Jones praises Chang Hawaii coach June Jones said yesterday that any criticism directed toward quarterback Tim Chang in the wake of last week's 35-32 UH loss at BYU is just something that anyone who plays the position has to learn to deal with.
The UH coach says the
quarterback will bounce back
after throwing 4 picksStar-Bulletin staff
But don't count Jones among Chang's detractors.
"I mean, everybody's zeroing in on the bad things that happened," Jones said. "Where I'm thinking, he saved my job.
"Fourth-and-8, you know, going in there when everybody wanted to punt it and I went for it," Jones explained. "He stepped up and made the play. We had fourth down, I walked out and told him, 'We're going to hit Justin Colbert, he's going to score on this play. Just give him time.' He steps in the pocket, moves up, hit the guy, went all the way down to the (8-yard line)."
Thero Mitchell then scored a touchdown and Chang connected with Clifton Herbert for a two-point conversion to pull UH within three points with 32 seconds remaining.
The sophomore threw four interceptions in Friday's nationally televised game. But Jones said it was clutch play in crucial situations like this that confirms his faith in Chang.
"I mean, he made plays that winners make," Jones said. "And he's just got to improve on the other things. But he has what it takes to play."
Jones said that Chang, who broke the pinkie on his throwing hand in fall camp, is getting healthy.
"He'll probably get it X-rayed or MRI'd here shortly," Jones said. "But I would anticipate since he didn't re-hurt it, that it's probably a clean fix now."
Chang was distraught after the game, blaming himself for the Hawaii loss, but Jones said he'll get over it.
"I talked to him in the locker room," Jones said. "It comes with playing quarterback."
He was special: For the second time in two games, Hawaii is hurting emotionally following the sudden loss of a player to injury. Special teams player Jonathan Kauka is out for the season following what he called "a freak hit" at BYU. Kauka tore his ACL and MCL, and suffered meniscus damage in his right knee and will undergo reconstructive surgery.
"He's a big loss from a leadership standpoint," Jones said. "He's been very, very positive for the last three years as a special teams leader and did a lot on our punt team. I think a lot of the success we've been having is because of his concentration, just his role there.
"I feel bad for him because he's a senior, but he had a great career for us as a walk-on, earned a scholarship, and I just feel bad he won't be able to finish (his career)."
D did its job: Jones said that while BYU's Marcus Whalen was one of the best running backs he had seen in his four years at UH, Hawaii's defense still played well enough to win.
"Last year when we were getting ready to play BYU, I told them if you make them punt twice we'll win the game," Jones said. "This year (Hawaii's defense) had seven 3-and-outs. They played well enough, even though we've got to play better. We did some things, we had some busts and stuff, simple things. But they played good enough that we should have won the game."
Jones praised the play of his cornerbacks and said the safety position should be shored up by the anticipated return of Leonard Peters in the coming weeks.
UH will work on improving its run defense to prepare for an upcoming string of ground-hugging opponents.
Official ruling: Jones said that several calls went against the Warriors, but that wasn't a surprise and it was something he'd tried to prepare his team for.
"Like I said, those things are going to happen when you're on the road," Jones said. "And it's not that it's anything unusual, you've just got to overcome them. And they happen -- it doesn't matter what level you're at. They happen everywhere."
Jones was asked why officials can't be more consistent week in and week out.
"They pretty much are," he said. "They pretty much are the same every game."
Short yardage: The Warriors will have plenty of time to rest aching bones. Hawaii will take today and tomorrow, then Saturday and Sunday, off. UH plays at UTEP on Sept. 21 in the conference opener. ... Jones on playing on Friday, followed by a bye week: "The benefits are we got the extra day to correct what we messed up. Positively, you know, you have to sit with that loss for longer and everybody focuses a little more." ... SMU running back Keylon Kincade, Fresno State defensive end Claude Sanders and Rice punter Travis Hale are WAC players of the week.
Parting shot: "Even though we lost up there, the nation gave us respect because of the way we played," Jones said. "And if we end up doing what I think we can do down the road, that game probably won't hurt us at all in November and December."
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