week's 38-14 victory over Nevada-Las Vegas, junior quarterback Kevin Feterik threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns.
The offense had plenty of chances, thanks to a defense that limited UNLV to five first downs and 98 yards.
"That's the kind of game you need to work on things that can help you later in the season," Edwards said. "We still aren't running the ball as well as we would like, but I was pleased to see Kevin playing better back there."
Feterik has completed 75 of 136 passes for 1,055 yards and five touchdowns. His favorite targets are wide receiver Margin Hooks and All-WAC back Ronney Jenkins.
Hooks has 21 catches for 461 yards and two touchdowns. Jenkins has 20 for 193 yards and is the team's leading rusher with 474 yards on 107 carries with five touchdowns.
"Ronney has come back and done a good job for us, but we still have a long way to go on offense," Edwards said. "We already have a loss in the WAC, so we can't afford to stumble again.
"Ronney has helped our running game, but we're still averaging barely 100 yards a game. And that's not enough if we want to be competitive down the stretch."
Edwards is shooting for his 19th WAC title since taking over the program in 1972. Two years ago, he took home his 18th league championship, ending that 14-1 season with a 19-15 victory over Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl.
"I never dreamed our relationship with Hawaii and the WAC would end this way," Edwards said. "We made a lot of history in this league. I feel sorry it has to come to an end."
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
